Essential steps you need to know before renovating your home

Set yourself a budget. Every change involves an investment and, however small it may be, it is essential to have a basic budget that is realistic and within your means. 

Hire professionals for the project. Once you have your accounts clear, and you know how much you want to invest, trust professionals to help you choose the best options. It is advisable to ask for several quotes and compare them in order to choose the best option. Make sure they can issue an invoice, as this document will be essential in the event of a claim or problem. 

Inspiration pool. Having a premeditated idea of what you want to do will save you time and make your work easier. You can make use of sources of inspiration such as Instagram or Pinterest, where you will find a large number of images and proposals that you like to apply to your renovation.  

Necessary permits. Depending on the reform, you will need to ask for a permit from the Town Hall or the town planning department in order to start the reform. The first thing you should know is that the building permit is one of the most common and most requested permits in our country. Renovating a house, premises or business is very common and depending on the size of the works you will need to apply for one type of licence or another. A professional will advise you on this. 

There are different building permits:

• Minor building permit: If the works you are going to carry out are simple and the budget is low, you will probably have to apply for a minor building permit. This includes small repairs, bathroom renovations, cladding, plumbing and electrical work, etc.

• Major works licence: This type of licence must be applied for when the reform involves modifying the structure of the dwelling or altering its distribution and/or surface area. It is usually required for works on common elements of buildings, extensions in height or volume, new floors, etc.

• Reforms that do not require permits: Most renovations require permits or at least prior notification, but there are some that can be carried out without any type of permit, such as painting the interior of the house, removing stippled paint, smoothing walls, putting up plaster mouldings, sanding wooden floors, etc.

Participate in the development of the works. Controlling the progress of the works and giving your opinion will help the renovation process to be more in line with what you want. It is a good idea to keep a close eye on the progress to correct any problems as you go along, so that the work can be completed as satisfactorily as possible. 

Notify the neighbours. It is important to inform neighbours and respect common areas to avoid conflicts. Certain interventions require the consensus and approval of the community. Therefore, it is recommended that work schedules, plans, etc. are communicated. To minimize inconvenience and to ensure that no one is disturbed.

As you can see, it is all about being clear about the renovation and following the steps in an organized way. We are sure that putting these tips into practice will make the process easier, and you will achieve a successful renovation.

At Espígul, we are specialists in reforms, our team of interior designers and architects. If you are thinking of renovating your home, we will accompany you from start to finish.