Thinking about renovating? What are the next steps.

We love a good before and after image, they can be motivating and inspiring.

They are particularly good when you have a renovation in mind, allowing you to foresee what could be, what is possible.

When you are at the planning stages, dreaming about your renovation it can be really hard to know where to start.

One of the most important aspects would be to set a budget and decided what it is you actually want to renovate. Is your budget realistic for want you want to achieve? 

Then get your note pad and inspiration board ready. 

Depending on the size and scope of your renovation or build you might be inclined to draw a floor plan, just a basic sketch of what you think you may like is a great starting point.  

Save images that inspire you and show what you want to accomplish, from the bathroom to exterior save images on Pinterest or Instagram wherever you like. 

Can you see a theme starting to form, do your images have a similar style or feel? These are always great to refer back to at the design stage, because you will soon find out there are so many beautiful design choices, and it can be easy to get lost when making decisions. A mood board is a great way to show your designer the style you want to accomplish and can keep you in check when making decisions.

Now you need to engage someone to help you design it. 

The right person for that job will depend on the size of your renovation, and your budget. 

If your renovation or build is on the small side (up to 350K) a draftsman or building designer could be suitable.

For larger renovations we highly recommend you engage an Architect. 

By engaging an architect, you will spend more on the plans upfront, it is usually the best option to take. By engaging an architect, you will have an accurate price for your build costs, you will have all the details decided and accurately priced (no decisions made on the fly), your build will be far less stressful, the design will be tailored to you, you can incorporate bespoke details, and have someone guide you through the entire build process.  

When a client has a full set of architectural plans the builder knows exactly what they are building (which they love) and what the expectations are…….the list goes on. There are just so many positives to having architectural plans. 

Architectural plans usually include.

• Electrical power and lighting plan.
• Project specifications: Including an internal and external finishes schedule and

internal and external fixtures schedule.  

• Window and door schedule.
• 1:20 Scale detail drawings for all – Wet areas, Staircases, kitchen and joinery spaces.

An Architectural plan will have all your finer details decided. As a rough guide an architect will be about 7-10% of your build budget.

Next, choosing the right builder for you and your project. 

Once you have your plans & design complete this is when a builder can accurately quote your build costs and project time frame.

Choosing the right builder should not only be based on the price. 

A new build or renovation will be one of the most stressful and biggest undertakings most people will do in their life. You should be working with someone who is professional and holds the same values as you do. Someone who you feel will communicate well and of course do a beautiful job. 

When looking for a builder we recommend doing your due diligence. Look at google reviews and client testimonials, ask to speak with past clients and sometimes you could potentially see past projects. If you have an Architect engaged, we highly recommend listening to their opinion of who would be a good choice for you and your project, after all they are dealing with builders every day, they are in the know!

Beware of the cheapest quote, more often than not if its significantly cheaper it will come at a cost. It may be that the quality will suffer, costs will be added throughout the build, or there could be delayed or long build times.

As they say, ‘if it’s too good to be true then it probably is.’

By engaging professional and reliable people to assist and work with you, you should hopefully enjoy the process or building a renovating. Afterall building your dream home is a wonderful position to be in.

We are custom home builders specialising in architectural builds. We love what we do and are very lucky to be a part of building someone’s dream.

BIC Construction Sydney