Don’t Move, Improve!
When you’re unhappy with your home, selling up and finding somewhere new often pops up in your mind. But, sometimes, it’s best to stick with what you have instead. Selling can often be expensive, and you aren’t always guaranteed to find something that you’ll feel is perfect. It can also be a more cost-effective option to improve what you’ve got. If your current home has potential, why not think about extending, ripping out or completely remodelling rather than looking elsewhere?
Work Out What You Want
When you’re starting out, it’s always best to try and figure out exactly what it is you’re looking for in a home. Then, you can see if it’s possible to create in your current home. If you’re not sure what it is you want, it’s time to start looking for a little inspiration. Whether you spend a few hours, days or weeks scrolling through Pinterest or hunting down clever remodelling ideas, inspiration is key here. When you know roughly what you want, it’s time to get creative.
Get A Design
Then, you should work on the plans for the house. Whether you know what you’re doing, ask a friend or hire an architect, the overall design ideas are key here. Firstly, the plans will help you to visualise the finished look, and you may also need them if you have to apply for permission with your local council. Do expect this step to take a while, as you may need to ask for changes, or it may take some time for your plans to be approved.
Price Up
If you needed permission and you’re waiting on approval or if your drawings are done, and you’re ready to get started, it’s time to find a builder. This can be as easy or complicated as you make it. Either ask friends who they used, or you can look online at different directories to find professionals in your area. You may also want to get a few different quotes for the work just to make sure you’re getting the best price and to find the right tradesman for the job.
Start Small
When you’re improving your home, it can be tempting to jump in at the deep end just to get everything done. Ideally, you’ll start small. Whether it’s taking it room by room, or step by step, by starting off small, you’re going to make sure that you can handle the budget and that you allow for things to go wrong. Because they often do. Delays are common, and if you take it step by step, you can be prepared for hold ups and changes that might set you back if you were in a rush.
Embrace The Change
And finally, when the majority of the work is done, it’s time to talk about the most exciting part of all – the decor. Change is good. Right now, change is what you wanted – so embracing it. When it comes to personalising your home, take your design plans to the final step and paint, carpet and furnish until your heart’s content. Then, you’ll finally see why it was better to improve than move.