Low Cost Home Makeovers - 11 handy tips. Number 8. Skills.

I was recently invited to Grand Designs Live in Birmingham, to talk about home makeovers and how to keep costs down, whether you're selling your home or want to enjoy living in it. To follow is a summary of the suggestions I made, with lots of 'Before' and 'After' photos as illustrations.

SKILLS - what skills are you or your family able to use in the makeover? When do you need to call-in the professionals?
• Analyse your own skills carefully and balance this with the time you would realistically be able to give to the project
• Consider skilled tradesmen if budget allows, as this ensures the project will reach completion!
If the makeover is for selling purposes...
• Poor workmanship can devalue a property, so don't cut corners

Before - analyse your own skills - this client knew he could remove the pelmet, paint the walls and add a headboard

After - a great job done

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Before - this was all the homeowners were able to do themselves, and they wanted more

After - with the help of a professional decorator, the walls looked great, and the curtains and headboard were made by professionals too

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Before - this project highlights why you need a contingency for professionals "just in case"

After - when removing these wardrobes, we discovered the walls were a real mess behind them, so had to call in the plasterers.

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Before - remember this photo from an earlier blog? These homeowners fully expected to have to change their sofas, just to help to sell the house in a competitive local market

After - as a professional, I saved them over a thousand pounds on this room alone! Our advice doesn't always cost money!

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Next - TIMESCALE - what can you realistically achieve in the time you have available?