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Shrewd Moves: Outsmarting Home Improvement Cons

The home improvement process comes with many benefits, as you can enjoy a stunning refreshment of your home as well as add quite a significant amount of value in many cases. However, the industry is unfortunately home to quite a few cons that you should be aware of, to help you get the best results and also value for money. So, if you’re planning home improvements, make sure that you’re familiar with the following considerations to help you get the results you’re looking for while minimising stress!

Invest In A Surveyor and Architect

Firstly, you should invest in a surveyor and an architect. If you go straight to a builder, sometimes they will claim to be able to plan out the build and check everything is as it should be, however, this could lead to significant issues later down the line, so investing in a separate surveyor and architect is absolutely worth it. They will be able to give a professional opinion and also provide an element of accountability for the builders to ensure that everything is done to the correct specification.

For larger projects, it would also be important to have a project manager to ensure that everyone is meeting deadlines and prevent any unnecessary overspends. Overall, while spending on surveyors and architects is an investment, it’s absolutely worth it.

Never Pick The Cheapest Builders

One of the most important cons to avoid is falling for the temptation of choosing the cheapest builders. This is an obvious way to cut costs; however, it can end up being a big mistake. Often, cheap rates reflect the quality of work and experience of the builders, so you will end up paying in the future, whether it’s mistakes that need to be rectified during the build or a lack of attention to detail that results in serious issues later down the line. Picking the wrong builders based on things like price or availability can also lead to all sorts of other issues, like bank scams or fraudulent activity that can leave you completely out of pocket.

Instead, focus on finding well recommended and experienced builders who will do the build right the first time and it’ll result in long lasting quality. If you can find someone who has been personally recommended, that is ideal, especially if the build was completed at least a few months ago or through the winter months, when many potential issues will arise.

Question The Materials Used

If you have an older building that you are making home improvements on, then you need to question the materials that the builders are using. It’s important that the materials being used are compatible with those that were originally used in the build when it comes to heritage architecture, including things like lime based mortars, renders and plasters rather than modern cement. Some builders may take shortcuts here, whether it’s cheaper or easier for them to find modern cement, or they may already have some so it makes it more convenient for them.

However, this will likely lead to issues for you later down the line. As older buildings have shallow foundations, they can be affected by ground movements, and so if modern cement is used, it can result in small cracks, causing issues with damp and leaks. So, it’s important that you look for builders who are experienced in renovating older buildings, to ensure that the right procedures are followed.

Make Sure The Foundations Are Right

Often, contractors will advise different additions to your home renovations in order to drive up the price, such as fancier finishing touches. However,  when it comes to home improvements, your absolute priority should be on the structure of the home, including leaking roofs and structural movement, because all of those fancy improvements could be ruined if the basics aren’t done right at the beginning. This is why a surveyor is so important, to make sure that the base of your improvements is strong and then go from there. What good is a brand new top of the range oven if your kitchen is going to flood?

So, you should wait until you’ve had a thorough survey done before any discussions with architects and builders, so you can go forward with those recommendations that they make to ensure that the end results are both what you’re looking for in the in the short term and also have longevity. People can find it frustrating that there is quite a significant cost required in some cases to fix structural issues, when the changes can’t be seen, like new flooring or a home extension. However, without this important step, all of the work you pay for could be at risk.

Be Wary Of “Miracle Cures”

Something else to be aware of when it comes to home improvements is spending too much on ‘miracle cures’, rather than just paying to get things done properly. Again, these quick fixes might save you money and also save builders time, which is often why they’re recommended. However,  there’s a reason why the tried and tested methods remain and it’s because they work. For example, rather than properly sealing a leak, there are endless products that claim to seal leaks for good in seconds.

However, they can actually do real damage and make the issue worse, even if you don’t see evidence of this right away. The same goes for things like insulation, where it seems too good to be true, and it likely is. So, invest in things properly and you’ll save money in the long run.

Final Thoughts

The overall theme of our suggestions on how to avoid home renovation cons is to make sure that you invest in things properly the first time around, even if it means saving for another year before you start the work. It can be easy to fall for cheaper options or quick fixes, but 9 times out of 10, these decisions will come back to bite you and end up costing a lot more money than it would have if you invested in better quality initially. So, make sure you’re questioning every suggestion to get the best results for your home improvements and to create the space you’ve always wanted that is also structurally sound.

Luke Johnson