Don’t overlook these 5 things when renovating

With the $25,000 HomeBuilder scheme currently on offer there’s a lot of people rushing to get their renovation plans drawn up, but don’t be too hasty or you might mess up your home’s design.

Take your time planning your renovation and going over your plans and think about how you are going to live in your home day to day and utilise each space.

Some things that are easy to miss include:

1. Power points – There’s nothing worse than having power points you can’t reach, or having to use extension cords all over the house. When you’re renovating a room think carefully about power placement and where you will want to charge any electronics. Don’t forget to put power points near beds, behind TVs and at workstations. It’s also good to have plenty in the kitchen for all your appliances.
2. Drop-off zone – Not everyone can afford a large mudroom in their home, but it’s still important to have somewhere you can quickly drop things like keys or bags after your walk through the front door. Shelves and cupboards near the entrance can be a great place to quickly dump things, or you could put up some hooks to help do the job too.
3. Lighting – Make sure there is going to be good lighting where it’s going to be needed most, such as over kitchen bench tops or the dining table. It might also be worth adding motion sensors to lighting in some areas, such as outdoor spaces, or even in hallways or wardrobes.
4. Window treatments – If you plan on having a lot of windows in your home then think about what window treatments you will need. While window treatments aren’t necessarily needed for every window in a home, they will be needed in areas you want privacy or to block out sunlight. Plan for window treatments ahead of time so you can try and build them into hidden bulkheads, or even just so you know the extra costs involved.
5. Storage – A lot of people forget about storage when renovating, but it’s an absolutely critical part of any good house design.

Always plan for a linen cupboard and a space where you can store tall items like vacuums and brooms. Try to find a place somewhere in your floor plan where you can hide away anything that you wouldn’t want on show, such as things like bins or laundry baskets.