Renovation Regrets
Renovating your house to make it into your dream home is exciting. It gives you the chance to fully channel your inner designer and reflect your individual style onto everything from the room’s structure, right down to the doorknobs.
It’s a disruptive job to take on, but one that has such a big and satisfying payoff. That said, looking back at your project and feeling a few regrets is more common than you think.
You know what they say, hindsight is a beautiful thing. And although you’ve been left with beautiful results, you may find yourself with a few qualms around certain aspects of your renovation journey. Whether you’re left wincing at a previous budget mishap or feeling like you fell for a certain paint colour a little too swiftly, it can certainly put a damper on what should be a huge pat-on-the-back moment.
For renovators at the beginning of their project, Toolstation wanted to give the gift of retrospect. We surveyed those who had recently renovated and asked them to look back at their experience and express their own renovation regrets, reservations, and resentments. Here’s what we can learn from them when it comes to renovating.
The Most Stressful Rooms To Renovate
The whole renovation process, although worth it, can feel stressful. But according to our survey, 49% of renovators thought that the kitchen was the most stressful room to work on. This is likely due to the kitchen being the centre of the home and with home cooked meals being harder, you may find yourself living off takeaways.
The bathroom ranks as the second most stressful room which could be put to anything from design choices right through to facility placements. But your only toilet being sat in a skip in the front garden is probably top of the list!
Londoners Spend The Most In Over-Budget Renovations
When looking across the UK, we found that not only did the average budget spill over by a whopping £3,024, but deadlines also went out the window as the average timescale went over by three months.
When it came to splashing the cash, London came out on top with the average renovator spilling £4,378 over budget. In terms of deadlines, Norwich are found to be the worst keepers of time – being an average of six months over the initial time frame.
31% Of Renovators Regret Underestimating The Likelihood Of Problems
Turns out everyone has rose tinted spectacles whilst renovating as the most popular regret among our surveyed renovators was underestimating the likelihood of problems arising which could cost extra time and/or money. With so much to do and an ideal timeframe in mind, it’s common for renovators to hit the ground running without thinking of the potential bumps in the road.
Shopping for furniture and picking out paint samples is arguably the most fun part of the process. That said, 16% of people said that they regretted focusing too much on aesthetics over functionality and durability. This could run the risk of having an Instagram-worthy refurb, but with cracks and creaks creeping below the surface.
The Renovation Ripple Effect
It’s no surprise that 61% of renovators stated that their ‘finances’ is what was affected most, especially with our previous data proving how common it is for renovators to soar past their initial budget.
General wellbeing came in at a close second as being one of the main knock-on effects of renovating. With budgets and timescales going out the window, your living situation disrupted and so much else to consider, feeling a bit flustered and down in the dumps is not uncommon.
While there may be some learnings to take from the renovation process, 86% are satisfied with the finishing product of their renovation.
Considering calling an expert? You may decide to – with 56% of renovators admitting they wouldn’t attempt any parts of the renovation themselves if they were to do it again.
Whether you’re progressing with a large-scale dream bathroom renovation by yourself or you’re calling on an professional to handle the decorating and painting, Toolstation has got you covered with everything you need to make your house into your dream home.