Home remodeling: a complete guide from planning to decorating

Are you thinking about renovating the house? Know that this is a task that requires a lot of planning, time, and patience. Check out our complete guide!

Thinking about renovating? Know that this is a task that requires a lot of planning, time, and patience. That’s because home remodeling is not like a job where everything starts from scratch. The structure is already done, and what is wanted is that this structure is modified a little to become a house with its owner’s personality.

To assist in this challenge, we have separated some important steps that must be taken to save money but without losing quality and to avoid unforeseen events. Follow!

Make good planning

The first thing to do when thinking about starting a project, like a renovation, is to create a plan. This will save you money and time and keep you from stressing yourself over unforeseen circumstances.

Take a paper or create a file on your computer and start writing everything you would like to renovate, how much money you have available, how long you intend to finish renovating; in short, describe everything. Also, about the budget, always count on extra money, as during the renovation you may need to buy more material.

It is interesting to put on paper everything that will be modified – for example, if it is just the painting and some other details or if it will be necessary to restructure the plumbing, the wiring, and the walls. If necessary, talk to the masons or foreman to check all the materials that must be purchased.

With this information, create a spending spreadsheet and put in it the amounts you intend to spend on labor and the purchase of products. During the reform, follow up if this budget is being respected. Thus, financial control is at the tip of the pencil, and the budget is avoided being extrapolated.

Set up a schedule for reform

As we already mentioned, keep in mind how long the renovation needs to be completed. To do this, create a schedule and set dates to finish each stage of the work, but be aware that possible unforeseen events may happen and that the schedule may be a little late. After all, there may be hidden damage, and that will take more days or weeks to complete the renovation.

Dedicate the first part of the schedule to more structural repairs, such as changing the wiring, modifying the plumbing, building or demolishing walls, and laying floors and plaster. From this, the stages of decoration, painting, furniture arrangement, and finishing can be started. This is because the structural repair generates more dirt and ends up damaging the finish.

Watch out for bureaucratic issues.

Before starting the renovation, you need authorization from the city hall. However, some reforms do not need to go through this bureaucracy. The cases they need to affect the house’s structure include the inclusion or exclusion of a bedroom, mezzanine, bathroom, small house, and walls.

Therefore, if the changes are only due to painting, changing doors and windows, and replacing the floor, there is no need for authorization by the city.

So, whenever you are going to make a change in the structure of the house, you need to attach some documents, such as:

• identity document;
• deed or purchase and sale contract;
• IPTU;
• reform project;
• reform plan.

The types of documents requested may change according to the municipality, as each has its own housing policies. So, it is important to find out about this first of all.

Armed with the documents, go to the secretariat responsible for issuing the reform permit to make your request. Only after the city government releases the permit will it be possible to start the reform. If you started earlier, you run the risk that the work will be blocked due to lack of authorization, so don’t skip this step if your renovation needs a permit.

If you doubt this, look for an architect or civil engineer to create the project and advise on what needs to be done before starting the works themselves. In fact, the project delivered to the city must have one of these professionals’ signature to be accepted. So, already do the research on which professional to hire.

Invest in a project for your work

The project is another essential part when you want to build or renovate. For him, the masons will be guided to make the necessary modifications and, most importantly, within the stipulated period. Therefore, it is necessary to dedicate a little of your time to the creation of the project.

First, it is necessary to draw the current plan of the house. To do this, take all measurements of the spaces. The plan can be drawn by hand, but it can also be made in a program designed. In it, place the windows, doors, measures, and everything else you need.

Now, redesign the plan with the desired modifications, placing the measurements and doors, windows, and other structural interventions. At this stage, it is already possible to get a sense of what your home will look like after the renovation. So, take the time to measure the furniture that will be placed and see if everyone will be in a good mood and no need to make the further design or decoration changes.

The more details are inserted in the renovation projects, the better. In this way, the professionals who will carry out the reform will have enough information to complete each stage. It is also good to specify the deadline for completing each phase of the project. Thus, the masons will be aligned with the reform schedule, ending the defined date.

A tip for this step is to redesign one room at a time. First, outline the entire outer wall and partition walls. Then, carry out the modifications by room, so it will be easier to complete the project.

