How to Plan A Home Renovation?

Planning a renovation for the home? A new looking home can be very refreshing. After a few years, the same rooms and walls may start to become dull on the ol’ psyche. In comes renovation to rejuvenate and turn your home from dull to exciting again.

There are a lot of things that you need to consider weeks before you even start the work. It can be a very daunting task at first and if you do not plan it well in advance it can prove to be havoc. Working on a budget, deciding what kind of renovation work you need, looking for a builder, a painting contractor and the number of things you need to take care of are endless. In this guide we have listed easy to follow steps that you can help you with your stress-free renovation.

#1: Finalize the budget
The first and foremost thing to figure out before you start making plans for your new looking house is the budget.

It is vital to set a fixed budget at the beginning of your project. As per your ability to spend money, you can decide what renovation tasks can be done within that monetary limitation. If you simply want paint the brick walls with a fresh coat of paint then it will cost you a very small amount.

However, for a full-blown remodeling of the house you need a pretty huge sum. What is your ability to spend, based on the value of the property? how much you should be spending? if the remodel is necessary these are a few factors you need to consider? The amount of money you can spend on renovation will decide the quality and quantity of the work scope. You have to keep in mind, if the home is for sale, you may need to a move out cleaning done, so consider cleaning in your budget. During end of tenancy cleaning, you want to make sure your tenant has left no damages because this may affect your budget calculation for your paint budget. You then want to learn how to pack and label boxes for moving home items or hire a service for this. The goal is to have the home empty or mostly empty when trying to paint, as this makes your painting experience easier to manage,

#2: Get Inspiration

Once the major task of financial details has been worked out, you can move to the most exciting part of the renovation project.

Lookup for ideas online or from experts, to decide what you can do with your space.

Spend a good amount of time to consolidate a list of ideas that you are interested in. Inspirations for décor, new elements in the house, structural designs for adding space, furniture designs are the key areas that you should focus on.

Depending on your requirements there are a lot of inspiration and mood boards that you can find on Pinterest or websites that focus on interior designing. A few easier things like painting the walls or creating something basic for the home can become a fun DIY project as well.

#3: Determine the scope of your project

The idea of renovation can be overwhelming. The number of ideas and wishlist can increase exponentially and you may not realize when it starts going over your determined budget. Hence, now is the time to assess the scope of your renovation project.

It is a good start to associate all your ideas with estimate costs. For this, you can reach out to someone for a consultation or a builder who will give you a realistic number for the wish-list. If everything fits in your budget, it’s a win-win. But if it crosses the budget you can either remove a few tasks or tweak them to fit in your budget. Give priority to things which are a necessity over the elements that are a luxury. There will be a lot of back and forth in this step and will require a lot of effort from your end.
#4: Designing the plans
After the scope of your project is set, it is time to give life to your plans in the form of sketches and layouts.

For a bigger project that involves adding extensions to the house or a new level, designs can be very useful.

For smaller elemental changes, sketches are not essential but can prove to be beneficial to get a beautifully finished product at the end.

An architect can help you in designing your dream plans. Designs can also help you visualize how your home will look after renovation. Even at this stage you can make some structural and design changes to your scope of work.
If your project is pretty straightforward you will not need detailed sketches and drawings. A builder can very easily complete the renovation by just looking at the place and with efficient communication. It will save you time and money with the additional headache minimized

.You also might want to submit your plans to authorities if it needs approval from any local councils.

#5: Finalize your crew

Most of the time, you proceed with a recommendation from a friend or relative for a builder and painting contractor to finish your renovation.

If you don’t have someone, now you need to look for options. Go online and search for builders that meet your requirements. Depending on your budget and tasks, you can opt for someone who is efficient and has a good track record.

Most builders come in with their own crew. It is advisable to get in touch with multiple builders with the plan and get a quotation from them. You can then compare these quotations to shortlist a few. Look at their past work to assess their quality. Talk to their previous clients to understand their way of working and delivery timings.
#6: Get an itemized cost breakdown
No matter, whether you choose to go with a local builder or a company for remodeling, ask them for a detailed quotation.

This will ensure you know exactly how your money is being spent. You can also cut the costs down here if you know someone who can offer you the material at a cheaper rate. Ask them how many days they will take to finish the project and how much will they charge for labor.

For an extensive project, it is essential to review costings of paint needed for painting brick walls, other accessories, and manpower. If the project needs you to rent any equipment for a few days this is also an important aspect to consider. If you find anything unnecessary or unworthy you can drop it from your scope.

#7: Start the project

Now you are ready with the basics, all you need to do is get going with the project. Now there is no looking back and you are ready to face disruption and dust for the next few days at least until the builders and his crew leave your house. Take the utmost pleasure in choosing the colors for painting your walls, fabrics for the furniture and tiles for the flooring.

