RCMA

118 Feature Reno without Regrets DON’T MAKE THOSE ROOKIE MISTAKES. TACKLE YOUR RENOVATION LIKE A PRO WITH THESE TOP TIPS FROM FELLOW HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT Word of Mouth “Reach out to friends who have recently completed their renovations and ask if you can check out their new place. If you like what you see and they have a glowing review of their design providers, you can probably engage the same team with little to worry about.” RAPHAEL, HOMEOWNER Cookie-Cutter Packages “Renovation packages may offer very attractive prices but the truth is, your home will probably end up looking like something out of a template. And if you want to add on extras, the additional costs all add up and the final cost might be more than getting a bespoke design.” TIM, HOMEOWNER Save Your Conversations “For important decisions or discussions with your designer or contractor, try to write, record or have everything down in black and white. Even a text message counts. With so much going on, mistakes are bound to happen and you can trace back past conversations through your notes or saved text messages.” ELAINE, HOMEOWNER Unforeseen Costs “Don’t assume that the first quote will be close to the final quote. Try to factor in an extra 20 per cent for your renovation budget. The mid-range tiles that we ordered went OOS and we had to pay more for similar but pricier tiles in order to meet our reno timeline.” JUNE & JUSTIN, HOMEOWNERS Detailed Checks “I wish I was more diligent while choosing the right interior designer. I would have been more thorough in going through their previous references and checking out their projects in person.” KEAN HOU, HOMEOWNER DESIGN BY KDOT IMAGE COURTESY OF WOODCHIP & MAGNOLIA