The good, the bad, the costly
Money Magazine Australia|November 2021
Lockdowns have triggered an outbreak of home improvement projects. These are the pitfalls to avoid.
TRACIE ELLIS
The good, the bad, the costly

With an increasing number of people in lockdown or confined to their homes this year, if you haven’t already ventured down the path of home improvement, the chances are that it will be on the cards. Spending more time at home has allowed us all to scrutinise the areas of our homes that are missing the mark, or do not function as well as required. Home improvements will continue to be an option for investment; but rushing into projects without due consideration can be a hard way to learn your renovation lessons.

Before taking on a significant project yourself, make sure you have all the relevant information and are fully aware of the implications and responsibilities. Which are the DIY choices that will cost you in the short or long term?

Kitchen and bathroom

These two rooms are still winning the race when it comes to the renovating popularity contest. The desire to upgrade an existing well-functioning kitchen to a multifunctional indoor/outdoor masterpiece is highly desirable. An area that opens to an outdoor space lets in summer breezes while you cook and entertain and also provides the flexibility to close up for an intimate evening inside when inclement weather sets in.

Where this goes wrong is rushing into a project without considering the functionality of the space and load-bearing capacities of your home. It can have disastrous and costly flow on effects. The idea of taking a sledgehammer and knocking out that pesky wall feels like loads of fun.

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