{"id":88760,"date":"2017-05-16T11:00:09","date_gmt":"2017-05-16T17:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/renewsblog\/?p=88760"},"modified":"2021-03-16T12:26:00","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T18:26:00","slug":"home-renovation-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/home-renovation-mistakes","title":{"rendered":"5 Home Renovation Mistakes You Can\u2019t Afford to Make"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you want to get top dollar for your house, you may want to invest in a few renovation projects prior to listing. But any time you embark on a renovation, there\u2019s always the chance that something could go wrong\u2014so be careful!<\/p>\n

5\u00a0Renovation Mistakes You Can\u2019t Afford to Make<\/h2>\n

You can find a YouTube video or HGTV episode that will walk you through any home renovation project imaginable. The problem? They use convenient editing and experienced professionals, which make things look easy and effortless. They always make smart choices, very little goes wrong, and the home sells for a healthy profit.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, you can\u2019t edit and splice your life until it\u2019s ready for production. Your life is<\/em> the production, and you can\u2019t afford to make the following renovation mistakes prior to placing your house on the market.<\/p>\n

1. Choosing the Cheapest Contractor<\/h3>\n

Very rarely will the contractor that offers the lowest bid provide the best quality work. Skilled contractors know that they\u2019re valuable and therefore are able to charge a premium for their work. While you don\u2019t have to blow through your budget and go with the most expensive contractor, it\u2019s smart to get a bid from at least three different contractors<\/a> and go from there. When comparing their portfolios, ideas, and referrals, you\u2019ll find that the cheapest contractor is typically cheap for a reason.<\/p>\n

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Related:<\/strong> Rehabbers Beware: 5 Big Issues Distressed Properties Hide (& How to Detect Them)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

2. Designing According to Personal Tastes<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s natural to approach the renovation process with your own personal tastes in mind, but you have to remember that you\u2019re putting the house on the market. Your tastes don\u2019t really matter. What\u2019s important is that prospective buyers like the style. Avoid designing according to your personal preferences and instead look at what\u2019s popular in your area.<\/p>\n

3. Making Things Bright and Flashy<\/h3>\n

\u201cSome people enjoy bright colors in their living space, but this can be done with accents. If you’re looking to freshen up the walls, stick to white, beige, and sand tones. Don\u2019t overdo it with brightly painted rooms and accent walls,\u201d Maui real estate professional Fred Haywood advises<\/a>. \u201cThe new owner can take care of that after escrow.\u00a0You’re better off appealing to a wider group of people by staying with neutral colors.\u201d<\/p>\n

This suggestion sort of goes hand in hand with the previous one. While you may think it\u2019s boring, the goal is to make your property as appealing to the masses as possible. A lot of buyers will find it difficult to look past bright and flashy walls.<\/p>\n

4. Failing to Get Proper Approval and Permits<\/h3>\n

Just because you own your home doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re free to tear things up and build new features. Any time you have a project that involves more than simply slapping on some paint and changing out hardware, it\u2019s important to inquire about approval and permit procedures. The last thing you want is to rip open your walls and then get a steep fine from the city for failing to follow the proper procedures.<\/p>\n

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\nRelated:<\/strong> Is It Better to Buy & Rehab or Purchase Turnkeys? Let\u2019s Look at the Pros & Cons.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

5. Obsessing Over the Small Details<\/h3>\n

Finally, homeowners often make the mistake of stressing out over small details. Again, you have to remember that you\u2019re selling the home. While you shouldn\u2019t cut any corners, don\u2019t let small, insignificant details hold you back. Focus on the big picture and find satisfaction in the things that are going right.<\/p>\n

Be Smart With Renovations<\/h2>\n

Renovations prior to a home sale only make sense if they add value to your property. Remember this as you rip out cabinets, replace flooring, and repaint walls. A home renovation project can get away from you if you aren\u2019t careful, so only bite off what you can chew\u2014and avoid these five mistakes!<\/p>\n

Anything you’d add to this list?<\/em><\/p>\n

Leave your comments below!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Renovations only make sense if they add value to your property. So beware\u2014a home renovation project can get away from you if you aren\u2019t careful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59534,"featured_media":88769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5524],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate-investing-for-beginners"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59534"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88760"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88760\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}