FADY’S RENOVATION

FadyReno’s expertise spans across a wide array of renovations and remodels, each tailored to the unique demands of individual projects. The company's expansive reach is not just limited to the diversity of services but also the geography it covers. Serving cities across Ontario, FadyReno has become a household name, trusted and revered by many for its impeccable service, timely deliveries, and a transparent approach.

If you have a traditional bank mortgage for your home, then there are programs in place to help you pay for your renovation. With low interest rates, refinancing can be an attractive option. Many banks also allow you to combine your mortgage with a home equity line of credit. This means you can borrow a certain percentage over and above the market price of your home. As you pay off your mortgage, you have more money available to borrow under this scheme.

There are also home equity lines of credits that aren’t bundled with your mortgage and allow you to simply borrow a certain percentage of your home’s market value. Finally, you can also inquire about home equity loans where your bank will hand over a one-time lump sum as high as 80 per cent of your home’s value. It’s a good idea to speak with your lender if you require additional help to finance your renovation before meeting with architects and contractors so you can get a clear picture of your situation and see if you have wiggle room in the eventuality that costs run over budget, which is often the case.

If you are able to finance your renovation completely in cash, that’s great! There are still ways to help spread out payments on certain things like materials. Certain big box and/or hardware stores will have credit cards that allow you to buy now and pay in a year or 19 months without any interest. When you need to pay for construction materials, professional fees, permits and contractor fees in real-time, knowing that you can divest some expenses later on can be a big relief.

Good communication skills are the hallmark of a great contractor. During a renovation, even one that’s meticulously planned, there will be unplanned occurrences. Your contractor through your Billdr project manager should document every change to the plan in writing. If the homeowner decides to add to the scope, that should be well-documented as well in order to avoid any disputes down the line.

While communication between contractor and homeowner is important, it’s also important not to overwhelm the contractor or vice-versa. In other words, exchanging multiple text messages or email per day with your contractor might not be the most helpful. Establish with your contractor which method works best for all parties and make sure to get everything in writing. Depending on your selected package, your Billdr project manager will be in the loop for all communications and will conduct weekly site visits to make sure everything is running smoothly. Any emergencies that impact the scope of your Billdr-managed renovation are communicated right away.

Unless you are a serial renovator, a major renovation is only a once or twice in a lifetime affair. It’s normal to have questions and concerns. With the right support system in place and a realistic mindset, you will come out the other side relieved that you decided to take the plunge and ready to enjoy your new space.

If you are undertaking major renovations requiring architectural plans, plan ahead because the time required to approve the project to the City can be long.

For medium and large projects, it is essential to document everything: Billdr supports you throughout the process until the project is delivered.

Renovating a house is both exciting and rewarding yet it is not without its challenges. Our guide is here to ensure your renovation project runs smoothly

There are many advantages to renovating a house, as opposed to buying a new property or self building. Perhaps the main advantage of renovating a house is the exciting potential it offers to uncover all manner of charming original features, closely followed by the fact that a renovation project can, if carried out to a good standard, result in a home that sees an impressive uplift in value.

Conversely, there are also some downsides. For one thing, renovation opportunities are not always easy to come by — buyers often clamour to snap them up and are regularly willing to pay a premium for a 'blank canvass.'

There is also the risk of buying a money pit that ends up draining your funds and causing undue stress — although this is avoidable if you know what to look out for.

And that is exactly what out guide to renovating a house is here for — to arm you with the right knowledge to ensure your project results in the house of your dreams.

Here, we have broken down the stages of a renovation into easy-to-follow steps, from how to remove any risk from your purchase with the right surveys, to how to deal with any unexpected and expensive issues.

Although no two renovation projects are the same, there tend to be certain tasks and requirements that many have in common. The general running order the majority of renovation projects tends to look something like this:

The actual process of finding and buying a house to renovate is often one of the hardest parts of renovating a house. Properties in need of modernisation are always in high demand and as a result, it is not uncommon for people to end up paying more than a house is worth in order to beat the competition, adding to your house renovation costs before you even get started.

Cash-buyers tend to be more successful than those relying on a regular mortgage or a renovation mortgage, as getting a mortgage on a property will depend on an independent valuation to ensure the house is worth as much as your accepted offer.

Despite properties selling fast, it's important not to rush into anything — checks will need to be made to uncover any issues that could swallow up your budget.

Fortunately, you don't have to buy blind and even before you have purchased a renovation project, it is possible to get a good idea of the condition of a house.

Ceiling Painting Services

Properties in need of renovation are often sold at auction or using a sealed bid system of best and final offers. Get to know how these systems work early on to help you stand the best chance of securing a renovation property at a great price.

Not all renovation projects are going to be right for you — some will just work out to be too much of a financial undertaking while others will involve too much work.

It is important, when assessing a home for renovation to understand its potential — and this is where a renovation checklist can come in useful. When viewing a house, ask the following questions:

Is there space to extend, whether that's a rear or side extension, or converting a loft, basement or garage?

Look at neighbouring houses. Have they been successful in getting planning permission for renovations similar to what you have in mind?

Are there any covenants or planning restrictions you are aware of that could prevent your planned extensions or alterations?

Ask a builder or architect to take a look at the property and ask for their professional opinion.

This beautiful Victorian house has been renovated throughout. A remodel has been made possible by the addition of a striking contemporary glass extension that now houses an open plan kitchen living space. (Image credit: Simon Maxwell)

If you are aiming to renovate on a budget, this is a really important stage. Before buying a property to renovate, you should be aware that, apart from the usual house renovation costs, there are some additional fees you should factor in, including:

Reconnection fees: It may be necessary to connect or re-connect a water supply. If there was one it may have been disconnected. Electricity will also be required for power tools or day-to-day living if you plan on staying on site.

Professional fees: include planning permission and Building Regulations approval, a variety of surveys, structural engineer reports and any other professional fees (e.g. tree surveys) in your budget

Contingency fund: make sure you have some extra cash on hand to deal with anything unexpected that may arise (and when renovating a house, it is absolutely to be expected)

There are hidden fees to consider when buying a renovation property, which will add to your overall expenditure on the project. (Image credit: Future)

The right building survey will ensure any potential issues are flagged up early. In fact, it is possible to arrange a survey before even putting in an offer on the property if the homeowner consents, but this is usually undertaken after an offer has been accepted.

A building survey should highlight any areas of concern and give you an idea of any essential repairs that will be needed and what they might cost. You will be able to use the report to make a decision on whether to proceed with the transaction, or whether you may be able to barter money off the property based on the findings.

A building report should reveal the construction methods that have been used in the house (sometimes these vary if the house has been extended over the years). This information can then be used during the house renovation in order that any new materials and techniques used are appropriate.