Whether you’ve lived in a property for years or only recently acquired it, renovating a house can be a rewarding and potentially lucrative process. It also comes with its fair share of challenges, however – not least sticking to a budget.
Even while times have been tight, UK homeowners still spent a total of £55billion on renovations between March and August of this year. Material and labour costs will vary widely depending on the project and property type – but as with most things in life, there are plenty of extras to think about too.
Below we highlight some of the other outlays you may need to account for when renovating a house.
Professional help
Do you fancy yourself as being handy? You won’t always need outside help depending on the size of your project and your level of experience. But when it comes to extensions, structural changes and listed building restrictions, it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
That list could include architects, structural engineers and a variety of other tradespeople. Doing it yourself might save some money – but could also cause delays and costly errors.
Planning permission and other surveys
Planning permission is a legal requirement for many house renovations in the UK, and it’s not as simple as filling out an application form. You’ll need to cover your council’s statutory fees as well as any other surveys required to uncover structural or environmental issues.
If your architect is handling your planning permission application, you’ll also need to pay for this time.
The Party Wall Act
The Party Wall Act requires you to seek permission if planning work on a wall shared with a neighbouring property. You’ll need to notify your neighbour at least two months in advance and pay for the privilege of doing so.
The act is designed to resolve potential disputes and prevent people undermining the structural integrity of connected properties.
Plumbing and electrics
Rewiring and replumbing can be expensive but necessary tasks to ensure your property meets modern standards and suits your lifestyle. New systems can also add significant value if you’re planning to sell.
As well as paying for products and labour, it’s smart to invest in extras such as boiler cover to ensure you’re not left in the dark should something go wrong in the future.
Contingency
Even with the best of intentions, last-minute purchases and unexpected problems can quickly blow your budget out of the water. Aim to keep a contingency sum of at least 10 per cent of your build budget to cover for all the things you don’t see coming.
Are you confident in your next property renovation? Keep a keen eye on these extra costs to achieve your desired results while staying within your means.