You’ve gone through all the steps to purchase your new home, which can be a grueling process. From finding a home you love, to securing financing, to enduring inspections and negotiations, to surviving the closing… you have gone through this process pondering ways to make the home “yours”. You probably even have a list of upgrades and improvements you want to tackle when you move in. But instead of jumping in and tearing things apart, take a break and wait before you renovate.
While you will want to move forward with pre-existing electrical and plumbing issues and fix any safety issues, it is best to hold off on renovations for at least 6 to 12 months, and below are some of the reasons why.
Allow yourself to take a break. Purchasing a home can be exhausting—mentally, physically, and financially. When planning a renovation, you’re going from finding and hiring lenders and realtors to interviewing contractors. Give yourself time to decompress and enjoy your home before diving back into negotiations and planning.
Live in the home. Get a true feel for the home. Determine the flow of the home. After being in the home for a while, people will often change their minds about features they wanted to change. For example, the entryway you hated might turn into a perfect area for kids to store backpacks.
Consult with everyone living in the home. How does the flow affect day-to-day living? Do some rooms have adequate lighting in the summer months but appear too dim in the winter months? Do some rooms heat up too much in warmer months, while others remain too cool in the colder months? If you rush into renovations before living in the home through each season, you might have regrets later.
Once you’ve waited a bit to get a feel for exactly what you want out of your project, allow time to work with your contractor to put you plan into motion. Of course, you want your project to complete within budget and within the time frame you expected, however it is important to remember that most projects complete over budget and take longer than expected. It’s wise to delay your project if you’re quoted exactly what your budget allows or if you are under strict time constraints.
As you can see, waiting will allow you time to finalize your dream plan, rethink the changes you thought were top priority before moving in and save money for your project. Even if there are some aspects of the home that you positively believe must go, time has a way of changing perspective. Allow yourself to enjoy your new living space and find the nuances that you might find you love.