Our Renovation Planning Guide: 6 Steps You Must Take

Thinking of renovating your home? Before you get carried away, it’s important to have a plan.

Planning your renovation in detail before you begin will save you headaches later. Without a clear plan, you can run into problems with your budget, timeframes, materials, and teamwork.

Taking the time to plan will make your renovation process easier, smoother, and stress-free. Here’s our 6 steps to planning a renovation:

Set Goals

Before you start your renovation, the first thing you need to decide is your goals. What do you want to achieve with your renovation?

If you’re looking to add space to your home, then focus on how many bedrooms and bathrooms you will need to accommodate your growing family. If you’re looking to add value, then you’ll want to focus on kitchens, bathrooms, and entertainment spaces.

Organise Council Approval

The next step is to organise your council approval. Most extensions and renovations will require a Development Application/ Assessment from your local council. Depending on what work you are doing to your home, you may need additional approvals.

If you’re unsure, it’s best to talk to your local council, state planning authority or a consultant town planner.

Set a Realistic Budget

It’s important to be realistic about what you can afford. Setting a realistic budget can help you not over-invest and avoid overcapitalisation.

Take the time to get quotes from at least 3 different building companies and compare their pricing. Expect to pay 40% of your budget on materials, 30% on labour and 20% on fees, taxes, GST and levies.

Choose the Right Building Company

Then, you need to choose the right building company. It’s important to take the time to visit different companies and compare their prices, quality, and service. Take a look at reviews or speak to previous customers to get an idea of the company’s reputation.

Decide on a Design Style

Next, you need to think about your home’s design style. Do you want your renovation or extension to blend in or stand out? If you are renovating an old home, do you want to retain its original design style?

The interior design choices you make will affect the internal and external materials you choose, so it’s worth considering at an early stage. It’s easiest to choose one design style at the start and stick with it.

Stay on Track of your Paperwork

Our final tip for planning your renovation is to stay on top of your paperwork. Even if you’ve hired a project manager, you’ll need to keep track of costs and timelines. If you’re running the project yourself, it’s a good idea to keep a diary of what happens each day. This helps to keep the renovation on schedule and gives you a record of any incidents that occur.

If you’d like to ensure your next renovation is a success, read our FREE resource ‘8 Tips for Renovation Success’

Looking To Renovate Your Home?

At JM Homes, we ensure we always take the time to listen, communicate and act with our client’s interests at heart at every stage of the build.

If you have a renovation project in mind, we’re Brisbane’s building experts. Whether it’s a Queenslander, new build, house raise, extension, or deck, we can help you.