Buying a 'renovator's delight' can be enticing, however it's important to weigh the renovation skills you have against the costs involved of hiring a professional to do the work for you.
The real costs of the 'bargain' you have convinced yourself you can transform may end up being much higher than you expected.
- Do you currently own any tools? The cost of buying or renting the equipment alone may be the deal breaker.
- How's your hardware store game? If you can formulate questions that illicit answers from the sales staff that make sense, you're in front.
- Can you take time away from your real job? A self-employed builder can slot their own reno into their work schedule, but how realistic is it for you to come home from your office job to rubble and work every weekend on your renovation?
- Do you thrive or crumble at the unexpected? Renovations come with equal parts excitement and horror - glorious floorboards, or termite riddled sawdust under that carpet? Can you cope with whatever the unexpected outcome will be?
- Are you a good decision maker? From doorknobs to light fittings, taps to paint colours, renovation is 60% hard dirty work and 40% decisions. If you can't even decide what to make for dinner, you may be in trouble.