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It's crucial to define your home renovation process before you start the work. Be clear on the steps you will need to take to renovate the property before you make a start, and prioritise works that stop further decay, or stabilise the structure. You might find that works in one room impact on those in another (especially where plumbing and wiring are involved), so have a clear vision for the whole house and prepare a schedule of works listing the order of jobs – so for instance, re-wiring is completed before walls are replastered.
If you are carrying out major structural work, or extending a house, consult the appropriate professionals first, as there may be implications you are unaware of.
For example, a loft conversion might seem like a job isolated from the ground floor of the house, but adding an additional habitable floor carries building regulations demands and might require fire doors, a sprinkler system and mains powered alarms, influencing the loft conversion costs. You need to be aware of these issues early on as they will affect the budget, and also the aesthetics of your property.
Use recommendations from family and friends that are familiar with a house renovation, as they can offer help in finding an architect, builder and, if needed, a project manager – unless you are planning to project manage the renovation yourself.
When it comes to finding a builder, ‘unless you have word of mouth that someone is brilliant, the easiest way to do this is to go to your local merchant and ask the manager to give you three names of their best customers,’ recommends Clive Holland, broadcaster on Fix Radio, a station for tradespeople and builders.
‘Don’t be afraid amongst tradespeople and ask them for help. It’s also important that for each trade always print a joint contract tribunal (JCT) contract between you and the tradesperson so you are safe in the knowledge that if anything goes wrong you have a contract. All good tradespeople are happy to sign those.’
Few would forget to insure their property and its contents, but many are unaware that home contents or buildings insurance may not cover for extensive building work. ‘Home insurance is generally based on the homeowner residing at the property in question,’ explains Brooke Crisp, manager, Renovation Plan.
‘If your project requires the property to be vacated, which may well be the case for larger scale conversions and renovations, then it is likely that the policy would become invalid. Most standard home insurance policies have an unoccupancy clause on them which restricts the cover if the property is empty for more than 30 days. If you choose to move out of the property for the duration of the works, this clause is often implemented.’
Note, too, that cost counts. ‘Most home insurance policies will not cover you if the cost of the work being carried out exceeds £25,000,’ says Brooke. ‘Your average extension or loft conversion is likely to go over this limit.
‘The risk is not always just to the insured property. Building work can also result in damage being caused to neighbouring properties and this should also be a consideration when discussing the nature of the works and the proximity to the adjoining properties, particularly where there is piling or basement works being undertaken or there are party wall agreements in place. Damage could be cracks appearing in the neighbouring walls or, in the most severe cases, the adjoining property could collapse.’
The best thing to do is to take out specialist renovations insurance. The level required will depend on the works carried out.
Be mindful, too, to keep your cover up to date. ‘Many people are unaware that your total “sums insured” value can change during your renovation project,’ says Brooke. ‘The total sums insured is the maximum amount your insurer will pay out in the event of a claim, like demolition in the event of total loss. Fitting a new kitchen, bathroom or building an extension will hopefully increase the value of your home. It’s also very common for the cost of a project to increase during the build, caused by increased costs of materials or unforeseen complications etc. If you forget to increase the total sum insured during or upon completion of the works, you could leave yourself vulnerable to being insured for a value lower than required if you need to make a claim in the future.’
Check that your main contractor has site insurance. If you are hiring subcontractors (and thus taking the role of main contractor), you will need to sort site insurance yourself to be covered for public liability, employer’s liability, legal expenses and damages on site. If the unthinkable happens, not being insured will have a major impact on your project.
‘Making the site safe and secure is your next priority, followed by any clearance or demolition work,’ says Michael Holmes. ‘Health and safety is the responsibility of the building owner, so a risk assessment and method statement for demolition, which includes dealing with hazardous waste, is essential. A hazardous waste survey is also necessary to look for asbestos and other risks.'
‘It’s important not to rush into demolition,’ says Hugo Tugman. ‘I’ve seen people fall foul of listed building consent by stripping out internal fabric they thought was unimportant, only to find they have undertaken a criminal act. Take care that services such as gas and electricity are safely capped off before work starts.’
When it comes to getting rid of rubbish, don’t put everything in the skip – not only is that environmentally unfriendly, but you might miss out on making money from unwanted fixtures and fittings. A salvage yard may agree to pay for old materials and include removal as part of the deal. Items usually fit into four categories: salvage, sell, charity, or tip.
