Renovating
8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Renovate
Whatever your reason to renovate is, it's important to sit down and take stock of what you have, what you want and what you truly need
Of all the questions that arise along the renovation journey, the first one I put to clients during our first discussion about the project always seems the hardest: ‘What would you like?’ It’s amazing how many times the homeowners stare blankly at each other, realising they don’t actually have a clear idea or vision like they thought they did – and who could blame them? While renovations often occur around a life-changing event (first house, first child, growing family), this doesn’t make it any easier to define exactly what you need … and even if one half of a couple can define it, often the other half has conflicting ideas on the design, budget and what they want to achieve.
To help clarify your ideas and thoughts, I have posed a list of questions for you to consider before you embark on your renovation or extension journey.
To help clarify your ideas and thoughts, I have posed a list of questions for you to consider before you embark on your renovation or extension journey.
2. How do you live?
The essence of this question is to gain an insight into what makes you tick and what is important to you. Personally, as an architect, I don’t really want a list of room requirements, which will only result in the production of ‘tick-a-box’ architecture. ‘How do you live?’ is a far more interesting question that I would ask any client who walks in the door of our practice. I’d then follow up with a few more questions like … ‘What is your daily routine?’, ‘Do you love being outdoors’, ‘Do you love entertaining?’ or ‘Do you like intimate spaces that encourage conversations?’ and finally, ‘Do you cook and is the kitchen the hub of your home?’ What this is really about is getting an understanding of what are the important aspects of your life and how the built environment (your home) can support and enhance how you want to live.
Try answering the questions above; you’d be surprised at what you find out about what you truly want and who you are as a household.
The essence of this question is to gain an insight into what makes you tick and what is important to you. Personally, as an architect, I don’t really want a list of room requirements, which will only result in the production of ‘tick-a-box’ architecture. ‘How do you live?’ is a far more interesting question that I would ask any client who walks in the door of our practice. I’d then follow up with a few more questions like … ‘What is your daily routine?’, ‘Do you love being outdoors’, ‘Do you love entertaining?’ or ‘Do you like intimate spaces that encourage conversations?’ and finally, ‘Do you cook and is the kitchen the hub of your home?’ What this is really about is getting an understanding of what are the important aspects of your life and how the built environment (your home) can support and enhance how you want to live.
Try answering the questions above; you’d be surprised at what you find out about what you truly want and who you are as a household.
3. What houses or spaces inspire you?
It is a great idea to create your own personal mood board or scrapbook full of all the houses, renovations, spaces, objects, art and furniture that you love.
This is a great opportunity to use Houzz to create your own Ideabooks (create an Ideabook for each room you’re renovating, or one for each home feature you’re dreaming of adding. For example: ‘Kitchen serveries’, ‘Staircases’). Share your ideas and comments with your selected architect via Houzz. This can be used to set the tone and feel of what you would like to achieve with your renovation or extension, and you can be visual in what you want even if you can’t always put it into words.
It is a great idea to create your own personal mood board or scrapbook full of all the houses, renovations, spaces, objects, art and furniture that you love.
This is a great opportunity to use Houzz to create your own Ideabooks (create an Ideabook for each room you’re renovating, or one for each home feature you’re dreaming of adding. For example: ‘Kitchen serveries’, ‘Staircases’). Share your ideas and comments with your selected architect via Houzz. This can be used to set the tone and feel of what you would like to achieve with your renovation or extension, and you can be visual in what you want even if you can’t always put it into words.
4. What are the ‘must haves’ in your house?
Think about the answer to this in a practical sense: ‘I want X amount of bathrooms’, for example, or ‘I need a separate toilet to the bathroom’. Also, think about the answer to this question in the idealogical sense – one of your priorities might be that the house has to be very easy to clean; having no tight corners or ledges that dust can collect on, like this pristine and easy-to-clean bathroom shown here.
5. What is your budget?
It is important to have a clear understanding of how much money you are willing to spend on the extension. Does this include costs for professional and authority fees, for example, architects, engineers, planning and building permits? Also, don’t forget to factor in the GST, if applicable, as this can make a significant dent in the budget.
I also recommend that you allow a contingency, a sum of money put aside for unforeseen costs that may arise during the design or construction stage of the project.
7 reasons you could blow your renovation budget
Think about the answer to this in a practical sense: ‘I want X amount of bathrooms’, for example, or ‘I need a separate toilet to the bathroom’. Also, think about the answer to this question in the idealogical sense – one of your priorities might be that the house has to be very easy to clean; having no tight corners or ledges that dust can collect on, like this pristine and easy-to-clean bathroom shown here.
5. What is your budget?
It is important to have a clear understanding of how much money you are willing to spend on the extension. Does this include costs for professional and authority fees, for example, architects, engineers, planning and building permits? Also, don’t forget to factor in the GST, if applicable, as this can make a significant dent in the budget.
I also recommend that you allow a contingency, a sum of money put aside for unforeseen costs that may arise during the design or construction stage of the project.
