From increasing your home’s value to making room for a growing family, there are many reasons to remodel your home. However, many homeowners bite off more than they can chew when starting a renovation project. Whether you’re revamping your house or just upgrading a room, here are five problems you might encounter and how to prepare for them.
Uncovering Hazardous Materials
If your home is more than a few decades old, there’s a chance you may come across hazardous materials like lead or asbestos during your remodeling project. These substances are usually considered safe when they’re contained, but demolition can release them into the air. Have your home inspected for these materials before you begin renovation so they can be safely removed.
Discovering Pest Damage
Another unpleasant surprise you may come across is damage from termites, mice and other pests. If you find pest damage, the first step is to hire an exterminator to eliminate the source of the problem. Then replace any damaged materials, exercising extra caution when it comes to load-bearing beams.
Damaging Your Ductwork
Remodeling your home can be rough work, which means unintentional damage sometimes occurs. A common issue during renovations that involve floors and ceilings is accidental damage to HVAC ductwork. If you notice that your ducts have been compromised, call an air conditioning repair professional right away.
Hitting Underground Utilities
If your home remodel involves digging underground, you may run into the serious risk of striking utilities like natural gas, water or electricity. This can result in flooding, outages, or in severe cases, injuries and death. Avoid a disaster by calling all utility companies before you break ground and have them flag their lines and cables.
Going Over Your Budget
Although a bite out of your wallet isn’t as dangerous a shock from buried power lines, going over your remodel budget can still be painful. Avoid going into debt or abandoning your project early by setting a strict budget and checking it at the end of project workday. If you start going over, decide how to cut costs and get back under budget.
Remember that hitting a few snags is normal when remodeling your home, so don’t give up at the first sign of a problem. Take a deep breath and develop a plan to get over the bump and put your project back on track. When your renovation is complete and your family can enjoy their new home, all the work you put in will be worth it.
