When you’re renovating your home, y'all already convey a checklist of items to complete. And if you bought a fixer-upper, it’s in all likelihood an extensive list. However, in that location are other tasks that y'all may non live thinking of correct now, only incorporating them during your renovation may salvage y'all time, coin in addition to heartache downwards the road.
Here’s a listing of tasks worth taking on during your renovation.
Don’t laissez passer on termites a fighting chance. Image: Marina Pousheva/Shutterstock
Schedule your termite treatment
If you’re knocking downwards walls, process for termites earlier novel drywall goes up, advises Glen Ramsey, Entomologist for Orkin. “Termites tin can enshroud inside the walls, then i time those walls are covered inwards fresh pigment in addition to art, termites are oft out of sight in addition to out of mind.”
He also says that choosing the correct materials tin can help to foreclose pests. “It’s best to purpose lumber that is pressure level treated or composite, making it resistant to insects in addition to decay.” When selecting siding materials, y'all should also create certain that what y'all direct volition live durable against pests long-term. “While to a greater extent than expensive upfront, vinyl, stucco or other non-wood materials are the best selections. You should also ensure siding materials don’t extend below degree at installation.”
Reduce the chances of an electrical fire. Image: Francesmoufotografo/Shutterstock
Upgrade your electrical
If y'all convey an older home, lx to 100 amp service won’t live sufficient amongst today’s technology. “Since y'all are hiring an electrician in addition to pulling permits on your home, instantly is the best fourth dimension to upgrade the primary service in addition to that former panel,” advises Mark Luongo, Owner in addition to Project Manager at Luongo Electric.
Breakers in addition to panels convey a lifespan of some xxx years. If your panel is older than that, y'all should, at the really least, convey it assessed yesteryear a professional. “Not exclusively volition a novel panel ensure your abode remains safe, only it volition laissez passer on y'all the extra infinite y'all demand for all the novel circuits y'all volition live required to run for the renovation,” Luongo says.
And land the walls are open, he also recommends replacing equally much wiring equally possible. “By upgrading the wiring, y'all ensure in that location are no nicks or potential curt circuits hiding inwards the walls afterward y'all destination the renovation.”
Plan for your electrical needs. Image: Andrew Angelow/Shutterstock
Plan your article of furniture layout
It mightiness look similar you’re putting the cart earlier the Equus caballus to conception your article of furniture layout earlier y'all fifty-fifty destination your renovation, only it tin can genuinely salvage y'all some heartache inwards the future. “You’re setting yourself upward for using extension cords yesteryear non planning article of furniture layouts,” warns Josh McCormick, VP of Operations at Mr. Electric.
“Failing to practise then may operate out y'all amongst all your receptacles blocked yesteryear bookshelves, sofas or beds,” McCormick says. “In addition, y'all may terminate upward putting equally good bully a charge on i receptacle yesteryear using extension cords to teach about poorly placed or equally good few receptacles.” And improper extension cord purpose tin can upshot inwards both burn downwards in addition to tripping hazards.
Insulation tin can help y'all salvage coin on unloose energy costs. Image: C12/Shutterstock
Check your insulation
“While the home, or parts of it, are opened up, I would highly propose checking the insulation in addition to adding novel insulation equally needed,” advises Nathan Outlaw, President of Onvico, a structure fellowship inwards Thomasville, GA. “Many older homes don’t convey adequate insulation in addition to upgrading tin can help salvage on hereafter energy costs.”
Luongo agrees in addition to explains that many older homes were framed amongst ii x four exterior walls – in addition to either were non insulated at all or were insulated poorly. “We recommend, at a minimum, edifice out your walls to a 6″ depth in addition to replacing the former insulation amongst novel insulation.” Plus, he says novel insulation tin can also absorb sounds in addition to help to halt burn downwards from spreading.
Don’t permit H2O impairment ruin your novel bathroom. Image: vistastudio/Shutterstock
Upgrade your plumbing pipes in addition to drains
If you’re adding a novel bath or renovating an existing one, y'all may live thinking of ways to contain the latest trends inwards bath technology. That’s because your bath needs convey in all likelihood changed. “We desire hotter showers for longer, in addition to a bath inwards every bedroom,” Luongo says. “Gone are the days of i bathroom in addition to bath for the entire family.”
He recommends upgrading your plumbing to trim the chances of leaks behind your create novel walls. “Old copper pipes in addition to fittings tardily corrode over the years in addition to perish weaker. So it exclusively makes feel to withdraw all the former piping that y'all tin can teach to in addition to upgrade it amongst novel H2O lines.”
In fact, if y'all encounter greyness plastic piping, Luongo says that’s definitely a sign to redo your plumbing. “This older greyness piping is called Polybutylene Pipe (Poly B) in addition to is notorious for causing floods,” he says. “It exclusively has a lifespan of 12 years in addition to starts chop-chop deteriorating afterward that.”
“The Poly B pipage reacts in addition to oxidizes amongst the chlorine inwards our H2O supply, which makes the pipage brittle,” he explains. “Eventually, the pipage fails. At this point, many cracks inwards the pipage drive large amounts of impairment inwards curt periods of time,” Luongo says.
Make certain your subfloor is upward to par. Image: VanoVasaio/Shutterstock
Examine your subfloor
If you’re renovating your bathroom, it makes no feel to build on a faulty foundation. “Check the bathroom’s subfloor and, if it’s damaged, perish ahead and replace it amongst a novel one,” Outlaw says. “I convey seen individuals endeavor to salvage coin by skipping this step. It tin can oft come upward dorsum to haunt them equally they deal amongst hereafter problems.”
Take wages of unfinished areas. Image: Zakhar Mar/Shutterstock
Add safety cameras
If you’re thinking virtually getting a safety system, this may live the fourth dimension to add together it. Outlaw recommends adding cameras in addition to a safety organization to the exterior of the abode land the walls are open. “Even a inexpensive organization running on your abode wifi tin can laissez passer on peace of hear land on vacations or sleeping at night,” he says.