The 3 Worst Mistakes That Homeowners Make When Renovating Their Massachusetts Home

1.  BEGIN A PROJECT WITHOUT PREPLANNING

• Most people begin their home renovation projects without much pre-planning and believe they’ll just work out the details and figure it out as they move along.
• But for a successful home renovation project you need to follow a plan!
• For bigger projects, you’ll need to invest in a set of detailed construction drawings with plans, elevations and details.
• If you’re simply updating a bathroom and introducing new materials have a list that covers the scope of what your project entails. Without planning – rest assured, you will experience one delay after another and throw good money after bad.
• Do not demolish anything unless you have a documented plan.

2.  OVER-UPGRADING OR SCRIMPING ON THE RENOVATION

• When the scope of the project and the final result is disproportionate with the home’s market value, then there’s a problem.
• Whether you live in a more modest community, renovate and update your home according to what your neighborhood will tolerate.
• Don’t scrimp in the high-end market and don’t overspend on the lower end market.

3.  DIY PROJECTS GONE AWRY

The reality is that DIY projects typically take three to four times longer than it would take for a skilled contractor to do it. Do you have the luxury of time on your side?

• Many DIY projects become even more complicated than expected. Approximately 20% of ambitious home remodelers eventually have to call in a professional to not only complete the work, but fix that damage that the homeowner caused.
• Try to stick to painting, cabinet staining, re-facing and clean up.
• A poor substandard job will show like a flashing beacon and no one will be willing to pay top dollar for that.