Home renovation is a very demanding undertaking. Therefore, it is often accompanied by stress. But we all know that stress can make matters more complicated. It makes things look graver and impossible to achieve.

When you feel stressed during home renovation, there are more chances of forgetting important detail and making wrong decisions and mistakes. Research also corroborates that stress impairs a healthy individual’s decision-making, attention control, and memory.

Therefore, taking steps before and during your home renovation to make it stress free is crucial. The good news is that it is conceivable to carry out a stress- free home remodeling project. Here are some tips to eliminate stress from your home remodeling project.

1. Make sure you have finances for home renovation

Having enough finances is inevitable for carrying out a home remodeling project. Often, the unavailability of funds, especially when making a design or structural change, causes acute stress. Therefore, ensure you have enough finances for your project. Or you should be confident about arranging finances from friends or family when needed.

Another way to ensure you have enough money for your home renovation project is by applying for a home renovation loan before starting the project. In countries like New Zealand, where home renovation is costly, people often don’t rely on friends and family for money. For instance, in Auckland, homeowners spend $14000 to $20,000 on renovating their houses on a budget. This figure can go as high as more than $200,000 for a whole house remodeling.

So, relying on friends is often not a possibility. Instead, it is better to approach a financial institution to get financial help. Home renovation loans in NZ and other countries are easier to apply for, offer competitive rates, and have a short processing time.

2. Hire a contractor

Some people are fond of DIYing everything, including home renovation. But often, it is not a good idea because home renovation demands a lot of attention and time. Giving this much time and dedication to other commitments can be impossible. And instead of getting things done on time and within budget, you create chaos.

DIYing home renovation hurts the budget and lengthens the project, increasing the cost further when material prices increase. You can escape this bedlam by working with a professional contractor and entrusting them with the responsibility of your house.

From ensuring enough material in the store, the availability of workers, and adherence to the timelines, to completing the project on time, a contractor can help at every step.

Contractors are responsible for their entire team, accommodation, food, etc. So going with a contractor instead of DIYing removes a boulder of stress from your shoulder.

3. Select a contractor carefully

Contractors can make your project a success with their prudence, skills, and management. But they can also ruin it with their carelessness and shortsightedness. Therefore, you cannot choose any contractor. You must do proper research before going with anyone.

Ways to search for a home renovation contractor include asking family or friends. A real estate agent in your locality can help too. They are often aware of such people.

You can use Google in your hunt for a home renovation contractor too. Contractors often have well-established websites where clients can leave comments about their services.

Once your search is complete, shortlist at least three contractors—interview them compare their services, rates, and client reviews. Also, discuss their policies for delays, property damage, and penalties for these issues. Go for a contractor that is neither too cheap nor beyond your budget. Think about it—someone offering cheap services is doing that for a reason.

4. Procure material in the beginning

Material costs can increase during the project. A sudden increase in the material cost can hurt your home renovation budget, damage the timelines, and cause undue stress.

A way to cushion your project from the jolts of unnecessary increases in material cost is by buying some material in the beginning. You can purchase materials and supplies expected to be affected by inflation during the renovation period. Once you have a store of materials to go through a significant part of your home renovation, a slight increase in the cost in the later period might hurt less.

5. Choose good quality material

Home renovation is costly, which is one of the reasons home remodeling does not happen daily. Therefore, always use high-quality material that lasts for some time.

Buying low-quality material looks cheap in the beginning. But ultimately, you pay more when it forces you to repair your house sooner than expected. Therefore, don’t trade the quality of the material for a few bucks.

6. Prefer simplicity over style

When choosing designs, accessories, and styles, always prefer simplicity over intricate styles and designs. Simplicity has more life than trendy intricate designs. Also, prioritize practicality and ensure that changes you make in the house make it more livable and functional. For example, having ample storage might make
your home more comfortable and more attractive for future buyers than having
an accent wall.

Also, if your house has intricate designs and functions, you might feel stressed operating them. Besides, their cost might make a big hole in your wallet too. Therefore, make it your goal to achieve simplicity, functionality, and practicality in your home through the renovation project.

7. Have some surplus budget

Having a budget is important for every home renovation project. But more important is keeping a surplus budget for unexpected situations.

Keep at least 20% more after considering the material, labor, contractor, and other costs. This surplus budget helps in keeping stress at bay when unanticipated circumstances arise.

For instance, during remodeling your kitchen, you may discover water damage. You cannot move forward without addressing this issue. Doing so will make the issue worst. When you have a surplus budget, you can use that money to manage unaccounted-for problems such as water damage in your kitchen.

When you don’t keep a surplus budget, you must channel the funding from planned to unplanned parts of the renovation. Often you are forced to shorten your project too, which can be quite a tear-jerking and upsetting situation. So always have some financial buffer for a smooth, stress-free home renovation project.

Conclusion

Home renovation is stressful, but it can be made stress-free too. It only requires you to plan extensively, anticipate the problems that may arise, and find their solution even before starting the project. The more solutions to unexpected issues you have, the less tressful your home remodeling project.

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