If you have already hired or will hire an architect or civil engineer, it is essential to show him your final project. Thus, he can say what needs to be improved, which will take more time and money than previously thought, among other tips. Also, these professionals have access to digital tools that can be used to demonstrate better how all rooms in the home will look after the renovation.

Hire professionals in advance

Be sure to hire the professionals who will make your retirement at the last minute, when it is time to get your hands dirty. You need to research and hire in advance. This will increase your chances of saving and finding good professionals.

In fact, pay attention to the question of saving too much on labor, as the cheap can be expensive. It is necessary to hire masons and laborers who are careful and capricious, do a good job, know how to work within safety standards, and use the available material in the best way.

When hiring people because they charge cheaper, it is widespread that it is necessary to replace the team in the middle of the renovation or that it is necessary to repair some points of the work. This ends up generating waste of time, money, and materials. It is much more complicated to repair something that had already been renovated because it was not done well or had to find new masons with the renovation in progress.

Good professionals will also give you ideas, try to bring the best solution to problems that may arise, and indicate good and cheaper materials. But don’t be fooled if a bricklayer says that he does something very well done but that he wants an exorbitant price for the service.

To find professionals, look for directions or those whose work you already know. Also, make at least three to four quotes. With them in hand, you can come across very different prices – one budget can be twice the value of another. Choose the professional who gives you the most confidence and whose service value is within the plan.

After choosing the professionals to carry out the reform, it is important to make a contract. It must contain the contractor’s name and data and the contractors, which works will be carried out, the time for completion of the work, the form of payment, and the amount. Also, insert a fine for non-compliance or termination of the contract.

The contract is a way of guaranteeing the rights and duties of both parties. This way, headaches are avoided if employees abandon retirement without finishing it or do not do what has been determined.

I prefer good quality materials

For the purchase of materials, do not only consider their price. After all, if you are doing a renovation, you should do it in a way that is well done and that lasts for a long time, so you don’t have to redo it in a few months or years.

So, research the products available on the market well and analyze if the highest quality values fit the budget. But remember that the most expensive is not always the best. A quality product is the one that has more durability and resistance, in addition to providing a good finish.

After defining which products to buy, it’s time to research the prices. Make more than two quotes for construction materials and see which store in the industry has the best cost-benefit and best payment methods. Only after that, go to the shopping stage. The detail here is that if you have nowhere to store much material, go shopping according to the reform stage. Thus, the products purchased do not expire and are not under rain and sun, causing you to lose money.

A typical example that happens when you want to save money by buying cheap materials is painting. When choosing a cheaper paint, you may be making a big mistake. That’s because it may need more coats than if you had bought a better quality one. Also, over time, it can fade faster or stain if you need to clean the wall.

So, don’t skimp on thinking that poor quality materials can be good. Often, by doing this, you spend more and still have to repair something recently renovated.

Make structural repairs at the beginning of the renovation

As we mentioned at the beginning of the text, it is essential to separate the reform into two parts: structural repairs and decoration. The structural repairs end up causing more dirt and demanding more effort because they shake the house’s foundations.

So, if you need to break a wall or change the electrical installation, plumbing, and even the roof design, do it at the beginning of the renovation. After the structural repair stage is finished, the decoration should be started.

A practical example is to imagine a situation where, after painting a wall, it is necessary to change the plumbing, requiring that the newly painted wall be broken. It doesn’t make sense. In addition to spending more on repainting, you will need to do the paint job twice.

Also, demand the cleanliness of the place and organization with the materials and tools. This avoids accidents and leaves the space better to work. At the end of the renovation, it is also necessary to carry out general cleaning before the move.

Define your home decorating style

After finishing the structural repairs, it’s time to start another renovation stage: the decoration. In this part, the rooms are painted, the floors are changed, tiles are placed, the furniture is bought and disposed of, decorative objects are installed, and the installation of other items, such as taps, shower, and chandeliers.

But before starting all this work, you need to know exactly what style of the decoration will be applied in the house. It will only be possible to determine textures, furniture, and colors for the living room and other environments. We have several styles that can serve as inspiration. Check out some below.

Retro

Retro is the most appropriate style for those who like furniture and objects from the 50s, 60s, and 70s and want to have it all in their home. It combines vibrant colors, textures, and objects from the past that provide nostalgia and joy.