7 reasons you could blow your renovation budget
6. Does your budget cover your wish list?
Often we find that a client’s wish list for their renovation does not marry with their budget. We use the analogy that it’s like putting down the cost of erecting a tent as the cost of building a house. Yes, we can build everything you want but unfortunately it will have to fit in a tent. The square metre rate to build a tent is far less than building a square metre of your new extension. There is often two ways to go from here. One, you do a master plan for the whole kit and caboodle and design it in a manner that the project can be staged over time, as the money becomes available. Alternatively, the project can be scaled back at the outset so the cost of the renovation can meet the budget.
This can be a challenging discussion, but it is best to have it early, with your architect, so everyone is clear on the ground rules for engagement, project scope and the budget.
Often we find that a client’s wish list for their renovation does not marry with their budget. We use the analogy that it’s like putting down the cost of erecting a tent as the cost of building a house. Yes, we can build everything you want but unfortunately it will have to fit in a tent. The square metre rate to build a tent is far less than building a square metre of your new extension. There is often two ways to go from here. One, you do a master plan for the whole kit and caboodle and design it in a manner that the project can be staged over time, as the money becomes available. Alternatively, the project can be scaled back at the outset so the cost of the renovation can meet the budget.
This can be a challenging discussion, but it is best to have it early, with your architect, so everyone is clear on the ground rules for engagement, project scope and the budget.
7. Will the final extension add value to your home?
We live in a society in which more and more people have the expectation that bigger is better. Australians now generally have larger houses than our USA counterparts. It is important to have an understanding of the ‘add value’ that your extension will add to your home. It is very easy to get excited about selecting expensive fixtures, finishes or appliances that may add no end value to your home. If you end up in a position where you need to sell your house, will you be able to recoup the cost of the renovation? Is the renovation an over-capitalisation of your site? Have a chat with your local real estate agent to get an idea of the market value your home might be with the new extension.
We live in a society in which more and more people have the expectation that bigger is better. Australians now generally have larger houses than our USA counterparts. It is important to have an understanding of the ‘add value’ that your extension will add to your home. It is very easy to get excited about selecting expensive fixtures, finishes or appliances that may add no end value to your home. If you end up in a position where you need to sell your house, will you be able to recoup the cost of the renovation? Is the renovation an over-capitalisation of your site? Have a chat with your local real estate agent to get an idea of the market value your home might be with the new extension.
8. Do you have the space to renovate or extend?
Do you have the space to extend to the front, to the rear or to the side of your house? You may want to consider a second storey to preserve more outdoor space and garden around your house. Depending on where your site is located and the proximity of your neighbours, this can have an impact on where you can extend and the size of building that can be achieved on your site. There may also be additional planning restrictions to consider. It is worth calling the planning department of your local council to discuss your options and restrictions, too.
Do you have the space to extend to the front, to the rear or to the side of your house? You may want to consider a second storey to preserve more outdoor space and garden around your house. Depending on where your site is located and the proximity of your neighbours, this can have an impact on where you can extend and the size of building that can be achieved on your site. There may also be additional planning restrictions to consider. It is worth calling the planning department of your local council to discuss your options and restrictions, too.
Make sure you don’t lose sight of the small things. It is often the little spaces that speak volumes about your extension and about how you live. A well-designed space like this deep-soaking bath tub, positioned to capture the bush vista, may be all you really need!
Make sure you find a great design professional who can help. Whether it is an architect or a building designer, it’s important that you choose a person you can work with and have confidence in. I recommend that you review their past work and referees. Designing a house or an extension is an intimate process. The better understanding they have of you and how you live your life, the better design they can create that will reflect your aspirations. They can take your hand and walk you through the design, planning and building processes and create your dream extension.
Make sure you find a great design professional who can help. Whether it is an architect or a building designer, it’s important that you choose a person you can work with and have confidence in. I recommend that you review their past work and referees. Designing a house or an extension is an intimate process. The better understanding they have of you and how you live your life, the better design they can create that will reflect your aspirations. They can take your hand and walk you through the design, planning and building processes and create your dream extension.
TELL US
What question paid off when you planned your reno?
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What question paid off when you planned your reno?
MORE
How Much Does a Kitchen Reno Cost?
The (Sustainable) Case for Renovating Instead of Building
11 Things to Consider When Subdividing and Developing a Site
Forget ‘Keeping Up With the Joneses’; Be Unique Instead
Is your house old and tired? Lacking in space or storage? Renovation often occurs around a life-changing event: newlyweds setting up house or the anticipated birth of a little one entering the family. What’s the new event in your household? Alternatively, are you choosing to renovate to make some extra cash, on-sell and explore the neighbourhood for a new project?
Whatever the reason is, it is important to sit down and take stock of what you have now, what you want out of the renovation or extension, and what you truly need out of it. It is good to make a list as it will help to clarify your thoughts and will be a useful document when you talk to an architect or building designer in the first instance.