Salvage anything that you can use such as old sanitaryware, which can be cleaned up and re-enamelled if need be.
Sell things that are in good condition, but not needed or wanted anymore – salvage yards will take anything from old windows to spare roof tiles. eBay and Facebook Marketplace are also good places that make selling easy.
Recycle items that can still be used, by giving them to someone else, to charity shops (when they re-open) or to organisations that help people furnish their homes.
Stair Railing Installationa stunning lake district home with glass box extension and stone walls, with mountains and greenery to the right
Simply insuring a home while you are undergoing a house renovation is not enough – you must ensure the property is adequately protected against break-ins, too. If the property is empty, don’t be mistaken in thinking there is nothing worth taking: pipes, wiring and architectural salvage can all be stolen or vandalised.
Windows and doors on period properties are prone to rot and may not offer the protection your home needs. Even if you plan to replace them eventually, take the time to add locks for the immediate term. It is not wasted money when you consider how much you could lose if the house were broken into. When you do come to replace windows, make sure they are adequately boarded up in between the old being removed and the new ones put in.
The first stage of any renovation project is to get a detailed assessment of the current condition of the property. ‘It’s really important to know what problems you are up against,’ says Hugo Tugman, founder of Architect Your Home. ‘Invest in a measured survey of the building to give you accurate plans, and a condition survey that will report on issues such as damp, infestation or subsidence.’
Any building left empty for more than a few months will inevitably start to deteriorate. While you finalise your plans, ensure the building is weather tight by covering up missing doors, windows and sections of roof. You may also need to put urgent temporary structural stabilisation in place; this might mean steel ties to stop lateral spread in walls or a roof, or scaffolding to prevent further collapse.
exterior of a large London Victorian home with original conservatory, with a black gate surrounding, trees, and a dog at the front
Living next door to a building site can be almost as stressful as living in one. Remember that you have a vested interest in the work being carried out that your neighbours do not, so being considerate and transparent when tackling your home renovation will take the edge of any inconveniences and tensions.
Living next door to a building site can be almost as stressful as living in one. Remember that you have a vested interest in the work being carried out that your neighbours do not, so being considerate and transparent when tackling your home renovation will take the edge of any inconveniences and tensions.
Make sure your builders know about things like shared entryways and communal areas so that they don’t leave them messy or obstructed. You should also warn your neighbours about large delivery vehicles and excessive noise. Some people may be anxious about having lots of strangers working near their property, so introducing them to your team is a good way to put their minds at ease too.
You need to make sure you cater for the needs of your builders working on your house. Tell them where they can safely park, provide somewhere for them to take breaks, and hire a portaloo. The key to a healthy relationship with your builders is having separation between their building site and your ‘home’, so keep welfare facilities apart if you can.
Any major building work can now take place, as the existing structure is stable and any hidden problems should already have been uncovered. Measures should be taken to protect any parts of the building that could be vulnerable to damage during the main construction stage, especially in listed buildings.
‘This part of the renovation usually starts with any groundworks, such as foundations and drainage,’ says Hugo Tugman. ‘Any new or modified structures, like extensions and conversions, can then be completed – walls, floors, roofs constructed, and openings for doors and windows formed.’
Damp-proof measures and new insulation will be incorporated at this stage and any existing damp issues can be sorted out. Always get an independent expert to take a look at any damp and advise on the right solution. Impermeable waterproofing may be ideal for modern homes, but can do more harm than good in a solid-walled period property. Often, the problem can be solved using non-invasive methods, such as improving ground drainage and ventilation or even just getting the heating back on.
This is a key step to ensure the best chance of success when renovating a house. It will greatly reduce the need for additional work and even possible repairs down the line, therefore no time (or money) will be wasted.
‘It’s important to swiftly get your property sufficiently weathertight because so many subsequent stages, such as plastering, electrics and joinery, need a dry building,’ says Michael Holmes.
‘Getting the roof coverings on, with all of the associated flashings and weather seals, is vital,’ adds Hugo Tugman. ‘Fitting doors and windows is also a huge step forward. Wrap them in temporary protection as the work continues.’ While the scaffold is up, it is a good idea to check chimney stacks and pots are stable and clear, and to replace or repair lead flashings, guttering, fascias, soffits, render and cladding.
If you’re changing the internal layout of the property, this is the stage where stud walls will be built and staircases, door linings, window reveals and sills installed, ready for the plasterers to work up to.
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