Combine your grandmother’s record player, your great-uncle’s bookshelf, and objects purchased in antique stores or bazaars with new furniture that have this style and arrange them in your home. It is interesting to use contrasting colors, such as blue, red, and green – which were the colors used in refrigerators, stoves, and appliances in the past – to create highlights.

Modern

In contrast to the previous style, the modern asks for furniture and decorative objects that have a more current design. In addition, the colors indicated are more in neutral tones , such as white and black. To highlight some detail, such as painting, lamp or vase, colors like red and blue or another more vibrant can be used.

Rustic

The rustic style provides a farm atmosphere that transports you closer to nature. Wood is very present in environments with this type of decoration, either on the walls or on the furniture. And the less well finished and more rustic, the better. Rocking chairs or pine tables are elements that can be used in the rooms. Regarding the colors, brown and beige shades are very present, with some details in blue, green or yellow.

Romantic

The romantic style brings Provencal furniture, floral prints and pastel colors (blue, pink and green). A romantic atmosphere is cozy and has good lighting . The furniture has curvilinear lines and the presence of upholstery is quite frequent in the rooms.

Boho

Boho provides a cheerful, colorful, and cozy atmosphere. For this, curtains, pendants, bedspreads, cushions, and rugs with colored prints are used. And for those who like nature, plants such as cacti, succulents, lilies, ferns, spices, medicinal herbs, among others, can be used.

The proposal is to decorate the environment in a stripped-down and colorful way with objects and handcrafted items purchased on trips and bazaars.

These are some examples of so many decoration styles. As you can see, you need to decide before you even start painting or laying the floor, as the colors and textures of these items must match the style of the rest of the environment.

If you like more than one style suddenly, you can try to combine them or alternate them between rooms. Thus, it is possible to have a room with details in the boho style and a more rustic kitchen, for example.

Depending on which style you choose, you can save a lot on furniture, as they can be purchased from third parties or made with demolition wood. So choose, plan, put it on paper, check the money that remains for this step, and try to stay within budget.

Be prepared for the unforeseen.

The tips passed on so far serve to prevent unforeseen events. However, there may always be some that will cause you to have to act to resolve it. At this time, having the advice of an engineer or architect and having good bricklayers, will make the problem be solved more quickly and correctly.

What cannot happen is to let the unexpected make you lose your temper or get angry. Analyze the situation and solve the problem. To help you, we list below some typical errors in works that should be avoided so that unforeseen events do not arise.

Cracks

Cracks are signs that something has not been done well or that quality material has not been used. When they are superficial, they can be easily repaired. However, when they are deeper, it is necessary to change the house’s structure or the room. Thus, only a professional in the field can solve the problem.

So, be sure to invest in good professionals and materials. This is a widespread problem that happens when you want to save money, not consider the quality of the material and the service provided by the bricklayer.

Gambiarras

Try to get away from gambiarras. Although they resolve the situation quickly, they can create a major problem over time. The most common is to find them in the plumbing and electrical network.

Imagine a bathroom that had its plumbing done without planning. It may be that when the shower is turned on or the flush is turned on, the water does not come out with as much pressure as expected. And the concern only increases if the gambiarra is made in the electrical network because it can even cause fires.

A common situation in the electrical network is when an overload occurs, and the main switch falls. This happens when the amount of energy that each piece of equipment will require is not accurately calculated. Therefore, when they are all connected simultaneously, the network is unable to supply the necessary energy. The microwave, the air conditioning, and the shower are devices that need a lot of energy, so it is good to pay special attention to them.

Therefore, once again, hire professionals who provide quality service. Otherwise, you will have to hire a new person to fix what could have been done correctly during the renovation.

Lack of budget

It is necessary to make a budget so that the renovation does not have to be interrupted due to the lack of resources to buy the materials. If this happens, the inconvenience can be immense since the masons will be without service and you without renovation. It may even lose part of what has already been done if exposed to the outdoors.

So, don’t forget to make the budget and follow it. If you find yourself spending more than you should, see what can be saved. Also, always work with an extra margin for the budget because, if unforeseen events arise – such as the purchase of more material -, you have where to get the money.

As you can see, a home renovation consists of several steps and steps that must be followed to save time and money and to prevent unforeseen events. Therefore, if you carry out each stage with the utmost dedication, the work will be ready on time and well done.

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