Your home : Successful Renovation
“All things are possible” so they say. But things such as a successful renovation can happen only when one thousand things are done right with available budget.
It is difficult to say that you can have a successful solution to your renovation needs. Even more difficult it is in committing time and money to the pursuit.
Design professionals believe that successful renovations are inspired by the limitations of budget, space, design, time and implementation.
The constraints that show up become the very motivation to the designer, the contractor and the client. All the players would need to focus on the essential and leave aside the superfluous.
Once the problem has been thoroughly defined in the pre-design stage, it can be successfully solved in the design stage. The best way to achieve a successful renovation within the allocated budget is through working hard at having efficiency at all levels.
From experience, I would advise that you should not ever consider a renovation without an architect, a design professional or a building technician. Those who have used such professionals in their somewhat small or large renovations would agree with me that it was worth the effort.
These professionals have the freedom to recommend whatever they think suits best the project basically because they are not committed to any production company loyalty.
Designers/ architects can bring a comprehensive approach to design problems; they are by and large trained in all phases of design and construction.
Some designers/architects are also trained in project management and have experience in bidding and contracting, scheduling, budgeting, and managing relations with contractors and subcontractors. Whereas the builders see design changes and renovations mostly in terms of budget and difficulty in construction; the design professional’s job has always been to argue for the design itself.
In this way, a healthy tension is cultivated between builders/contractors/craftsmen and designers that will eventually benefit the project.
Many homeowners who have tried renovating without consulting a professional have probably regretted it. Even if you know what you want, always run your plans along with a design professional to get his or her input.
You will realise that the designer improves the design to the extent that the professional fee is the best money you might have spent on the project.
If I have convinced you to look for a design professional, the next possible question is where to find one. Not every design firm is available to handle refurbishment or renovation projects.
Large firms tend to be geared toward large commercial projects, leaving residential work to smaller firms with lower overhead. Again, not every small firm can do a good job.
Make enquiries and look out for designs that catch your eye. Perhaps the best method of finding an architect/designer is to ask friends and business associates for recommendations.
Homeowners who have just completed a remodelling are usually more than happy to discuss their projects with you.
You can get lots of free advice, some of it so valuable. Talk to the professionals they recommend, look at their work, and make your own judgments.
No matter how the professional comes to your attention, be sure to talk to clients of theirs and visit the jobs. This will give you a lot of insight into his or her style and capabilities. It is important that the personal relationship developed with your prospective professional is good.
If, after the initial meeting (for which there should be no charge), you feel you cannot work together, keep looking, because any renovation, especially a large one, will be stressful. You need to know how you can communicate very clearly and directly with your design professional.
Should it be an architect and a specialised interior designer? While there is no absolute rule, I would say that in a renovation that involves structural work or reconfiguring a portion of the house, such as creating an extension to the existing structure, one is advised to seek an architect.
The architect will help define and work through the larger issues. Using a designer or showroom personnel to design your project is advisable only if it is a rather uncomplicated one.
By the nature of their business, specialised store designers run the risk of looking at the project mainly from the standpoint of what fixtures the homeowners want and where they want them, possibly overlooking imaginative solutions regarding light, views, circulation, and other architectural considerations.
A designer from a specialised store may be an excellent choice for some homeowners, who have thought about their project and know just what they want done.
Let me add that an experienced designer may also be superb at space planning and may know the details of room design, equipment, and finishes quite well.
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