How to Make Property Repairs and Renovations Easier

Fixing up a property can be a daunting task. Whether you’re making repairs or performing a full renovation, it’s an art to coordinate your needs and stay within your budget.

There are ways to make the process easier, however. Here are six tips that can help.

Hire a property manager

If you’re a property investor and you’re frustrated with managing repairs and renovations for your rental units, you should get a property manager. They’re not just there to collect rent and screen tenants, although those alone are big perks.

Property managers also take the lead on repairs, maintenance, renovations, and even new construction projects. For example, Houston’s Green Residential property management company handles all of their clients’ renovations and repairs.

These projects can be enormous, and it helps to have an experienced team of professionals to shoulder the load.

Research your contractors first

It’s critical to research your contractors before you start any project. This is true even in the case of a repair, especially when that repair might have an impact on your homeowners insurance policy.

Great online reviews can be legitimate, but sometimes they aren’t. Find out if there are any complaints about your contractor on the record.

If you don’t find many complaints, or they aren’t that critical, your prospective contractor is probably okay, assuming they’re qualified and have a good general reputation.

By the same token, you should avoid DIY handyman work for jobs that really matter. For instance, having someone repair a gas water heater is different from having someone fix a broken pipe.

Many individuals can fix a pipe, but a gas water heater requires more than just hands-on experience to do it right. Someone may have “done it many times before,” but that doesn’t mean they’ll do it safely and properly.

You certainly don’t want to suffer a gas leak, so always choose a licensed and insured or bonded professional.

Don’t do everything at once

It might be more convenient to overhaul both your kitchen and bathroom at once, but it won’t necessarily be cheaper. Plus, if you don’t have all the cash on hand, it will hurt your finances.

Full bathroom remodels are popular, but you need a big budget to do things like change the location of toilets, sinks, and tubs. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to upgrade your bathroom, however.

Although bathroom remodels can be surprisingly pricey, there are ways around the high price tag. The trick is to get creative and be selective about what you remodel.

Whatever you’re remodeling, try to find solutions that don’t cost a fortune. For instance, you might want a marble sink, but the cost of that sink might consume 50% of your budget.

If you settle for a different sink, you’ll free up more funds for other improvements like new lighting and fancier fixtures.

Don’t renovate anything that won’t provide ROI

Aside from renovations that are purely for your enjoyment, avoid renovating anything that won’t provide solid ROI. For instance, don’t spend $10,000 on a renovation that won’t increase your home’s value or bring in extra rent for a rental property. Choose the projects that will provide the highest ROI.

If you have tenants in a rental property, some renovations will make your home more appealing, like having stainless steel appliances and nice cabinet facings. However, you don’t have to redesign the whole kitchen and replace your cabinets just to get a renter.

If your cabinets aren’t in great shape, consider refinishing them instead of replacing them; it’s much cheaper.

Do what you can yourself

Make a list of all the repairs and renovations you want to perform on your property, and then mark the items you could perform yourself or hire out to someone else. For example, you might have a friend who can install new carpet or lay new flooring in the kitchen.

Focus on the details

The smallest details in your home can make a startlingly big difference. If you want to transform your home without spending too much money, start with lighting, handles, knobs, and faucets.

These details can entirely change the vibe in a home. They’re also extremely cheap to swap out.

Handles and knobs can be found at your local hardware store for a few bucks, or you can get fancier ones for a little more. Faucets are also inexpensive, as are shower heads.

If yours are old, falling apart, or they look gross, replace them. New faucets alone could make your bathroom and kitchen look like a completely different space.

Repairs and maintenance are unavoidable

There’s no getting around repairs and maintenance when you own property, but there are ways to make your job easier. Follow the tips in this article and see how much easier your next project will be to complete.