Renovations have never been as topical as they are now with recent lockdowns prompting inspiration in many Kiwis to renovate. At Korben Homes, we pride ourselves on delivering quality renovations to the highest of standards and reaching our clients expectations and dreams for their newly renovated homes. Below are our top tips for any prospective home-owners wishing to renovate.
1. OBTAINING MATERIALS
Due to the circumstances related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there is a shortage in building materials throughout New Zealand. It is pertinent to have a builder that pre-orders your materials in advance and remains organised in your building project process from beginning to end. Additionally, it is paramount to always trust your builder, particularly if they recommend a certain type of material for a particular space in your renovation project.
2. MAXIMISING STORAGE SPACE
Maximising the space for storage is an important aspect particularly if renovating to put your house on the market. New buyers are almost always looking for extra storage, especially in smaller sized homes. There are many ways to create storage space without covering the surface area of your home. It can be done creatively too, for example, floating shelves.
3. THINK ABOUT LIGHTING
This is an extremely important aspect to think about if you have a dark home. Lighter homes with the addition of windows and skylights are often appealing and bring about a sense of warmth to homes. Where the sun rises and sets should be thought about too, in relation to placing windows and skylights. Lighting isn’t only natural, it is artificial too which must be taken into consideration when renovating. Think about dimmers, to give some mood to the house. Also consider statement lights, especially in the kitchen or living area to give a contemporary modern feel to your home.
4. GOING GREEN
Making environmentally friendly choices when renovating is cost-effective in the long-run, upon other benefits to the environment. There are many ways to incorporate this into your renovation project. Green home features may include but are not limited to installing solar panels, swapping incandescent light bulbs for LEDs and incorporating a sustainable waste disposal unit or compost. These green features are increasingly gaining popularity in residential builds.
5. UPGRADING AND MAINTAINING EXTERIORS
When people think of renovations, they often instantly think of the inside of the home. However, the exterior adds so much value to the home. Think about upgrading your space so that interior living spaces are connected to the garden/outside area. This could simply be through a deck, terrace or by other means. Think of outdoor seating, an aspect important for Kiwis throughout summer for BBQ’s. The first impression people see is the exterior, therefore, thinking about this aspect of renovation is highly important for first impressions, especially for those wishing to sell their renovated homes in the near future.
6. HAVING A PRAGMATIC BUDGET
It is always necessary early in the building project process to discuss with your builder what your dream outcome is and what it would cost. Your builder will help you achieve the most cost-effective way of reaching your renovation project dreams. Korben Homes are experts at keeping the budget pragmatic and practical for clients. Your builder will provide a realistic expectation in terms of budget and what can be achievable in the context of this.
7. CHOOSING THE RIGHT BUILDER
Lastly, and most importantly, picking an ideal and experienced builder is key when thinking about renovating. Builders specialise in different areas, for example, Korben Homes specialising in residential building, particularly architectural new builds and quality renovation projects. Finding a builder that is experienced and approved by NZCB (New Zealand Certified Builders) is key when wanting to undergo the renovation project of your dreams. NZCB has a strict entry requirement. Builders/companies must be accredited and have appropriate reference checks completed, in turn boosting consumer confidence that they are engaging with a credible builder.
