Some of the questions you should be asking yourself are:

• Why am I changing this room?  
• What changes to my life will this bring? 
• Do I need/want this right now? 
• Am I ready for the upheaval this will create?
• You will have all of these answers already and many more too!

Here goes...

Planning Stage

If you have access to the Internet, research everything you want for ideas and stick to a budget.  You will be amazed with what you find.  If not use local libraries they stock a huge source of magazines and design books and usually free internet, staff will also show you how to start surfing the net if you don’t know how.

Speak to as many people as possible, someone always knows someone who has just built an extension, converted an attic, installed a new kitchen or bathroom or just had their lovely room freshly pained. Recommendations make up 90% of businesses…good ones that is.

Get as many companies and businesses in to give you a quote as its not all about the money! Much more is at stake here, it’s your life and family home and you want to be in control of the process and comfortable with experts in your home.

When choosing a company or a set of tradesmen and women follow your gut instinct and stick with it. Its always right!

Too many sales people are false, under pressure to hit targets and therefore only see £ signs…you may be hiring an excellent company at sales, ask them about the experience and skills of the people coming into your home.

Once you have decided whom you might like to take on these tasks leave yourself a back up plan!  I mean choose two companies at first and set them a few challenges such as… Can I have a picture of what my new kitchen/bathroom etc will look like?  Most good companies will have a design package that they can use to help you create, see, feel the new room.

Ask for a detailed schedule and of course sometimes schedules don’t go to plan, however, a good company should provide you with a daily task list of activities together with who is coming in that day. 

For example:

The next part of the process.......Action

• Accept chaos and upheaval! You cant make an omelette without breaking eggs! 
• Get out of the house as much as you can during the day- otherwise you will go round in circles moving from room to room, stressing
• Forget cooking for at least a day or two or three depending on the size of your new kitchen.  Use this as a chance to catch up with friends and family and get a free meal too!  If this is really okay take a couple of loads of washing too, you know your family and what’s okay and what’s a no go area. Otherwise use a launderette
• Remember even renovating one room the rest of the house will be up-side down too, you will be amazed where all the dust gets too. Accept this and keep a daily picture in your head of the end result! Aaaah moment!
• Explain to children the process and why, its amazing how more relaxed kids are when they know this ‘change of routine’ is temporary and so worth while.
• De-clutter before work begins.  Be brutal, box up everything you really haven’t used for a while and store away.  Keep and inventory of every box if that helps.  It’s amazing how quickly you forget where stuff is.
• Lastly.....watch and wait it will all be worth it in the end.  It always Is!!!