From Asbestos to Budgeting: Tips for Renovating Properties

If you consider yourself a bit of a DIY pro and are looking to take it to the next level by trying your hand at property renovations, then there is a lot of planning and thought that you’ll need to put into this if you’re going to attempt it seriously.

Renovating properties is certainly no small feat. When you’re first starting out, we recommend you start small and work your way up to bigger projects, so that you can get a good grasp on what you’re doing and what things will need to be done. To help, we’ve put together some of our top tips to remember when undertaking a property renovation.



1. Commission a Full Building Survey

Before starting any renovation and improvement work, you’ll want to commission a licensed surveyor to undertake a full property inspection. An extensive survey such as this will allow them to identify any damage that may not be initially visible yet will need to be rectified accordingly.

From the report they produce, you will be able to calculate the cost of any and all the necessary repairs to see whether they fit in with your budget and to give you an idea on the timeline of the project.

Asbestos Removal

If you’re looking at purchasing a slightly older home, particularly ones constructed in the 50s or 60s, then there is a high chance that asbestos was used in part of its construction. It is essential that this be removed before you start any other renovation work, as exposure to asbestos can be incredibly harmful to people’s health.

You would need to employ the services of professionals to remove this, and would need to factor in the asbestos removal cost into your budget.

2. Check Local Building Regulations & Planning Permission

Whilst it’s all well and good to make big plans that involve rebuilding or extending the property you’ll be renovating, you shouldn’t assume that this will all be fine to go ahead with without checking the local building regulations first.

When planning to make any drastic structural or external changes to the property, chances are that you will need to obtain planning permission for this from the local council. You may need permission to make modifications to the internal structure of the building, also.

3. Stick to Your Budget (...and leave some wiggle room!)

Creating a realistic budget is essential when it comes to property renovations. If you don’t create a planned budget of expenditure, then it can be all too easy to overspend. Once you’ve got the total of all the reparation costs, then create a spreadsheet with all the things you want to do to the house and get quotes on the labour and materials needed for these in order to get a good idea on how much it will all cost.

Though you should strive to stick to this, it’s a good idea to have a contingency budget in place, just in case you encounter unforeseen and unavoidable expenses.

Have you recently started a renovation project and found asbestos in the property? Here at Gowrie Contracts, we’re the asbestos experts you need to safely and professionally remove it for you. Contact us today to see how we can help.