Home renovations involve a lot of skills that not every homeowner has. You often must hire one or more professionals to handle the labor. That’s not always a bad thing; in fact, the right professional can make sure everything is done right, on schedule, and on budget. You need to be careful where you invest your money. Any builder needs to be certified in accordance with the National Home Builders Registration Council and be familiar with all of the SANS 10400 Building Regulations. Otherwise, you may find yourself with inferior workmanship, materials, and a home that lacks function and safety.
Focus on Expertise Specific to Major Renovations
If you are looking to renovate a bathroom, whoever is doing the work should be familiar with the basics of plumbing. You might not even be planning on attempting the work alone. Even if a professional is coming in to take care of things, you should still know where the pipes are, how your home water system works, and the basic plumbing techniques required.
Also study up on how the professionals install sinks and bathtubs. Replacing flooring and tiles involve a few basic techniques. Studying up on these will enable you to know how the process is done, but you should only indulge in locally sourced information. The techniques and materials relevant to the local market are important if you’re embarking on a do-it-yourself project or vetting a professional in the field.
Take Renovations One Room at a Time
Unless you are completely gutting out the home, a solid plan for each room is needed. You’ll need one regardless, but if you’re renovating a kitchen, for example, the techniques are quite unique. Kitchen renovations require plumbing work and electrical service as well. Interior walls may have to be taken down. If they’re load-bearing, knocking them down can have disastrous consequences; a structural engineer will be able to tell you if this is the case or not. Plastering up the walls or ceilings or installing concrete floors demand respective specialties and techniques, so know the basics of any job if you or a professional are doing the installation.
Home Renovations Often Require Extensive Modifications
You will almost certainly need a structural engineer if you plan on adding to the structure or knocking part of it down. First, identify a professional who is up on the latest techniques and procedures for such building improvements. Then you’ll need an architect to provide drawings needed to use as guidelines. It’s also likely that municipal approval will be required to start on such renovations, so consider that as well.
Home renovations are generally costly by nature. Renovating whole rooms and even adding and subtracting to the structure require industry expertise. Our database of contractors across the country will help you find the right professionals who can work within your budget, so start searching today to get your project off the ground.