Whether you’re building a new home for yourself, or redesigning and upgrading your current home, you have a big job ahead of you. Here are a few common mistakes that you can easily avoid.
1. Thinking you can do it all yourself
Even if you are a DIY expert, some jobs are just too big for one person. And doing everything yourself will not save you money. You may make some very serious, and probably very costly, mistakes along the way. It could mean needing to hire professional to complete the job and fix the mistakes. Make sure that your project goes smoothly, and hire the experts to come in. Their experience, expertise and tools will translate into a better job done overall, with fewer mistakes, and less stress for you!
2. Hiring a builder in a rush, without due diligence
Hiring someone for any big undertaking requires trust and communication. To achieve this, the best thing that you can do is take your time, do your research and be certain of the builder or contractor that you choose to hire. Do not forget to check their credentials and their references as well. Before you even consider the builder you’re looking at, make sure they are a registered professional with the National Homebuilders Registration Council (NHBRC). A reputable and experienced builder will provide you with detailed quotes, including a warranty as well as a comprehensive discussion around permits, timeframes, materials etc. Do not skimp on your builder! You can easily find reputable and local builders online, with reviews to help you decide.
3. Being unclear with your requirements and time frames
While you need to trust your builder, open communication needs to occur in both directions. Be clear about your requirements and what your end goal is. Big projects will take time.
4. Taking inaccurate or incomplete measurements
This is a silly mistake that can be easily avoided by double checking your measurements and having a complete list of the measurements that are required in an area to complete a job. Correct and complete measurements are vital if you are sourcing your own materials and DIYing a lot of the work yourself. If you are designing the plans, or later down the line when you need to buy the different parts, one missed measurement can be the difference between a good fit and a misfit.
5. Building without approval from your local council
It is a legal requirement in South Africa to obtain planning permission prior to building, renovating or extending your home. Section 4(1) of the National Building Regulations and Buildings Standards Act states: No person shall without the prior approval in writing of the local authority in question, erect any building in respect of which plans and specifications are to be drawn and submitted in terms of this Act.
Obtaining approved building plans is vital and should be one of the very first steps that you go through. It can take time to have building plans approved by council and going ahead with major changes to your property, especially any structural changes, can lead to major fines and huge costs in the future. You will not be able to sell your property without complete building plans and obtaining new ones after you have made unapproved changes and can lead to more costs and more trouble. Your builder will be able to advise you on whether you need to submit building plans as well as what the steps are to make sure that your building plans are submitted correctly to council. Part of this will be hiring a registered professional with the South African Council for Architectural Profession (SACAP).
6. Going over your budget
Before you start, make a list of your must-haves and a list of what you can live without. You can get carried away when you start to plan out your project, thinking about all the possibilities! But think carefully about what you need done now, and what you don’t need. Also, additions can be made in the future, when there is either new room in the budget or a new project in the pipeline. If you try to do everything all at once or add on too many things as you go, you are going to run into additional costs that you were not prepared for and did not discuss with your builder before you started. This will lead to delays in your original project as well. Be clear to yourself and to your builder from the beginning what your needs and wants are and what you can reasonably afford.
7. Rushing through the process
There are a number of steps that you will need to undertake to make sure your building and renovations are a success. Take your time, think things through and make sure you have all the information that you need on hand before you make any decisions. While there will be chaos and disruption during the process, it can also be satisfying and enjoyable, so take a step back and enjoy each step of the way!
8. Planning your space poorly
When you start the planning process, consider all elements of the space you have available and what you plan to do with it. This includes the orientation of the house and the direction of doors and windows. How much sun does each area get during the year? Are there any unattractive sight lines to consider, like bathrooms opening directly into living areas? Is there unused space that can be upgraded to storage? Is there enough space for the furniture and appliances that you want? Which way do doors swing in and out? This list can go on. So, take your time thinking about all the aspects of the space you are going to be upgrading, renovating or building in.
9. Being unprepared
Building is messy business, and it is going to be disruptive. Be prepared for what you need to do to minimise disruptions to yourself and your family. Be prepared before the build with dust covers and moving furniture out to reduce the necessary clean up that will need to occur once the job is finished. Be prepared for that necessary clean up at the end! And most importantly, be prepared for something to go wrong. The larger and more complex the project that you are embarking on, the more likely that something will go wrong. The better prepared you are, the easier these disruptions will be to deal with. And most importantly, take a deep breath and talk to your builder for advice and what the best way forward is!
You may well only need to go through a big building or renovation once or twice in your life. Take the time that you need to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible, so that you may enjoy the experience and be completely satisfied with the final product!