Renovating your home can be a daunting and massive undertaking that many people may simply say “too hard, I’ll just buy a new house”! I can tell you from an interior designer’s perspective that when you know what you need to do and the right people to help you achieve this, renovating your home is not difficult … plus you get exactly what you want and need.
It’s absolutely vital that you are honest and up front with your designer about your renovation budget from the very start. JM Interiors are absolutely dedicated to helping all of our clients manage investment versus expectation – without tooting our own trumpet too loudly, it is something we do really well! And, this is all before we begin designing your spaces and the more substantial details.
In order for a designer to help you effectively, we need to know what the overall end goal of your renovation is going to be and what your total INVESTMENT IS for that goal is. Once that has been properly fleshed out, we are able to get into the finer details of the build and find more effective and efficient ways to get the result that YOU want
As a designer, my job is to understand what elements of a project are most important to my clients and to make compromises elsewhere when needed. For example, scaling down on some of the kitchen finishes in one area to keep the bathroom renovation within budget or vice versa.
Think of your designer as your Project PA: we work for you, the client, and we are committed to acting in your best interests throughout the entire journey. We can be the glue that holds everything together throughout your project as the middleman between the trades and yourself, taking on the role of negotiator and logistics manager among many other things. We have well established relationships with quality trades carrying out the work on your home maintaining quality and integrity in the work being carried out.
Taking the time to sit down with a designer and properly flesh out a plan with a clear budget in mind can save you the hassle of needing to have aspects of your renovation revised, inevitably costing you more money, time and stress, because fixing mistakes always takes more time and money than it would have to get it right the first time around. Quite often the design fees are offset by the savings for fittings and fixtures through our preferred supplier relationships that have been established over many years.
The key to getting a fabulous result while staying on budget is to first start your renovation process with a designer. The use of different materials, fixtures and finishes can have a massive impact on your price tag. Often, people make the mistake of getting a rough quote from a general tradesperson as their first priority. But as the cost of materials and fixtures can vary wildly, that quote will often be greatly inaccurate, blowing your initial budget out of the water.
Anything can happen, but having a solid plan and working closely with a designer can save you many sleepless nights and headaches, particularly as far as finances are concerned and the cohesive beautifully designed and curated home that you will come home to.
Your designer should be someone that you feel like you can trust, so finding the right one for you before you start your renovation is vitally important to both the outcome of your designs and your wallet. Being totally open and honest with us will only help your design to be the best it possibly can be.
A final note is about the final details! One aspect of a renovation that is very often forgotten by renovators when preparing their initial budget is the furnishings. This is such an important stage and it’s also the final stage of the renovation process. From window coverings to new living room furniture to the towels for your new bathroom, this must all be included in your initial. After all, you’re making such a huge investment in your home, you want it to look incredible when it’s finally revealed!
Most people spend all their money on doing the renovation and then find they are moving into an empty house, or with old, not to scale or appropriate furnishings. When planning your renovation, you need to always think about leaving room in the budget for finishing touches – of course here at JM Interiors we do include a service to furnish your newly renovated home to complete the transformation right down to the very last detail. Whether your investment in your renovation is $50,000 or $200,000 the JM Interiors team are dedicated to helping you achieve an amazing result!
Ready to get your reno started? Let’s chat!
