Times have changed and the way we live has changed enormously in the last 50 years. But the way we approach a renovation project hasn’t changed to reflect this modern reality.
Renovation is a complex and often overwhelming process and it is a fragmented one as well. This is largely due to the fact that the approach taken to renovation hasn’t changed with the times and is viewed as ‘this is the way its always been done, so that’s how we do it.’
But just because something is a certain way and has been seemingly forever, doesn’t mean it should stay that way.’
A puzzling puzzle…
Think about the current renovation process as a jigsaw puzzle but a jigsaw puzzle without the box (which has the picture of the finished puzzle)that shows you what you’re aiming for, and that we all use as our guide.
As a result, a process that is usually quite logical (when you have the picture to guide you) suddenly becomes frustrating and overwhelming.
Where do you start? What is the end product? Its all a bit too hard – and the urge is to just put all the pieces back in the box and put the box in the cupboard for another day.
Sound familiar?
Renovating is similar. There are many of pieces to the renovation puzzle ( and the number is growing), and without a clear direction, it can be really hard to know where to start, and navigate the process, let alone finish.
As rules and regulations tighten, particularly related to town planning issues more and more pieces are being generated, that need to be added seamlessly to the puzzle.
We explored how to ensure the success of your renovation in our earlier post – ‘The Secret to Renovation Success’ where we concluded that careful preparation and planning were critical. And to complete this story the ‘box with the picture on it.
The way it’s always been done…
In the last 50 years, the world has changed enormously, times have changed, and our lives have changed. But the way we approach the residential building industry has largely remained the same.
Fifty years ago, a home renovation was just starting to become a viable option as inner-city suburbs across Australia went through urban renewal. Renovation projects were smaller, cost less, involved fewer professions (usually only one or two) and there were way fewer rules and regulations to work within Building materials options were fewer and building techniques were simpler.
Fast forward to now, the way we live is vastly different. Renovation projects are becoming more commonplace as available inner-city land diminishes. They are more complex in scope – our need for more space has grown exponentially. The numbers of professionals involved in a project are much greater (There can be as many as 20) There is a vast availability of new building methods and materials. Rules and regulations are tightening by the day – meaning that we need more and more specialised advice to meet these requirements. Issues like the environment, waste, and the rising cost of energy are becoming more crucial to address.
In this day and age, renovation is a much much more complex beast than it was even 20 years ago. Yet the way we approach the building industry essentially remains the same, leaving you open to some major, and sadly all too common pitfalls.
We still go straight to a builder or an architect, and reactively wait for them to tell us what to do next because that’s the way it’s always been,…
When it comes to approaching a renovation, we make the same mistakes time and time again because in a nutshell a case of ‘you can’t know what you don’t know and nobody tells you until it’s too late.’
There is a better way
Just because it has been a certain way doesn’t mean it should stay that way. Everything can be better and this applies in spades, to the renovation industry.
Renovation can be the single biggest monetary outlay we do in our lives. The outcome of your renovation will have a profound effect on your day to day life and the enjoyment of your future home.
So it’s critical to get it right, (and preferably right the first time!)
“How you start and how you approach
your renovation will impact its chance of success.”
Start with FACTS, not assumption
So you need to KNOW for sure that it’s the right thing to do AND can give you what you want.
Waiting to find out after you have invested tens of thousands of dollars or more in, your dream that it simply won’t or even can’t happen is ludicrous – yet that is what many people do – because that is how it is always done.
A change is long overdue. A change to the way we approach our renovations. A change that addresses the reality of modern renovation.
A change to the way we approach
our home renovations is long overdue.
You need to know early that it is ACTUALLY possible to achieve what you want on your property.
Did you know that you can’t do whatever you want on your property?
There are rules that are getting stricter by the day that you need to work within.
You NEED to:
- KNOW that you can actually demolish your house to build a new one.
- KNOW that you can raise and build in under your home
- KNOW that you can build that amazing modern extension onto the back of your character home
- Or even that it’s possible to move your driveway location!
KNOW (don’t just assume) that what you want to do IS possible early otherwise you are leaving yourself wide open to the possibility of wasting lots of time and money, and potentially not even start your renovation project.
Knowledge is power
Knowledge Is a very powerful tool that can be used to improve our renovation experience.
Understanding that there’s a lot you need to be aware of, heed Bob Dylan’s prophetic and wise words “the times they are a-changing..’ and apply them to your renovation project to ensure its success,
If you are thinking of renovating and want to know where to start.
Our Getting Started Reports or Renovation Masterplanning service can help. They are designed to get you started ina low risk, cost-effective way.
Contact us today on 07 3311 2858 or info@buildit123.com.au
