The 7 mistakes and how to avoid them - No 6

Are you harbouring the thought of extending or renovating your home?

Taking the decision to design and then deliver a sizeable change to your home can be a big financial, emotional and time consuming prospect.

Make sure you have done your research before you start on your journey. I have gone through this process with clients many times and have found that there are seven very common mistakes that people make that can prove costly to correct.

We can help you eliminate these at the best time; before you begin!

6 Practical - Sort the Basics. Do the Maths

Designing and then building your home is a daunting task.

There is always so much to do and thousands of decisions to make. However, your basic requirements such as heating, cooling, electrical, personal hygiene and security systems are areas  you cannot afford to overlook.  They need to be considered and implemented into the brief from a very early stage in order to avoid additional expense, frustration and time delays once works starts on site.

What is the best mix of renewable energy sources? Do you have any particular fittings, switches, or lighting you want to use? What heating should the house have? Do you plan to install smart systems?

It is often difficult to know about all the services required. They all take up room and the space required must be worked into the early concept stages of your design, to make sure it will all fit.

Last but not least: What is your budget?

It pays to be honest right from the start with both yourself  and your architect. How much do you want to spend?

If you are not clear on the amount you want to invest, it can be very tricky for your architect to guess. Be upfront, you’re all on the same team.

Be clear with your architect whether your budget is the construction budget or your overall budget for the whole project including consultants and statutory fees, fitting out, interior design, loose furniture and landscaping.

Start by downloading our How To Series “How To Keep Your Project Under Budget” below