How To Renovate

How to How to renovate renovate your house your house

Céline Bridier is a local Interior Stylist & close friend of STONES, with experience of personal renovations, as well as working on client projects. We spoke to Céline and asked her advise when considering a renovation project and key questions she’s often asked.

What’s the difference between Remodelling and Renovating?

Remodelling and renovating means making improvements to an existing home. However, they refer to two slightly different types of constructions.

Renovating means “restoring its original state”. In other words, dilapidated buildings or poorly maintained houses are sometimes considered to be in poor condition. Renovations improve the existing home.

Remodelling means “changing the structure or shape of something.” If you want to remodel your bathroom, you want to change its appearance. If you want to renovate your bathroom, you want to repair or update it.

Renovations usually have the effect of changing the appearance, structure or function of a room.

Why Renovate?

To allow your home to gain in value, but also for you to create an interior in your image. A place that will be in correlation with your lifestyle and where you will share quality time and build memories. A space with soul. A well-decorated house bears your signature, a beautiful decorated house will give the impression that you have put your heart into every detail chosen.

Which rooms to renovate first?

It takes a lot of time, effort, and money — the cost of renovating a home is not minimal. If you renovate your kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom it will be inconvenient for a few months. This lengthy process can lead you to wonder if you need to renovate your entire space at once or divide it room by room.

Renovating a different room every few months or years will make your home feel like a never-ending project. Your home is made to be appreciated, not to feel like a building site.

How much does it cost?

When it comes to estimating the budget for a home renovation, the additional costs are often forgotten. How will the project be financed, Equity Release? ReMortgaging could be considered. And yet, some aspects of the renovation such as the architecture, the different authorisations, etc. will necessarily inflate your bill.

One of the things to also be considered is insurance. Renovation work is not always covered by simple home insurance. Especially if the renovation work in question is quite substantial. In this kind of situation, you must then find insurance dedicated to unoccupied buildings, or even opt for site insurance.

Doing it yourself or recruit specialist?

Either way, a home renovation project comes with additional expenses. Therefore, many owners are tempted to take care of the work themselves rather than calling on professionals.

However, some home renovation projects are complex and could even pose a danger if not properly executed. These projects often require the services of an architect, interior designer, skilled plumber, electrician...

Before you decide, ask yourself these questions: Do you have time? As it will take all your spare time. Do you have the right tools? Do you have enough experience?

By answering these questions, you will be able to determine whether you need a professional.

Don’t forget to carefully plan and research and you will avoid the common pitfalls of renovations!

What are your top What are your top tips when considering tips when considering a renovation? a renovation?

Undertaking the work requires some preparation upstream & I’d like to share with you my thoughts on how to get organised.

1. 1. 2. 2.

Create a calendar

This is the first thing you should do. To properly prepare for a renovation, you should set up a schedule.

The timeline should highlight the dates and times when your renovation will take place. Keep in mind that deadlines may change due to weather conditions or unforeseen events.

What are your goals?

Carefully consider what you hope to get out of it. Is it more space, more light, add value to the property or just change the interior setting.

Doing some research to find out if the renovations you’re considering will add value to your home, if that’s your goal. Also think upstream about what this or that renovation entails?

3. 3.

Be realistic

Determine what is actually possible so that you don’t run into snags that could end the project halfway through.

You should also know what local laws and regulations are; are you allowed to make the desired changes? Do you need to get permits?

4. 4.

Prepare your budget

Define the value and get the budget for your renovation project. Always add a buffer too!

5. 5.

Put a detailed plan in place

Develop a detailed plan. Hire an Architect or Interior Design company with experience in renovation to work out every detail of the project, the timeline for each job to be done, and the materials you’ll need. If you have not yet requested the permissions, now is also the time to do so.

6. 6.

Choose your company wisely

Once you’ve decided about the renovations, the next imperative step will be to select the experts to work with.

Many experienced builders can help you improve your renovation ideas and bring them to life.

You will need the right contractors to carry out any construction. Ask for quotes on the cost of the work and try to get a commitment on the deadline. This allows you to make small changes to the plan if any of the materials cost more than you originally planned, before signing any construction contract.

The cheapest quote is not always the best one! I prefer to choose on reputation. Select someone local and go and look at their previous work/portfolio.

Be cautious of immediate availability of a builder, surely if they were any good, they would be actively working on projects?

7. 7.

Prepare the house to renovate

Before doing the renovation, think about selling or getting rid of unnecessary furniture, take the opportunity to sort before starting the work.

8. 8.

Free up space

Remove all furniture, wall hangings, valuables, etc. from the renovation area. This will ensure that the items remain intact throughout the process. If for some objects, you have no choice but to leave them, remember to protect them! A renovation often involves a lot of dust, even with the most careful traders.

Store all the items you don’t need outside the renovation area (ideally garage, shed…). This will prevent your living space from becoming too cluttered as you will have to live inside the property during the work.

9. 9.

Think about the interior decor and finishing touches

In parallel with the construction being completed you should be thinking about home interior decorations.

Choose the right style that suits you best, if you’re unsure, appointing an experienced Interior Designer is a great investment as they will be able to provide you with guidance and recommendations.

10. 10.

My interior stylist tips

Think about creating a warm atmosphere, playing with light, marrying the right colours and choosing the right patterns and textures.

Make a focal point in each room, decorating your walls with Art and choose stylish furniture.

Remember less is more: play on simplicity and avoid exaggeration (quality over quantity!)

Make a focal point in each room, decorating your walls with art and choose stylish furniture.

This is where I add real value, as I have experience in harmoniously creating beautiful homes. I will make your Home a place that gives you the opportunity to express yourself or your family’s personality drawing out your desires in a unique environment.

If you want a home that is functional and represents the best of you please get in touch as I would welcome the opportunity to work together with you, your architect and/or a contractor to design your entire interior space.

Céline x

www.celinebridier.com / @celinebridier_stylist