8 WAYS TO TACKLE RENOVATION BURNOUT

There I’ve said it.. Renovation burnout is a thing. Getting work done in your home (especially while living in it) can really take its toll on a person. Things just don’t always go according to plan, do they? It doesn’t help when the reno takes much longer than expected and surprises crop up, adding to the stress and cost. We were lucky enough to renovate our first house without any major hiccups. It felt like a breeze compared to what we’re going through now. I had big plans for 2023 ( I still do and you can read about them here) but we were faced with some major infrastructural issues a few months ago that needed immediate attention.

I’ll tell you more about it soon, but to keep it short, we had a major leak in our dining room which has led to us having to replace our boiler and water cylinder. The leak caused quite a bit of damage and we had to rip out the lovely porcelain tiles in our dining room. We also had a separate leak in the loft which has ruined the wall and ceiling in my husband’s study. I’ve turned into quite a leak expert in the past few months (not by choice) and after talking to some friends it would appear we are not the only ones. Winter and old UK houses are the perfect combo for leaks. We have been dealing with the disruption for three months now and it hasn’t been easy. We’re not out of the woods yet as all the work still needs doing (it’s taken us ages to find the right tradesmen), but I know this too will pass and we will get everything sorted.

On a positive note, we’ve made some progress with our fireplace room make-over. I finally found the perfect off-white paint to go on the walls and we had the room painted last week. And I love it! It’s a really lovely off-white/creamy colour with warm undertones in a very chalky finish. It is the perfect backdrop to the furniture and accessories I have in mind.

So, here are some tips that are helping me stay sane during our reno..

1. FOCUS ON ONE THING AT A TIME

Don’t try to do too much at once (unless you have to). Focus on one room or project at a time. Often things escalate and this is not possible, but if it is this will make your life so much less stressful. It’s tempting to try to do everything at once but at the same time, it can be counterproductive. Focus on the room or area that bothers you most. It’s also good to remember to look at the order of doing things. There’s no point putting in new floors or painting if infrastructural work needs doing too, as it will often undo the aesthetics work. I’m glad we’ve taken our time with the fireplace room as it’s allowed us to do everything in an order that makes sense. Now that we have the new floor and fresh paint we can start implementing the finishing touches.

2. HIRE PEOPLE YOU TRUST

I cannot tell you just how important word of mouth is when it comes to home renovations. We’ve gone through our fair share of tradespeople in the past 10 years and I can count on one hand how many I’d use again. I now only hire plumbers that are G3 registered and electricians that have registered with a scheme. I also check at least three references and make sure that I get necessary certificates. Please don’t skimp on this. It’s always worth paying the extra to know your home is in good hands. You don’t need a qualification to be a painter/decorator so it can be a bit trickier but going with recommendations and your gut will be the way to go. Also, if something sounds like too good to be true it usually is!

3. OUTSOURCE TASKS

When things get too stressful, ask for help; from family, or friends or even hire an external company to oversee the work. This is a bit tricky as I personally like to oversee all the work that is being carried out so that I can make sure it’s done to the standard I want. If you hire a good project manager the same thing can be achieved, although it will incur some extra costs. Depending on the size of your renovation it’s never too late to get a designer to oversee the whole or some parts of the project. If you don’t have the funds to do this, split the tasks with your other half or a friend that is kind enough to help. Many furniture retailers also offer in-house design advice that can turn out almost free if you buy multiple products. Sometimes you can even get a free consultation so it’s worth shopping around.

4. TAKE A BREAK (OR A HOLIDAY)

After two months of dealing with leaks and broken boilers and cylinders, I really needed to get away. The whole thing took over my life and I couldn’t switch off. Luckily I had a trip booked to Finland which gave me the distraction I needed. I was much more confident to tackle all the problems after a bit of distance and my life didn’t feel anymore like a mountain of worries. If you can’t go away, try to destress in other ways. Meditation, long baths, or going for a walk with a friend are all a really good ways to fight off those stress hormones.

5. DON’T RUSH IT

I know it can be tempting to want to get everything done as quickly as possible but I would avoid making any hasty decisions. Taking your time to plan and research every single aspect of the reno can end up saving you a lot of money (and potential heartache). It’s also important to live in the house first before making any major decisions. You’ll want to understand when and how the sunlight hits the rooms and whether open or closed living spaces are preferable. Being patient will pay off the big way and you’ll end up with a thoughtfully curated interior scheme.

6. BE ORGANISED

This is an obvious one but it’s so important to keep a to-do list and an excel spreadsheet of all of your expenses. Keeping on top of your priorities will help you make sure that you stick with your renovation schedule. Planning the reno will always take longer than you think and there’s a strong chance your initial plan might have some changes down the road. I would also make sure that you communicate all your important decisions in writing (ie. email or text message) to your contractor.

7. HAVE A VERY GOOD HOME INSURANCE POLICY

We’ve had to carefully read and analyse every small print in our home insurance contract. Not all leaks aren’t covered by insurers, so you should make sure you have a good insurance policy before starting any major renovation works. Read reviews online and contact a broker via BIBA if you’re stuck.

8. BE REALISTIC & POLITE

Finally, being realistic with your expectations is something that will make the whole process a lot easier. Especially if you happen to live in an old house as I do. That’s why it’s also crucial to hire good tradespeople that you can have an open and honest dialogue with during the reno. There is a good chance things will take longer despite everyone’s best efforts and being nice and polite really does go a long way, especially in high-stress situations.

These were just a few things off the top of my head, so if there’s anything else you’d like to add leave a comment below.