10 things to think about before you renovate

6. Get advice Now that you've talked to the experts, gotten referrals and drawn up your plans, have one more chat with friends or family who have gone through the reno experience. Try to be as thorough as possible-you'll thank yourself later. I have saved thousands of dollars by having good friends take a look at my plans and assess them from an objective point of view. A designer or contractor may be able to convince you that you don't REALLY need a six-foot bath, and that a four-foot version is adequate as long as you have a separate shower. It takes a good friend to remind you that YOU love baths and will be unhappy with one that's designed only to bathe small children.

7. Don't have any regrets If you follow steps 1 through 6, chances are you won't have any regrets. But remember, when you choose to renovate, do it with a certain amount of chutzpah. Don't second guess choices once they've been made, paid for and installed.

8. Renovate for the future Trends are for accessorizing, not for renovating. A rule of thumb for renovating is that doing a high-quality job in a classic style is exactly that: classic. If you invest in quality finishes now, you won't regret it. Forget about being a slave to fashion-instead, think how dated those olive-green appliances look 20 years later. At the end of the day, there's nothing more classic than a basic white refrigerator or a white pedestal sink.

9. Check in every day Your contractor will tell you that you only need to come by once a week. Don't believe him or her! You need to do a site visit every day. Unless you have an incredibly trustworthy person to oversee your reno, you really don't want to go on holiday or avoid the site. I've heard many people say “it's perfect-my kitchen reno is happening while I'm away” and I cringe. You need to be there ALL THE TIME. Mistakes will happen, and you need to make sure you're there to react to them. The longer that mistake goes unseen, the more expensive it will be to change it.

10. Have fun! It's not all doom and gloom. At the end of the day, there's nothing more rewarding than watching a space be transformed by good design decisions and great workmanship. Better still is the day when the work is done and you can enjoy the results in the peace and quiet of your new space.

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