Renovating your condominium can be fun and exciting because you can finally transform your space any way you want. But before making big and important changes, you need to consider several things to avoid any mishaps or possible damages.
We want to make sure you find success with your condo renovation, that’s why we’ve listed down several condo renovation tips just for you.
10 Tips to Consider When Renovating Your Condo
Condo renovation takes a lot of time, effort, and preparation. With those three in hand, you’ll end up with a living space created just for you. Here are the things you should know to ace your renovation.
#1 Know Your Board's Policies
Condo owners have a lot of responsibility, such as knowing the policies of their condo association. Each condo board has specific rules when it comes to renovations.
Before you start tearing down your condo walls, know the policy in your condominium. This is vital for your project because it affects a lot of factors in your decision making, such as:
- The allowable number of working hours per day
- Any working permits or board approval form
- Estimated timeline
Whether you’re new to condo renovations or not, talk to your condo association. It’s the only way to get a clear idea of the whole process.
#2 Know Who You're Renovating It For
Always have a goal for your condo renovations. Even if it’s a small condo with limited space or similar to a detached condominium, you need a plan. First, ask yourself: “Who will renovate your condo?”
Not everyone has the same style and personality. What you like and envision might not necessarily resonate with what others want.
Condo renovations for yourself are pretty easy. You already know what you want, and all you have to do is execute it. But if you’re planning to rent or sell your condo, your goal might be different. You’ll be glamming up the entire space of your condo to make it more inviting to your future customers!
#3 Lessen Your Lighting
Adding a lot of lights in your condo sounds like a great design idea. [1] However, we highly advise against it because the trade-off is you’ll end up with a limited ceiling height.
But there are still many condo owners who want to go all out and tinker with the light fixtures in their condos. They place more lights to brighten up space, not realizing they might have ceiling-related problems later on.
Not to mention, adding more lights also affects other parts of the home such as the exhausts, ventilation, switches, kitchen cabinets, and more.
Just imagine how much work you have to do, later on, trying to install a new hood fan!
#4 Do Not Move Fixtures
Another important onLeave your kitchen and bathroom fixtures as is.
If you decide to move the fixtures on your condo bathroom, it will affect your whole plumbing system. And when this happens, you’ll be spending a ton of money, time, and effort in one space.
Now, if you’re unhappy with your bathroom or kitchen structure, integrating some design elements can work.
Pro Tip: You can get rid of shower curtains to make your bathroom bigger. You can even create an accent wall, highlight key areas in your space, look for kitchen appliances that match your decor, and more.
(For more furniture and fixture ideas, you can also check the best smart home technology devices you can incorporate to your house here)
#5 Know Your Limitations
Renovating a condo has its limitations. As much as you’d like to restructure the whole room to make more space, there are just some limitations to it.
Whenever you’re creating design plans, BE REALISTIC with what you plan. As much as you’d like to go all out with your creativity and design skills, there will always be a limitation to it.
Several owners end up disappointed with their renovation plans whenever they don’t consider project limitations. To avoid this problem, talk to a contractor or design firm to help you. Getting expert advice doesn’t hurt.
#6 Don't Tear Things Down
When you think of home renovation, the first thing you’re probably thinking of is tearing down the walls and smashing the flooring.
For an average house, this won’t be a problem. But for a condominium? Well, let’s say you can end up jeopardizing even your neighbors. You don’t always have to tear things down in your condo. Instead, you can utilize and maximize what you already have.
#7 Paint It
A simple paint job can make a huge difference to a lot of condos. Painting on your condo walls is always a great idea to create them for your condo living room or bedroom!
Whether you want a dramatically dark paint job to create a cozy space, or a bright and light paint job to create an illusion of open space, it’s all up to you.
And the best part about painting your walls is you can be as creative and flexible about it. All you need is a theme and paint to get started.
(For flooring ideas, we listed high-quality flooring for your condos here)
#8 Go Flexible
A big lesson you need to learn when it comes to your condo renovation is to stay flexible. It’s the only way to keep you on top of your project without feeling disappointed in the end.
No matter how clear your goal is for your condo renovation project, you need to be prepared for any uncertainties.
This means having a backup plan or knowing how to think on your toes when the situation calls for it. Just mark down which on your project is your top priority, so you don’t have to compromise too much on that aspect.
#9 Have a Place to Stay While Renovating
Another important part of our condo renovation tips is to find a place to stay during the renovation process. While your condo is undergoing renovation, you might need to stay in another temporary living space.
Not all your fixtures might be working while the renovation is not yet done in your condo unit. So you’ll most likely experience a ton of inconvenience. To ensure your maximum comfort, find a temporary space where you can stay. This could be at your parent’s place or even your friends’.
#10 Work With a Designer
If you’re unsure about how to transform your small space, or if you’re running out of creative ideas, work with a designer.
Designers are equipped with a lot of training and education to help your vision come to life, even if it means working with a smaller space!
They’re the best professionals to turn to, especially if you want to maximize your space or know what to do with extra space. The beauty of working with a designer is you can always expect quality work from them.
They can deal with each individual store, look for the items to put in your room, and more. From your front doors to the living room, ceiling, flooring, your designer has got your back!
(To boost your real estaten and property knowledge, you can visit our page on Toronto assignment sales here)
Conclusion
Now that you get the idea of the things you should know before renovating your condo, it’s time to get planning and begin the renovation process. Remember to know the regulations in your condo building regarding renovation, and consult with housing professionals if you plan to make drastic changes to your unit.
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