Home renovation guide: choosing the right professional
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Rudolphe ABEN
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Looking for advice on renovating your home and creating a space that suits your tastes and needs? Starting a renovation project can also increase the value of your property and allow you to resell it for a higher price than when you bought it.
To ensure the quality of the work done, here are three essential tips to keep in mind.
Renovation tip #1: Budget before you start
Before you start renovating, it's important to assess the cost of the work you need to do and set a budget.
A light renovation involves simple decorative work (painting, replacing flooring), updating or replacing some electrical or plumbing equipment. In this case, expect to pay a few hundred euros per square metre.
A partial renovation involves changing the layout of the rooms, creating or moving partitions, relocating a bathroom or kitchen, or intervening in the water and/or electricity networks. In this case, the cost of the renovation is around €1,000 per square metre.
A complete renovation requires work on the structure of the house, a thorough energy renovation and sometimes the installation of an attic. The cost can vary from around €1,500 per square metre, depending on your objectives and the extent of the work.
It's important to know your budget and the scope of the work before you start looking for a tradesman.
Renovation tip #2: Compare tradespeople
It's important to choose tradespeople carefully, as their level of skill and commitment to quality can vary. Here are some tips on how to find a good tradesman:
- Ask for recommendations from people you know
- Check company websites and customer reviews on Google
- Check for certifications and be wary of those you don't know about
- Ask for detailed quotes to compare offers based on similar criteria
Professionals, such as mortgage brokers, can help you find the right tradesmen and negotiate the price of your renovation. This can be a useful option if you don't feel confident about making this choice.
Renovation tip #3: Consider insulation
Insulating your interior may be an extra cost, but improving the final energy performance is essential. With rising energy prices and the need to combat global warming, it's important to improve the quality of our building stock and make it as responsible as possible. Sometimes a few judiciously chosen works can significantly improve energy performance without spending too much.