3 essential elements I wish every client knew before starting a renovation

Embarking on a renovation journey is equally as exciting as it can be stressful if you don’t have the right team on your side to help you get the job done. Our expert operations manager Aidan Wilson oversees a specialised team of project managers and tradespeople on countless renovations, big and small throughout Melbourne, and knows exactly what it takes to produce a successful renovation project.

Aidan reveals three essential elements every client needs to be aware of before starting a new renovation project to ensure a successful home renovation.

The importance of working with a team of experts

‘It certainly makes my job easier and the client’s renovation go a whole lot smoother being able to work with a wide range of experts from an interior designer to a draftsperson, and importantly a team of specialised trades’ says Aidan.

‘In any renovation project there are a lot of decisions to be made and a lot of important details to be across, and if you’re trying to do it alone, this is where delays and mistakes can easily happen on site – which is not what you want’ advises Aidan.

‘I always recommend engaging with a full turn-key renovation company to take care of your project’ says Aidan. ‘It will take the stress out of the whole renovation and this way you can have a dedicated expert to oversee every step of the process from an interior designer planning and creating the design and sourcing and selecting all of the products and finishes and a project manager overseeing the whole project and organising and managing a team of trades too’ he adds.

Being realistic with timeframes

Setting a realistic timeframe is so important to achieving a successful renovation. Setting aside adequate time to plan the finer details of a renovation are just as important as the onsite build time. ‘Providing our clients with realistic timelines ensure we never over commit or underdeliver’ says Aidan. ‘Proper time and care has to be taken to ensure the job is done right, you only get one shot at a quality renovation so you don’t want to fall into the trap of thinking that a renovation can be completed in a matter of days or a couple of short weeks’ he adds.

‘Some clients can be under the impression that initial designs, plans, costings, contract approvals and a trade schedule can be completed in just a few weeks, however it can take a few months before this is finalised and the job can start onsite – and if planning permits are required from council, additional time can be added to go through the approval process’ Aidan warns. ‘And then depending on the renovation work involved you can expect a bathroom or kitchen to take another 4-6 weeks to complete onsite’ he adds. So realistically from the first appointment with an interior designer to moving into your newly renovated bathroom or kitchen you can expect the process to take 3-6 months.

Don’t be fooled by cheap building quotes

‘One of my biggest pieces of advice is if you are getting multiple building/renovation quotations make sure that they are from comparative companies’ advises Aidan. ‘This can mean that even though a builder may provide the cheapest quote on paper you need to check all of the finer details to make sure that every element of the renovation has been accounted for to avoid add on costs being invoiced down the track when the job is in the works which is a nasty surprise’ warns Aidan.

‘At smarterBATHROOMS+ there are no nasty surprises, the quotes given to our clients are detailed, including all associated costs upfront and are indicative of the quality of service provided’ says Aidan. ‘It’s important to not only consider the price but consider exactly what you’re paying for’ he adds. ‘We are full turn-key service renovation company so you’re investing in everything from an interior designer to design and source products and materials, having the entire renovation projected managed so you don’t have to organise your own trades, letting the professionals take care of all the mess and rubbish removal just to name a few’ says Aidan.

Do you need more sound advice from one of Melbourne’s most awarded bathroom and kitchen renovators? Book your FREE video consultation and start planning your renovation today.