Having done many renovations in old Budapest apartments, we’ve made a list of renovation mistakes any homeowner would want to avoid. Some of them big, some small, but there is always a way to prevent them from happening.
1. Consider selecting more classic design, layout, materials and accessories for your apartment, something that is going to stand the test of time and last for many years. Trendy and hip things come and go, and you don’t want to redo it all over again (unless you are a renovation enthusiast, ready to go at it every year).
2. Take into account the size of your property and pick the right fixtures and design details. Say, if you have a small bathroom, choose the narrower sink and low-profile toilet instead of jamming full-size fixtures into a tiny space. Remember the basics when it comes to choosing the colour — light colours make space look bigger, darker colours shrink it.
3. Another important thing any apartment owner should think about beforehand is lighting. The lighting in your apartment can change its ambiance, it affects its colours, look and feel.
4. Be prepared for surprises in the course of your renovation project and don’t ignore things when they come up. Say, when you knock down the wall or lift the flooring, there is always a chance that things don’t look as good as you hoped, especially in the old apartments in Budapest. Although plumbing, electrics, sewage are hidden, they are very important for the quality of your apartment, and quality of your living in it. It might be an unplanned renovation cost, but these things must be dealt with to save you time and worries in the long run.
5. Speaking of electrical wiring, think beforehand where you would like to have sockets and light switches, consider choosing the double sockets for some areas to avoid extensions and many cables in your home. Discuss these details with the electrician who has experience and makes sure that everything is in proper condition and meets regulations.
6. Talk to your contractor and find out what permits and approvals you need for your renovation. In Budapest, many heating works, and changes to the gas lines require permissions, and if you have the right contractor, they will do it for you. It is often a long process that requires extra money, but consider this: if you do works without a permit and something serious happens in future, your apartment insurance might not cover it.
7. Go green. It will save you money in a long run even if now you pay a little more. Talk to you contractor what materials and devices are based on green technologies, safer and cleaner for your family, your apartment and environment. There are many energy efficient and safer options today when it comes to boilers, heaters, lighting and appliances.
8. Do your research beforehand to know what you are getting into. Even if you do not do any works yourself, it is really useful and helps to avoid many stressful moments and costs too, when you understand the process, when you know what your contractor is doing, when you are aware what to look for.
9. Don’t buy materials, fixtures or appliances before your renovation project is planned out and everything has been measured by a professional. There are always some attractive offers and tempting sales, but if you get the size wrong, you end up not saving money, but spending more.
10. Make sure you choose the right contractor. This team of builders is gong to be at your home for weeks, doing things for your future comfort and safety, and you want to be sure that you can trust them and their professional abilities.