Why NOW is the best time to renovate

If you have been thinking about renovating or extending your home, but have always been too busy to stop and think about it, now is your time. There has never been a better time than NOW. Why? The construction and design industries are open, are in full swing (albeit with social distancing and other safety measures in place), and look set to keep going strong even with the COVID19 precautions currently in place in Western Australia.

Building and construction are essential services according to Sco-mo and are vital to get the economy ticking along. The ‘business as usual’ message applies to all sectors of the construction industry from commercial projects, residential building, home additions, renovation projects and even smaller trade services for break-fix issues such as a plumber for blocked drains/toilets. All essential. All open for business.

With most of us – if not all of us – spending more time at home, this is a great time to take a look around your home and think about whether it still meets your needs.

  • Does it have enough space for your growing family? Is it ok now, but in a couple of years be too small?
  • Do you feel like you are living on top of each other and need more space?
  • Are you finding there is nowhere to go where you can find ‘your own space’?
  • Perhaps you are cooking more and are finally fed up with your old and dated kitchen?
  • Are you tired of your old poky bathroom?
  • Perhaps you would love to have the convenience of an ensuite?
  • Take a look at the most neglected room in the house, your laundry. Could this benefit from remodelling? Some overhead cupboards?
  • Is it time to use your space better and added more storage around the home?
  • Perhaps a new alfresco area with an outdoor kitchen is a good idea? With cleverly designed outdoor living you can extend your living areas and create more space for everyone to spread out.
  • And of course…do you need a home office or one of more study nooks?

I am sure you can think of plenty of ideas for extending and renovating your home.

So the question is, why is NOW the best time renovate and add space to your home?

You have the time to think about it

While you are spending more time at home you have the chance to hit the pause button and assess your lifestyle and your home. Take a look around. Are you getting in each other’s way? Do you need separate living areas so you can work from home while others are doing their own thing (which can be distracting if you are trying to manage Zoom calls while others are gaming, Netflixing or cooking!!!).

Now is the perfect time to establish what your home needs. So what’s next? Where do you start? Start looking for inspiration online. Look for ideas about you want in your home. Check our some before and after pics of renovations (we have stacks here on the Amerex website). Look up Pinterest (type in keywords such as hamptons style) and Instagram for inspiration for your new kitchen, open plan living etc.. What do you like, what do you keep going back to and gravitating towards?

Collect your ideas and images that inspire. These can all be valuable input for a designer to help you achieve your vision. Get the kids involved, you might be surprised at some of the fun ideas they come up with for their own bedrooms!

Avoid the post-pandemic rush

When we get thru to the other side, many are predicting a construction boom (particularly with planned government projects being brought forward) and more demand for trades will potentially start to drive prices up.

Start planning now and you will benefit from a fixed-price contract based on current prices which are the most competitive that they have been for 10 years.

In addition to this, the predicted boom in construction is expected to put pressure on local councils and their approvals process. We recommend finalising your design AND getting it approved NOW before their systems get clogged up with a rush of submissions. Get on the front foot and stay ahead of the curve!

 

Interest rates are at an historic all-time low

It is no secret that interest rates are low which is great for anyone that needs to borrow money for a renovation project. It has never been cheaper to do so. This is very deliberate as it is intended to provide a stimulus to get more people building.

Instead of delaying your plans to build a new home or renovate later on, now is most definitely the time to take advantage of these all-time low borrowing costs by kicking off the planning and design of your renovation, extension or second storey project.

Getting a loan from Banks is easier with a quality Builder

Did you know that it is easier to get a loan if you have signed a fixed price contract with a registered builder than it is to get an Owner-Builder loan? The banks are becoming more conservative with lending all the time and view Owner-Builders as a risk to the asset (the asset being the home). As such, you are more likely to be able to borrow more money and achieve more with your project with a renovation/extension with a quality, registered builder on board.

We have our Designer on standby

We have a Home Designer on standby that works closely with Steve Burke (Builder) to ensure your design will meet your budget while also delivering the WOW factor. Our designer is turning around design times faster than ever and creating fantastic 3D designs that help you visualise your home transformation.

If you have been thinking about your home extension and are not sure where to start, or perhaps you have a few ideas, get in touch! Your first consultation is FREE and we are happy to discuss your ideas and suggest some things you probably haven’t thought of too.

Fast Completion Times and Complete end-to-end Service

We have a small army on people to help you plan your renovation from the very first idea right thru to completion, all in the fastest turnaround time possible.

Our complete service ensures that you don’t have to worry about a thing. We coordinate all planning aspects of your project such as engineering certification, council approvals and provide the services of an Interior Designer to ensure that your home will have all the finishing touches to ensure you love everything about your home renovation.

When it is time to build, we have our army of trusted tradies delivering their best quality work that they know we expect and demand at Amerex. With the Amerex team on board you can be assured of the best quality home renovation in Perth that will be built to stand the test of time.

Premium post-completion Customer Service backed up by our 12 Month Maintenance Guarantee

Our quality work and friendly ‘can-do’ customer service is often mentioned by clients when writing a review for us. In particular, they often comment on our amazing post-completion service. This includes our impressive 12 Month Maintenance Guarantee. While other builders typically offer the minimum 4 months or 6 month maintenance period, at Amerex we provide a FULL 12 months Guarantee. This ensures you have peace of mind of being able to live in your home renovation for all 4 seasons of the year. In the unlikely event you experience any problems, we will happily resolve the issue at a time that is convenient for you. This is a fact that previous clients are happy to attest to.

While this point is not necessarily COVID19 related, it is an important consideration for whenever you decide to build!

Be Careful with DIY – Stay Safe!!!

While it is a great time to indulge in a little DIY, just a friendly reminder that there are some tasks that you should NOT attempt yourself. These include:

  • Drilling, sawing or demolishing before finding out if and where you have asbestos in your home. If disturbed asbestos can release deadly fibres into the air that can be dangerous to you or your family. Learn more about asbestos in the home here.
  • Plumbing and Electrical work must be done by a licenced professional. Don’t risk electrocution or flooding your home! Make the safe choice. Learn more about DIY dangers and common DIY accidents here.
  • Structural work must be approved by your local council and building any new structures such as a carport, alfresco or any structural addition to your home should not be built by yourself or anyone else without approval. Unapproved work can be a safety risk but in addition to this, you could be ordered – by your local council t0 to remove an unapproved structure at your own expense.

Stay safe and leave it to the experts where appropriate.