Completing a home renovation can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can also be a challenging one if you’re not careful. When it comes to interior design, few elements have the transformative power of wallpaper. It can add character, depth, and personality to your space, but it can also become a costly and time-consuming mistake if not handled correctly. In this article, with a focus on wallpaper we will discuss seven easy-to-avoid renovation mistakes.
Keep to a renovation budget
The importance of setting up a budget before you begin can’t be exaggerated enough.
Write a list of everything, from the most major parts of the renovations to the smallest. It really needs to be a comprehensive list to ensure you can stick to it throughout the reno. Then get quotes before you start, checking how long the quotes are valid for.
Costs can quickly add up in areas homeowners often overlook. So a great rule of thumb is; after you have completed your overall budget add on a 20% contingency.
Ask the Professionals
Going all in for DIY during your home renovation is great when you have an idea of what you are doing. But know your limitations. If you are quote handy with a hammer you might put on your skirting boards but if you have never hung wallpaper before it might be an idea to hire a pro to install it. Likewise if you are not a certified electrician best leave the wiring to those who won’t burn down the house.
If you are familiar with being on the tools but lack the vision of pulling a style together, an interior designer is probably a service you can opt to pay for. Depending on the type of interior design service you get they will not just choose furnishings but guide you on the best floor plan, colour consultation, joinery design, functionality and more.
High-quality materials and craftsmanship can enhance the longevity and overall value of your home.
Proper Preparation
Don’t rush things. It’s easy to want to get to the finish line as renovating homes can be stressful and exhausting. But doing things in the right order is crucial. As well, ensuring prep work is done properly before you move on to the next step will allow you to avoid costly fix ups later.
One of the most common mistakes in wallpaper installation is failing to prepare the walls adequately. Before you even think about applying wallpaper, it’s crucial to ensure your walls are clean, smooth, and free of imperfections. Any existing wallpaper or oily residue must be removed. For more on wallpaper removal go here. If the surface is bare plasterboard it should be primed before laying wallpaper.
Skipping these steps can lead to unsightly bumps and even premature peeling.
Make a mood board and stick to it
Proper renovation planning goes hand in hand with all the above. A good way to put all the ideas swirling through your mind is to make a mood board. The professionals create a flat lay worthy of a beautiful Instagram post but you can literally cut out ideas from magazines and put them in a scrap book. You can also order samples and keep them together in your version of a flat lay.
This allows you to keep the colour scheme fluid and your overall aesthetic cohesive. Once you have designed your mood board or flat lay stick to it. Once you start ordering products it can be costly to change designs.
Underestimating Wallpaper Quantity
To ensure you order the right amount of wallpaper, or any product you are pre-ordering, you must have an accurate measure.
If you do not order enough wallpaper and need to place another order for more you run the risk of it being from a different batch or dyelot. This means there potentially could be a difference in colour or pattern. To help you work out how much wallpaper you need after you have measured your walls, use our handy calculator.
Knowing where to save and where to splurge
A savvy house renovator will know what big ticket items are worth keeping in the budget and where savings should be made.
Anything that is going to be fairly permanent like flooring and kitchen benchtops are worth spending on on quality. Joinery is an expense in most renos but consider choosing a lower cost material to work with or adding cheaper handles and inserts.
Wallpaper is a wow factor but if the budget only allows for a feature wall then rule out the luxe idea of covering all the bedroom walls in grasscloth.
Save money for the wallpaper by only painting a sealer coat on walls that will have wallpaper. As well as using th same paint colour throughout. Painting in different colours will cost more in paint and labour.
Renovating your home with wallpaper can be a fantastic way to revitalize your living spaces. However, it’s crucial to avoid these common renovation mistakes to ensure a successful outcome.
Remember, the devil is in the details, so invest time and effort into your renovation project to avoid these easy-to-avoid mistakes.
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