We all seem to be suffering a little bit these days for a multitude of reasons only one of which is the cost of property.A cost related to this is property renovations.One will occasionally purchase a property with the intent to renovate certain aspects of it in the near future to bring it up to your standard,whatever that may be.
You should approach these kind of endeavours with a certain amount of caution.We have all heard horror stories of dodgy builders who start with the demolition process and then suddenly make-off with all the money you’ve paid them and never return to complete anything.This does not mean all South African builders are shady characters,but where possible try to get a word of mouth recommendation and view some of their previous work.
Some homeowners will decide to do the renovations themselves,this should also be very carefully thought through.Do you truly know what you are doing, are you fully aware of the difficulty of the project you intend to take on and do you have a realistic idea of how long it is going to take?
Before starting with any work ,whether you are doing it DIY or having a professional do the job, make sure you have submitted all your plans for approval and have all the required permits.Starting any construction before you have completed the approved paperwork is illegal and you may be forced to demolish what you have constructed.And even if you don’t get caught at the time you may want to sell one day and the new owner has a right to request the approved plans for any additions to the property, you could find yourself in trouble then too.
The one major mistake people make when deciding to start a DIY renovation is to under-budget the cost of everything.You need to ensure you have added all those small costs on too,like glue or sandpaper.These small items can really add up.Some advise you to add 30% on to your budget to compensate for any price increases you may experience and then a further 15% to cover any wastage of materials.
However you go about renovations a mistake in this arena is certainly a very costly one.Make sure you are as informed as possible and you will have far less nasty surprises.