Optimove – 10 Tips for Interstate Moving

Whether you are relocating for a new job in a new city, or you’re just ready for a change of lifestyle, moving interstate is an exciting time and the start of a new adventure.
First, you need to get there, with all of your belongings! Luckily Experienced housekeepers are here to help. Keep reading for ten tips for interstate moving from professional removalists, without losing your mind during the moving process!

1. Do Thorough Research

Before you make a move to your new location, be sure to do as much research as possible. Be sure to thoroughly check out everything from local businesses, recreational activities, restaurants, nightlife, and shopping suggestions. These days it’s easy to research all from the comfort of your home online. You may realize you need a march out cleaning which is when people in the military need a cleaning, and it needs to be in tip top shape before the cleaning inspection.

After you’ve done the initial research, it’s also a good idea to visit the area and explore it by yourself. Speak to locals for advice, check out maps, ask questions, and drive around the neighbourhood. This is the best way to get a good idea of the area and if it is right for you.

2. Eliminate Clutter

Moving long distance interstate can be quite expensive. The more you pack and take with you, the more you will have to pay for moving costs. Go through all your belongings as you pack them, and see if you still want to keep them. Consider selling items of value, or donating them to goodwill or friends and family.

3. Think About Selling Large Appliances

As crazy as it may sound, it may work out to be cheaper to sell or donate some items and re-buy them at your new location, than to pay for moving them interstate. This is especially true for cheap furniture from somewhere like Ikea.
If you have old appliances which you were considering upgrading soon, now may be the right time to get rid of them, and then buy a new model to go with your new home.

4. Hire a Trustworthy Removal Company

With so many different options to choose from, it can be hard to find a reliable and trustworthy removals company. Ask your friends, family, and co-workers for any recommendations they may have about good moving experiences in the past.
Next, look at reviews and ratings online, and double check the company’s reputation. Also, make sure to see if they provide insurance, one example of a great move out cleaning in Edmonton is Duty Cleaners, they come into your home after everything has been removed. Lastly, contact 3 or 4 companies, and request a quote from each. When making your decision, don’t just go with the lowest price, trust your gut feeling. Cheap moving companies often cut corners and slash services to be able to offer low rates.
If you are looking to save money, you can also consider backloading, which means you share the moving space in the van with other customers, and only pay for space which you use.

5. Pack In Advance

Through careful planning, you should try and finish packing at least a day or two in advance, leaving only the essential items to pack on moving day. Last minute packing can lead to stress and anxiety. Pack and label your boxes for house moving so that you’re not forgetting important things, or damaging your items by not correctly packing them.

6. Collect All Your Important Documents

Make sure that you locate all of your important documents before you move such as a birth certificate, passport, marriage certificate, tax records, social security information, school results, health records etc. Keep them separate in a folder which you have clearly labelled.
To keep these documents safe at all times, consider personally transporting them to your new home. Rather than packing them amongst your other belongings. This way you can keep them secure and safe at all times.

7. Update Your Address

There is nothing worse than arriving at your new home to find out that you don’t have any electricity or water. Be sure to notify your utility companies in advance of your move. It’s recommended to give them at least a weeks notice.
This will ensure that all your utilities will be up and running as soon as you arrive at your new home. Also be sure to have your electricity, gas, water, and cable companies to turn off your services at your old home the day after you move out.
If you are renting, make sure the services won’t be turned off until after the final home inspection. If you need to do any further cleaning to get your deposit back, you want to make sure you still have running water and electricity!

8. Protect Furniture & Fragile Items

Make sure that the movers use proper moving materials such as padding, moving blankets or bubble wrap for the corners of your furniture. This will prevent it from being damaged and scuffed during loading and unloading, as well as transport interstate.
For fragile and valuable items such as ornaments, heirlooms or glass tables, ask your removalist company about a transportation crate, which will provide the ultimate protection.
For smaller items, make sure they are securely covered in bubble wrap, moving blankets, and places into sturdy moving boxes. To ensure they don’t move in transit, use newspaper to keep the items steady and secure.

9. Set Up Mail Forwarding

It’s strongly recommended to set up mail forwarding with your post office. They can redirect your mail to your new address, and have plans from 1 to 12 months available. Which is crucial for any correspondence which may already be in transit in-between updating your address, as well as for any companies which you forgot to notify.

10. Check Your Homeowners Insurance Policy

It’s possible that your existing insurance policy already covers you for your move. However, if it doesn’t, be sure to check with your moving company and see what their insurance policy covers and what is excluded. You may need to find that you have to pay additional to receive full coverage with the moving company, or to upgrade your homeowner’s insurance policy to include moving.
While hiring professional Gold Coast Removalists helps things go smoothly, occasionally things do go wrong. For peace of mind, you should ensure that you are fully covered during loading, unloading and transportation of your belongings, especially on such a long-haul interstate move.
Moving interstate can be quite challenging, but by following these tips, it will help to make the process easier and let you focus on other things, like preparing for your new life in your new state.