Why It's A Good Idea To Renovate Before You Move In
If you are thinking about buying a new home, you might want to consider what renovations need to be done before moving in.
24/01/2021
Buying and moving into a new house is already a stressful experience, so why make it even more so when you can do any renovations before you move in? Renovations are always messy and noisy and no one likes to move into a construction zone.
When in the market for a new house, you will be shopping around for the best property that suits you and your family, not only for location but also for what it offers. But even a new house might not be one hundred per cent what you wanted and there are probably a few changes you want to make here and there. If this is the case, you might want to think about having any renovations or improvements done before you move in.
Think about what needs to be done to your new house and do it before you move in, whether it's a small or large project.
MAKE A DETAILED LIST
You have signed the paperwork for your new house knowing that there are renovations or improvements that need to be done. But before you decide on a moving date, think about what needs to be done to the new property and how long it will take to complete. There's no fun in moving into a new house only to have to start renovations so make a detailed list of what needs to be done, have professionals come in and quote on the jobs and set your moving date to one where all the renovations will be complete and you can simply move in, sit back and enjoy your new home.
You don't want to move into a construction site, so get any building work done before moving day.
• Structural repairs or alterations
During the process of buying the property, you will have been made aware of any structural problems. These should be attended to immediately and preferably before you move in. Whether it's putting in a new kitchen, replacing window frames, knocking down walls, or enlarging the size of the house, get these done before you move in. And don't forget to check out ceilings for watermarks and do a roof inspection.
Don't wait until you move in before you renovate the kitchen. Less mess and inconvenience if you have it done before then.
• Electrical wiring or plumbing
When checking out and viewing properties, you don't tend to give a lot of consideration as to where electrical outlets are located. You might want to have lamps or lighting installed, have enough plug sockets for your office, or even increase the size of the bathroom. Any electrical or plumbing work that needs to be done, you might as well get this out of the way as soon as possible and before you moving day.
There are probably hundreds of things that need to be done before you move in, from redecorating the main bedrooms by having new flooring installed, mirror doors fitted to built-in cupboards, or wallpaper hung on walls.
• Replacing fittings and fixtures
Any renovations that need to be done to your new property is the first thing you should start working on. You want to get any mess out of the way before you move it. Think about items such as underfloor heating, light fittings, kitchen appliances such as a stove, hob and extractor, or any other fittings or fixtures you need to add or replace.
Fittings and fixtures will also include any storage in the house, so don't forget to think about closets and cupboards and whether there is enough storage space for you and your family. If there isn't, the best time to have this installed is before you move in.
Have any painting done in advance to make your new home live-in ready.
• Painting
Most homeowners want to have their house painted before they move in and it makes a lot of sense to do this. Being able to paint a house from top-to-bottom without anything in the way is a much simpler job to complete. If you are having new flooring fitted to the property, getting the painting out of the way is also a good idea.
• Install new flooring
With the mess from renovations out of the way and painting complete, the next thing to consider is any new flooring or refinishing the existing flooring. Ripping up carpets to install new flooring, or removing laminate floors is a messy process and not something you want going on when you first move in. And it's always better to have an empty space rather than have to move your stuff around from room-to-room.
If you are having new flooring installed, invest in coverings to protect your new floors from scratches when you finally move in.
Does the bathroom need a facelift? Want to have underfloor heating or a heated towel rail installed? Do it before you move in.
Not just indoors, get any exterior renovations done before you move in so that you can immediately enjoy your new home.
images: west elm