Only 7% of buyers purchase a home directly from the owner. That does not mean you are off the hook when it comes to selling your home. There are things you need to ensure don’t happen before putting your home on the market. Read on to learn about eight common house renovation mistakes to avoid as a seller.
1. DIY Gone Wrong
One of the newer house renovation mistakes is trying to do a DIY project and messing it up tremendously. It has become more common because of all of the home improvement shows out there. It may be beneficial to your home renovation budget, but you need to know your limits.
It’s easy to overestimate your ability to complete a project on your own. It is also hard to complete it on time.
If you mess up a DIY project, you risk wasting hours of your time and may have to spend more money getting it fixed. Even worse, you may create an unfixable problem. Signs of damage from your project gone wrong is not beneficial when you try to sell your home.
That does not mean you can’t work on the project at all. You should do the easier things like painting, removing wallpaper, changing out light fixtures, etc. Once you finish those items you can hire a professional for the complex work that involves structure, electrical, or plumbing.
2. Not Creating a Budget
Creating a budget can be one of the best house renovation tools you use. Your budget should include everything you need to renovate plus any unexpected costs.
Making your home look good as new for resale is impossible without a great budget. Unforeseen circumstances can occur when you put your house on the market. It could be things like leaks, mold, termite damage, outdated wiring, and more.
If your home is older, it is going to be costlier to fix up. When doing renovations, you have to expect you will come across hidden problems.
Even professionals won’t be able to see certain issues coming. That is why it is so important to keep your budget flexible. Keeping your project on track cannot be done without a proper budget.
3. Not Hiring a Designer
Not hiring a designer can be one of the most crucial house renovation mistakes. Designers can benefit indoor and outdoor renovations. That means they can even help increase curb appeal.
Renovations can leave your home looking completely different. Your furniture and items may not fit like they used to. If you can’t get it just right, hire a designer.
During the selling process, an open house that was designed by a professional will make the value go up. It can attract more buyers who will have to compete to buy your home.
Designers do more than placing furniture in the correct area. They create a space that is attractive to people living there.
They can also help downplay the issues your home may have. Any unattractive areas can be strategically masked.
4. Hiring Unprofessional Contractors
A contractor can make or break the outcome of your home renovations. You should only be considering those who are licensed and have good reviews.
You can start by asking for recommendations from people in your area. You can also ask the company for their references and call those clients yourself. They will be able to tell you how well the job got done, and if the schedule and budget were correct.
Picking a contractor based on price will cause you problems in the end. Maybe you saved money, but the job was completed incorrectly because the contractor lacked experience and attentiveness. Now you have to spend even more money to have your home ready to sell.
5. Not Having Details
You need to know the details of the job you want done. This process relies on your just as much as it does the professional. That goes for hiring designers and contractors.
The professionals you hire need to receive a detailed project specification list. This way, you can accurately compare price.
Not having this list is one of the house renovation mistakes you don’t want to make. The specifications should include a project summary, designer plans, schedule of dates, trade details, and any special parameters.
6. Working Without a Contract
When you choose a contractor, you need to have a written contract that includes details of the project. It should be signed by you and the contractor.
The agreement will list the work, materials, cleanup, price, and schedule. You also need to ensure it includes what will be done first.
For example, you don’t want new floors put in before the walls get repainted because you risk ruining the floors. That could be a disaster when you try to sell your home.
Be sure to update the contract if anything changes. A correct and up to date contract will keep the contractor on track.
7. Making Compromises
Sometimes compromises are a good thing. That is not the case when you are dealing with home renovations.
You don’t want to make compromises for things like time and your ultimate vision. You especially need to be on schedule if you are remodeling to sell your home after you have already moved.
People have a habit of telling you their opinions about color or layout. If you don’t like their ideas, you don’t have to go with them. Don’t feel pressured into using cheap materials. After all, you will be living with the results, not them.
8. Neglecting Landscaping
Curb appeal is just as important as the inside of the home. It’s the first thing you see before actually going inside. Landscaping sets the tone for the inside of the home.
If you plan on selling your home, you need to have a budget for landscaping. Just sprucing it up a little can have a big effect on how people look at it.
House Renovation Mistakes Explained
Now that the common house renovation mistakes you can work to avoid them. As a seller, you want your home to look the best that it can. There are a lot of problems that could occur, so always be ready for them.
If you are ready to sell your home, get an offer from us today.