When planning house renovation projects, there is a lot to consider. Some decisions have to be made even before you start the process altogether.
House renovations can be extremely intimidating, especially for new homeowners who lack experience in the matter. But even for people who have already dealt with home renovations, they can be extremely stressful, time-consuming and at a very high cost if you don’t have a plan right from the start.
If you live in Ireland there are also regional specifics you have to be careful with. In this blog post, you will find our comprehensive list of 10 things that you have to consider when renovating a house. We have gathered all the necessary information in one place, so you don’t have to.
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1. Your Renovation Likely Needs a Permit
One of the first things you have to do is check with your local authorities if your renovation requires a permit.
If you are planning internal changes to your house, the chances are that you don’t need one. But if you have any extension projects in mind, structural changes or other of the sort you need permission.
If your house is under any historical building regulations in Ireland, then you may need another type of permit. Historical buildings in Ireland are protected under local law, and any renovations should respect the building’s historical integrity.
Other cases in which you need planning permission in Ireland are:
- Changes in the roof – height, profile, adding new features to existing spaces
- If you plan on changing a building’s use.
- If you are planning building work to add new entrances and driveways.
- If you’re going to increase the height of the existing house or any walls, fences, etc.
- If the work is on a commercial property or multifamily home.
- If you plan on installing a septic tank system or upgrading the current one.
Thankfully, there are consultants who can give you professional advice and help with the preparation of your application so the whole process can go smoothly. Our best tip is to enlist the help of one because that way, you can be sure that nothing is left out.
The decision of the local boards usually takes around 8 weeks, so you need to carefully plan ahead.
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2. Does Your Budget Add Up?
Before starting your renovation plans, it’s good to assess everything you want to do and decide on a budget.
A very well-thought-of budget will not only help you make the right decision during the renovation process, but it will also make everything a little less stressful.
Make sure that you plan an amount of money that takes into account unexpected expenses. It’s a good rule to plan 20% over your typical costs in order to meet any problems that may occur during the renovation work.
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3. Grants Are at Your Service
In Ireland you can apply to several grants to aid your renovation project. You can do this with the help of a professional or you can apply yourself through your local government body.
The grants you can apply for are:
- Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant – this can amount to 50,000 euros for vacant properties and 70,000 euros for derelict ones. The property has to be built before 2008 and must have been vacant for at least 2 years to make it eligible.
- Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Grants (SEAI) – This one aims to make your property more energy efficient. If you want multiple energy efficiency upgrades on your home managed by professionals, this grant can cover up to 50% of the cost.
- Housing Aid for Older People Scheme – it can be as large as 100% of the cost of essential repairs or up to 10 700 euro.
- Housing Adaptation Grant for People with Disability – it can cover 100% of all costs of making your home accessible or up to 40,000 euros.
- Mobility Aids Grant – this one provides financial help for mobility-related adaptations.
For most of the available grants you can apply through your local authorities. If you plan on applying for SEAI then the process is through the SEAI.
4. Great Designs Are a Result of Great Plans
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Your budget is set, and now you have to consider the design of the home renovation project. Depending on what you envision, you can make sure you’re ready for any extra cost.
When deciding on a design, you have to think about things like colour schemes, materials, the process of installation, etc. Interior design can influence the overall look and feel of your home.
If you live in a historic home, then you have to make sure that the design is based on regulations and time periods.
5. Assess Your Home Renovation Readiness
It’s a good practice to assess your living space renovation readiness before you start the work.
When assessing the renovation process, you have to answer these questions:
- Do I have a renovation goal?
- Is my budget realistic?
- Does my property need assessment for structural or regulatory needs?
- Can I invest time to go through with the renovation from start to finish?
- Will I use professional help or DIY the renovation?
- Where will I live during the renovation?
One thing which is also key during the whole process is are you prepared for the stressful process of doing home renovations. Once you answer these questions and are confident in your planning, you can start with the process.
6. Is It the Right Material for Ireland?
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When you plan a home renovation in Ireland you have to make sure to take into account the special weather conditions and any other requirements that may influence the materials you use for the renovation project.
Depending on the exact place you live and the style of the property, you have to make sure to check what are the right materials. If you live in a historic home, then this may also influence the materials and construction methods.
7. Renovations Have a Clear Start and End
When you plan a home renovation, you should make sure that you have a start and end date.
If you decide on the start and end date, you can easily plan any additional housing problems. If you are planning a complete home renovation, you have to know how long the period will be so you can organise your accommodations.
Some homeowners prefer to do everything at the same time, provided they have a sufficient budget. If you plan on renovating the main house, adding a new bathroom, new flooring or new window frames, this will greatly impact your quality of life. In these cases, it’s best to find somewhere else to live during the whole construction process.
8. Structural Changes Come First
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Make sure you plan your home remodelling changes in the correct order. If you plan to make structural changes to your home, you have to always know that they come first.
If you have to deal with adding or removing walls, making additional extensions to your home, etc., all of the “messy” work comes first. After you have finished with structural changes then you can move to design choices and decisions.
9. Use the Help of Experts
If you are not an expert in DIY, you should consider enlisting the help of experts. Using professional services and help for your home renovation project can mitigate risks and additional costs in your project.
If you are looking of a professional team to tackle your home renovation project in Ireland, you can contact us at IVCG.
10. Are You Checking Up on the Progress?
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If you are a homeowner who’s going to start a renovation project, you have to make sure to check on the project as it progresses forward. That way, you can see if everything is going according to plan, if your budget is going to cover all the expenses, and if you have any additional decisions to make.
Following the construction work on-site is crucial for the timeline of the project, but you have to make sure you establish good off-site communication between you and the team.
Frequent communication with the professional team can help the whole process go along smoothly.
Conclusion
As you can see, the home renovations process starts very early on and before any physical work is done. It’s important to consider all problems and possibilities that may arise, so you can mitigate the risks and additional budget costs.
Renovating your home can be really intimidating but also really rewarding when you get to see the results of all your hard work.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I need any permits if I plan on renovating my home in Ireland?
This depends on the type of renovation you are planning. You have to check with your local planning department to make sure if you need any additional permissions.
Can I live in my own home during the renovation?
This depends on how severe your home renovation is going to be. If you plan on a complete home renovation, then you may need an additional housing plan and a clear schedule for the whole time period.
How can I plan my budget so I can afford any unexpected renovation problems?
It’s best if you plan your budget and then add additional 20% of the amount. That will probably be enough to tackle problems that may arise during the process.
