Planning a period home renovation? Check out these 6 traps to avoid so that you get the home of your dreams.
1. Removing too much of a home’s character
Removing parts of a period home because they look like they’ve seen better days is usually not a good decision if they can be repaired or restored back to their former glory. It’s better to try to preserve the detail that you have as much as possible to keep the character that makes the period home.
2. Thinking that DIY is the way to go
We know that you’d love to get stuck in and do as much as you can on your project, but period home renovations are always more successful when a design/build team is in charge. This doesn’t mean you can’t do the odd job here and there, but the project will run more smoothly and on-time if you enlist help from professionals.
3. Not removing interior walls
Just because older homes had mostly walled off living spaces, doesn’t mean you need to keep it that way. Removing your kitchen and dining room walls (if able to do so) to create open areas that are more comfortable for families to live in.
4. Not doing your research
Understanding the characteristics of your particular period dream home is important so you can have a vision of how the end result is going to look. Do your research and find out all about the different design techniques and features that can be incorporated into your home.
5. Using cheap materials
Original period homes were built with the best quality materials available at the time, and there just wasn’t the cheap knock offs or synthetic materials that can be available today. Don’t scrimp on the cost of your materials if you want to keep the value of your home.
6. Not listening to professionals
Design and build teams that have had many years’ experience with period home renovations and extensions understand exactly what needs to be done to make your renovation a success. While you may have many ideas, you should take the professionals word for it and work with them to come up with a plan to get the best result possible for you.
Are you looking for a professional design and build team?
At Period Extensions & Designs, we have a fantastic team of period home experts who love nothing more than starting a renovation or extension project with a new client. Feel free to give us a call on 03 9882 5255 and we’ll book in a time to meet and find out how we can help.