Mistakes during repairs can ruin your life years later. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the list of common omissions so that the repairs bring you only positive emotions and go without problems.
The cheapest materials
You need to save money when renovating wisely: some inexpensive analogues can be used without problems, while others are better not even to look at. For example, thin paper wallpaper is difficult to glue, and it is almost impossible to do it perfectly. They will highlight all the roughness of the walls instead of hiding them. And cheap linoleum quickly deforms. Is it worth updating the interior if you have to start all over again almost immediately after the work is completed?
Floating budget
It seems that the saying “renovation is worse than fire” was invented by those who overestimated their financial capabilities. It is better to calculate all expenses, including possible unforeseen ones, in advance, so that the renovation of the apartment does not drag on for months or even years, turning the house into a place unsuitable for comfortable living.
Inappropriate materials in the bathroom
When finishing a bathroom, it is important to use special moisture-resistant materials, otherwise the room will soon acquire an unsightly appearance. We urge you to pay special attention to the quality of the grout for the tile joints if your bathroom has tiles. It is tempting to seal the joints with plaster, but only professional grout will ensure a good result. Otherwise, the joints will turn yellow, or even become a favorite place for black mold.
The decision to do everything yourself
It is twice as pleasant to brag about the result of the repair when you did it yourself. In addition, the subtleties and tricks of professionals can be gleaned from the Internet – if you want. The main thing is to stop in time and delegate critical stages to experienced craftsmen. You should not try to ignore the rules and connect gas equipment yourself, do electrical wiring if you do not have the appropriate skills, and do other potentially dangerous things that you are completely unsure of.
Unverified contractor
Large-scale renovations are full of non-obvious stages – dishonest builders easily mislead clients by including in the estimate work that did not happen, or inflating the amount of materials used. In general, it will not be difficult for fraudsters to earn some extra money. Remember that if you gave money without witnesses and a contract, it will be extremely difficult to prove the fact of their transfer in case of fraud. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the past projects of the repairmen, try to contact their clients personally. Do not blindly believe the laudatory odes on the company’s website or on a page in social networks.
Saving on a kitchen apron
The walls near the stove and sink are destined to take the brunt of the impact: splashes — both water and oil — will quickly ruin the surface if you decide not to make it washable. And if a tiled “apron” does not fit into your design, you can order, for example, a glass panel to cover the wall and maintain the impeccable appearance of the kitchen, despite constant contamination.
Ignoring ventilation
Ventilation is rarely remembered in pursuit of aesthetics: some believe that the wall will look better without a “hole”, and some want to turn a shared bathroom into a separate one and forget to provide for the possibility of minimal ventilation. Do not make these mistakes – their correction can cost you dearly.
Lack of plan and deadlines
Specialized shows have proven more than once that major repairs can be done in 72 hours — the main thing is to plan everything perfectly. Of course, such a quick transformation of a house is impossible without a large team, but this is not a reason not to meet the deadlines. If you entrust the repair to contractors, be sure to specify all stages in the contract. If you do it yourself, make a plan in writing and try to stay on schedule.
Redevelopment without permission
We understand that a new layout inspires you much more than fiddling with documents. But if you are not ready for the fact that a fresh renovation will turn into a time bomb, it is better to formalize everything officially. When selling and due to a denunciation by neighbors, you can be forced to return everything to its original appearance. In addition, by formalizing the redevelopment in advance, you can avoid such mistakes as demolishing one of the load-bearing walls.
Repairs without taking into account the future situation
One of the most common mistakes is related to electrical wiring. You don’t want extension cords running to electrical appliances, a cabinet not touching the wall because of a socket, and a switch hidden in a shelf. If you plan to install complex lighting, it is even more important to determine the usage scenarios in advance and to wall up the required number of lines in the wall in time. It is unlikely that you will be comfortable using the “all or nothing” option – complete illumination or pitch darkness.