Doing home improvement is one of the most stressful moments in our lives. Unexpected costs, messy homes and cranky family members all contribute to the stress caused by doing construction in your home. Some even refer to the mess created as “divorce dust” since this is such a strenuous time in a marriage that sometimes it can fall apart as a result, and no-one wants that. Here are our top tips for keeping calm and cool during these times.
1. Fail to plan; plan to fail
When starting a home improvement project, it can be hard to know where to begin. Have a long and hard think about all of your wishes, expectations and requirements and how to approach bank for help while knowing about equity release age limits. If you are hiring outside help, ask for complete transparency with regards to costs to keep unexpected budget hikes to a minimum. This can be done via weekly budget meetings. Make sure you are clear on how long the job will take, and that your hired professionals alert you to delays. The final requirement you must make of your handyman is that they have an open schedule, to avoid them abandoning you halfway through. It can also be beneficial to force yourself to have realistic expectations, since you may have extra hidden costs that are no-one’s fault.
To plan realistically, try a small project first so you can cut your teeth on the compromise and decision making skills needed. To save money, shop around as much as possible on sites like Craigslist and Gumtree, taking your time to find the best deals.
2. Amateurs hope. Professionals work.
Nowadays what with the prevalence of Pinterest and Instagram, we are constantly bombarded with inspirational images of gorgeous, meticulously designed interiors. On interior design TV shows we are shown what was most likely a 40 hour project completed in 27 minutes. This often leaves us with unrealistic expectations as to the money, time and effort involved.
The above is a great reason to hire a professional like this All Melbourne handyman, as they will lessen the stress you carry and get the job done much quicker than DIY projects. This is simply a case of knowing your limits, since you don’t want to lose money by making a silly mistake like failing to properly caulk a new window – this is one of the jobs you will definitely need a professional for. Another top tip for dealing with professionals is to avoid making too many changes throughout the project. This will frustrate your contractor, raise costs and extend the amount of time the project drags on for. You are dealing with a professional so it pays to act professional yourself.
3. Compromise & Communicate
Just like in marriage, making a home improvement project work relies on effective communication and compromise. Planning and preparing as much as possible is very important, but it is impossible to prepare for every eventuality, so in these cases you have to take a step back and just accept the situation.
Stay open to different possibilities. Take your partner’s ideas into account to avoid relationship tensions. It is also important that you ensure you and your partner are on the same page before getting outside help. You can help yourself to visualise your project by downloading home improvement apps or considering using Google SketchUp to see your final design. This type of project always involves emotional turmoil and power struggles, so stay aware of your loved one’s feelings throughout its completion. This is especially true if you’re dealing with a professional commercial building contractor, since they know best (if you’ve chosen the right one). You must be able to communicate respectfully and effectively with the person you chose for the job, so choose wisely. This means comparing lots of different providers, asking lots of questions and doing research.
4. It’s all about perspective
During the project it can be very beneficial to keep the big picture in mind. At the end of the day, your family is more important than your house, and their well-being in the short and long term will most likely be affected if you neglect to support them.
Talk to your family on a regular basis to make sure they are feeling alright and up to date with everything that’s going on at home. Children can feel confused and disoriented in these times, as they thrive on regularity. Make sure to talk to your kids frankly and respectfully about the project so they don’t feel left out of the loop.
Take time to get out of the house together to grandma’s house or for a picnic to enjoy each other away from the mess. Another great idea is to have a “safe room” free from the destruction that you can retire to, escaping it all for a few hours.
Take care of your mental health through times of turmoil. You don’t want to be left with a breath-taking home but a broken family stuck in it. You and your family’s well-being is more important than a new bay window or your kitchen tiles. Take care of the important things and trust that the rest will take care of itself if you tackle things one by one with calm, determination and compassion.
