When we talk to people about home renovations (and yes we talk to a lot!) we usually find they are in one of three stages with their home renovation plans:

  • I want to renovate but have no idea where to start
  • I want to renovate and have a few ideas but not sure of the next step, and
  • I want to renovate and have my plans ready to go!

So if you are in one of these stages, well done you are in the right place! As Smith & Sons, we realize home renovations are not a product but they are a journey that needs to be followed through step by step to achieve the best result. With each renovation being as unique as you are, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to renovating so it’s critical that we guide you through your own personal home renovation experience.

Ok, if you find yourself in this category – number one don’t panic! We have talked to hundreds of people just like you and have had some amazing outcomes. The good thing about not knowing where to start is that you are perfectly positioned to begin your renovation journey on the right foot! Beginning a home renovation really is a big project, and what can often happen is people start trying to research on-line, and ask other people how they went and get a lot of different advice, and pretty soon they get so confused by so much information that the whole thought of a renovation becomes too hard! It’s what we call ‘paralysis by analysis’.

On the flipside, beginning the home renovation process on the right foot can save so much hassle down the track as you have a great foundation to build the rest of the project on. If we get the ducks in a row right from the start, it makes the rest of the process flow so much easier. So in essence, if you are right at the beginning of the process, you have a huge opportunity to do things RIGHT from the start, and in doing so often save a lot of time and money as well. Unfortunately, we have seen many people start down the home renovation track the wrong way and this has inevitably led to a loss of both time and money which is not what we like to see.

So, where to from here? The best idea is to contact us, and the first port of call would be for us to come out and do an initial appraisal of your home, and start to gather some initial ideas about what you want to do with your home that will suit the here and now, and also into the future. Once we have a general idea of what you are trying to achieve, we can get our designer involved and come up with some concepts about what we think the layout and floorplan could look like. We can then come back to you with these ideas, have a good conversation about if this suits, and some initial costings on where the budget might lay for this. If all good, it’s onto the next step, and you can read all about the process here.

If you have a few ideas already on what you would like to achieve, this is a good step forward. What we often find is people have taken the time to think about what changes they need in their home, and have a basic floorplan that they can show us, or, even some notes they have scribbled on a napkin over dinner, and this is ok as well! What that does is gives us a very good idea of how you would like things to look and flow through the home.

Once you have a few ideas, it is tempting to go to the web to get ideas, start thinking about designers, architects, builders and more, but what you need to ensure is that you have these in the right order, and, this is a big one, know how much you are able to spend. It is no use starting to get the ball rolling without having an idea of budget in your plans, as most people you talk to will ask for this. Some people are tempted to try and keep this figure to themselves for fear of a builder spending all of their money, but most builders only ask so that they can build something that is suitable budget-wise for you.

So where to from here? If you have some idea of what you want, the next step would be to get in touch and let’s start the conversation about your ideas. A site visit would be ideal just to make sure what you want can technically be done without any hitches. Getting a builder involved early really is the way to go as if you just hand your plans to a designer to create a design concept, they may draw something way out of your scope budget-wise. A builder will let you know what can be done, and by having the budget conversation upfront, we can make sure what we get drawn up matches your expectations. One we have your ideas in concrete and a budget in mind, we will get our designers to draw up a concept, throw that around with you until you are completely happy and give you an indication of the cost to build before a full-scale estimate. You can read all about our process here.

Ok, so you have done a lot of the legwork! When people say to us they usually mean one of two things:

  • They have a design ready to go to that they are happy with and are ready for the next step, or
  • They have a plan engineered, certified, and ready to be quoted on.

You have a design ready to go that you are happy with. If you have already had a good think about what you want and have gone to see an architect or designer, chances are you now have a nice set of drawings (sometimes even in 3D) that you are ready to give to a builder to look at.

  • I want to renovate, but have no idea where to start!

    Ok, if you find yourself in this category – number one don’t panic! We have talked to hundreds of people just like you and have had some amazing outcomes. The good thing about not knowing where to start is that you are perfectly positioned to begin your renovation journey on the right foot! Beginning a home renovation really is a big project, and what can often happen is people start trying to research on-line, and ask other people how they went and get a lot of different advice, and pretty soon they get so confused by so much information that the whole thought of a renovation becomes too hard! It’s what we call ‘paralysis by analysis’.

    On the flipside, beginning the home renovation process on the right foot can save so much hassle down the track as you have a great foundation to build the rest of the project on. If we get the ducks in a row right from the start, it makes the rest of the process flow so much easier. So in essence, if you are right at the beginning of the process, you have a huge opportunity to do things RIGHT from the start, and in doing so often save a lot of time and money as well. Unfortunately, we have seen many people start down the home renovation track the wrong way and this has inevitably led to a loss of both time and money which is not what we like to see.

    So, where to from here? The best idea is to contact us, and the first port of call would be for us to come out and do an initial appraisal of your home, and start to gather some initial ideas about what you want to do with your home that will suit the here and now, and also into the future. Once we have a general idea of what you are trying to achieve, we can get our designer involved and come up with some concepts about what we think the layout and floorplan could look like. We can then come back to you with these ideas, have a good conversation about if this suits, and some initial costings on where the budget might lay for this. If all good, it’s onto the next step, and you can read all about the process here.

  • I want to renovate and have a few ideas, but not sure of the next step?

    If you have a few ideas already on what you would like to achieve, this is a good step forward. What we often find is people have taken the time to think about what changes they need in their home, and have a basic floorplan that they can show us, or, even some notes they have scribbled on a napkin over dinner, and this is ok as well! What that does is gives us a very good idea of how you would like things to look and flow through the home.

    Once you have a few ideas, it is tempting to go to the web to get ideas, start thinking about designers, architects, builders and more, but what you need to ensure is that you have these in the right order, and, this is a big one, know how much you are able to spend. It is no use starting to get the ball rolling without having an idea of budget in your plans, as most people you talk to will ask for this. Some people are tempted to try and keep this figure to themselves for fear of a builder spending all of their money, but most builders only ask so that they can build something that is suitable budget-wise for you.

    So where to from here? If you have some idea of what you want, the next step would be to get in touch and let’s start the conversation about your ideas. A site visit would be ideal just to make sure what you want can technically be done without any hitches. Getting a builder involved early really is the way to go as if you just hand your plans to a designer to create a design concept, they may draw something way out of your scope budget-wise. A builder will let you know what can be done, and by having the budget conversation upfront, we can make sure what we get drawn up matches your expectations. One we have your ideas in concrete and a budget in mind, we will get our designers to draw up a concept, throw that around with you until you are completely happy and give you an indication of the cost to build before a full-scale estimate. You can read all about our process here.

  • I want to renovate and have plans ready to go!

    Ok, so you have done a lot of the legwork! When people say to us they usually mean one of two things:

    • They have a design ready to go to that they are happy with and are ready for the next step, or
    • They have a plan engineered, certified, and ready to be quoted on.

    You have a design ready to go that you are happy with. If you have already had a good think about what you want and have gone to see an architect or designer, chances are you now have a nice set of drawings (sometimes even in 3D) that you are ready to give to a builder to look at.

Ready to start your renovation?

Contact Us