Busted! Don’t Believe These Home Renovation Myths!

There’s no greater pleasure than dreaming about a beautiful home whose transformation is easy, fast, and affordable. However, the reality is a lot more gritty, as when it comes to home renovations, there are a plethora of myths and misconceptions. As a result, some homeowners don’t fully know what to expect when they go into the renovation process.

Renovations are by nature disruptive – and no one knows that better that the Frazer Building Company. However, in order to ensure that you don’t face a rude awakening and can properly prepare for your home renovations, we’re going to dispel three of the most common home renovation myths.

MYTH 1: Doing it yourself or hiring a local handyman will save you money.

Contrary to popular belief, doing the renovations yourself, hiring an unemployed relative or a local handyman may save you money now, but will cost you in the long run. Home renovation is not as simple as replacing worn out carpets or torn wallpapers. Using trusted professionals can actually save time and money. A professional contractor will provide a written estimate of the project, so you know what to expect, when to expect it and be assured of quality work.

MYTH 2: Most projects run over budget and past schedule.

Some renovation projects may go beyond the projected budget range and time frame but that only happens when there is no proper planning, research or setting of goals and timelines. One way of ensuring there is no time delay, is to determine your financial limits before anything else. From there, you can start researching about costs of materials you want, the extent of renovation and the service providers to do the job. Depending on the age of the home, you may want to have a contingency fund available for unexpected issues. Even the best contractor can’t determine if you have a mold issue inside the walls or if your wiring and plumbing meets the current code, until they start they dig into the project. Those are real issues that must be addressed. A reputable contractor will not make short costs to avoid adhering to the building code; they will do it right or not at all.

MYTH 3: Get started with the renovation first, plan later.

If demolitions require adequate planning, imagine how much a renovation would. Rushing to start a renovation without proper planning and/or budgeting typically turns into a disaster. The excitement of change puts people into a rush mode to get started. Proper planning and budgeting will make the renovation an enjoyable experience for both the homeowner and contractor.

Myth 4: All additions and renovations add value to the home.

While converting two small bedrooms into one large room would work nicely for you, it could really hurt your resale value when you are ready to sell. While adding another bedroom or an additional bathroom will add more value to your home, it doesn’t mean that the resale value goes up. You must always keep in mind that some renovation work will actually hurt the value or resale ability of your home.

The best way to mitigate the stress over renovation is to be prepared. The Frazer Building Company strives to provide all the information needed by customers to make informed decisions about their renovation projects.

By providing proper market analysis for the area and the work being completed, we will tell you what makes most sense for your investment and your living experience in your home. For a complete list of services, please click here. If you have any questions about Frazer Building Company, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us here.