Home Renovation Checklist

Before you begin your home renovation, it's important to do some pre-renovation groundwork (i.e. 1st Stage of Renovation - Initiate ) and plan (i.e. 2nd Stage of Renovation - Plan ) ahead. However once you have started, there are many important things that you should take note of when you are managing the renovation.

Hence, here is a simple checklist and tips to get you started. I will update and add on to this checklist whenever the need arises, so do remember to bookmark this post! :)

1) Existing Defects

(For HDB home owners) Have the HDB Technical Officers to rectified the list of defects prior the start of renovation?


2) Research
Have you talked to your friends, neighbors etc about their home renovation experience? Have you dispelled the popular renovation myths? Have you found answers to the common renovation questions? Have you found out the 7 common renovation mistakes and how to avoid them? Have you found out the renovation guidelines for HDB / DBSS or private residential properties?
Have you sourced for renovation design ideas in magazines, catalogs, or open houses?
Have you checked with banks on the renovation loan prerequisites, conditions and prevailing interest rates? 3) Renovation Budget Have you decided on the renovation budget? Have you decided on the type of mortgage loan? 4) Renovation Scope

Have you decided on the future inhabitants of your renovated home (i.e. any pets, grandparents etc)? Have you talked to the future inhabitants on their needs and requirements? Have you considered and determined on the type of lifestyle that you are leading? Have you scoped out the extent of the renovation? 5) Contractor or Interior Designers selection Have you interviewed and shortlisted the list of contractors or interior designers? 6) Renovation Package selection Have you scrutinized the renovation quotes carefully for any hidden costs? Have you decided on a renovation package? Have you ensured that all verbal clarifications and additional requirements (if any) have been written down before you sign the contract? 7) Renovation Plan Have you drafted the renovation plan? Have you and the contractor or interior designer agreed upon the renovation duration and the worked out the contingency actions to take when there are delays? Have you gathered the detailed scope of the renovation? Have you estimated all the costs involved, the budget to be set aside and contingency actions to take when there are cost overruns? Have you and the contractor or interior designer agreed upon the acceptable quality of renovation and how these standards are going to be determined? Have you and the contractor or interior designer discussed on the risks that will impact the renovation project and how to handle these risks by developing the contingency plans? Have you and the contractor or interior designer agreed on how communication is to be done and the frequency of communication? 8) Review and Monitor Have you constantly monitor and review the renovation works to ensure that things are going according to the plan? Have you constantly ensure that the renovation is still on time? 9) Handover / Post Renovation Review Have you ensured that all obligations and works are delivered by the contractor or interior designer as stipulated in the contract? Have you done a post renovation walk-through, especially on the quality of the renovation prior the handover and final payment? Have you checked that the contractor or the interior designer has properly cleaned up and evacuated the place after the handover? Have you changed the lock to your property after the handover? Hope you have found the checklist useful and do share this post to people who might need it too! :)