DIY: How to Restore and Repair Your House

Two Things You Should Ask a Contractor to Do if They're Modernising an Old Property

25 June 2018

Cecil Bryant

If you live in an old property and have hired a contractor to modernise it, here are two things you should ask them to do.

Install the air conditioning at the start of the project

If your modernisation project will involve installing a new air conditioning system, then you should ask your contractor to carry out this work at the start of the renovation process.

There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, performing the installation work before any cosmetic changes (such as painting, wallpapering, plastering, etc) have been made by your contractor will ensure that you don't have to spend time and money repairing the damage inflicted on the walls by the installation process (the contractor will almost certainly need to create holes in the plaster to fit the ducts or the vents).

Secondly, having a functional air conditioning system installed during the early stages of the modernisation process will make it considerably easier for you and your family to cope with the chaos and mess of the renovation work. Trying to live in a dusty, messy and noisy home that is also unbearably hot could be incredibly challenging.

Thirdly, if a heatwave occurs during the renovations, the presence of the air conditioning system will help to create a safe work environment for your contractor (as performing strenuous physical tasks in high temperatures could potentially put them at risk of heatstroke).

Tackle the bathroom before the kitchen

Whilst it might be tempting to ask your contractor to get your new kitchen up and running as quickly as possible, it is best to ask them to modernise the bathroom first.

Without a functional bathroom, you will probably need to hire at least one portaloo. If you have the kitchen modernised first, you may have to keep renting the portaloo for several weeks; this could add up to a substantial amount of money and will be inconvenient.

Furthermore, unless you have multiple bathrooms, you will not have anywhere to shower or wash your hands, and as such, you may end up having to bathe at the home of a family member or friend.

Getting the bathroom renovation work over and done with as quickly as possible will ensure that you don't have to spend a small fortune just to access essential sanitation facilities or waste your free time traipsing back and forth to other people's homes every time you feel like taking a shower.

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