9 things you must do before renovating or building: part 1/5

March 12th, 2012

This week on the AOL Blog we’ll be looking at 9 essential things you must consider before renovating or building, according to heritage building designer Peter Latemore.

This website had a chance to chat with the building expert and siphon some pearls of wisdom from him last week at the Home Show at Brisbane.

Here are the first two from Latemore’s list of essential considerations.

Research You! Ask yourself questions

Have a good think about whether either building or renovating is for you, warns Latemore. Think about you, your family, your location and your property.

“You need to ask yourself, is building or renovating for me? Maybe buying an existing house is just easier!”

If you decide that yes, renovating is better, then you must then consider your location.

Is your current house in the right location? Think about commutes, schools, and investment. Perhaps your location is good for you and renovation is the better option.

“Understanding yourself and your capacity is also important,” says Latemore. “Are you a developer or a homeowner?”

It can be a massive undertaking, full of decisions, and in some cases it can take upwards of a year, so make sure you are ready.

Have you read 7 tips for first time renovators?

Latemore at the Brisbane Home Show

Research building

This means a lot of talking, which Latemore is happily adept at himself. He is enthusiastic as he says people should “talk to everyone!”.

“Talk to friends, relatives, they all have stories and suggestions.

“Drive around and walk the streets to check out what others are doing. Talk to other home owners, they love to share.”

You can also let your fingers to the walking, and talking.

“There are so many resources out there, and they’re all available on the net. Check out ideas from building designers, architects, council regulations, BDAQ, and the HIA.

“Of course, magazines and home shows are traditional and great resources. There are endless arrays of mags at the newsagent, free local rags are great too.”

Read part 2 here.

Keri Algar

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.