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Where Do Most Renovations Go Wrong?

Did you know that the building industry is the most important industry in Australia,

It accounts for 14% of the GDP. Employs over 800,000 people which is mainly supported by small to medium size enterprizes.

This is why I feel the need to write the following….

I recently had someone come to me in a huge panic, they had lost a large sum of money from a building project gone bad.

In fact, the project hadn’t really begun. The builder had taken a deposit and headed for the hills after doing minimal work. Apparently, they couldn’t get the right insurances.

Stories like this make me feel 3 things. Anger. Sadness. Inspiration.

So, I decided to vent on Microsoft Word (Dr Word)

I am angry at the other builder who is ruining our industry and discrediting what we do. It is our duty to offer expert advice and be transparent with people on all accounts whether they choose to build with us or not

We get the best opportunity in the world; we get to create a better lifestyle for all types of people based on their interests, hobbies, and desires. To throw that responsibility and opportunity out the window is beyond me.

I feel sad for the person who came to me with the problem. They didn’t deserve it, no one does. They are hardworking, honest, fair and I must say one of the nicest people I have met!

I also feel inspiration. To make the industry better, to change the perspective or opinion of anyone who has had a bad building experience.

So where do most renovations go wrong?

In my opinion, it is in the planning. IT IS CRUCIAL. You must have the right information and be speaking to the right person at the start. It means speaking to a few building experts and seeing which one you have the best connection or rapport with. you must TRUST this person entirely!

The planning of the project involves the initial investigation work, drawing of plans, detailing a specification and scheduling the project.

Too often people are in a rush to get started and that’s ok, it’s an exciting time. But it’s not really a case of “The sooner you start the sooner you finish”.

Remember the 6 P’s –

“Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”

Spending an extra few weeks or months in the planning phase can:

 Save you tens of thousands of dollars.

Shorten your project timeline

Keep you at a fixed price budget

Wouldn’t all of this be nice?

For the sake of a few extra months on a project you will probably be living in for years to come.

Bad planning is like having poor foundations on your house. Everything else suffers no matter good the quality is

If that doesn’t resonate think of anytime you have rushed to do something….

Like, let’s say something as simple as grocery shopping, “I don’t need a list” and soon as you get home and start unpacking you realised you forgot the sour cream, the coffee or the key ingredient (for) tomorrow night’s dinner.

Get the planning right, however, it’s all well and good to plan, you also need to implement the plan, otherwise it’s just another sheet of paper destined for the recycling bin!!

Engage a professional builder from the beginning, check their credentials, do they have a website? Or a previous reference you can ring? They should be happy to pass on a list of numbers.

As the old saying goes failing to plan, is planning to fail.

Want to know what else to ask a prospective builder?

Click Here to find out the 7 things you MUST as before selecting a builder