With the past year and half meaning everyone has been forced to spend extended periods of time in their houses, it comes as no surprise that people want to mix and freshen up their homes. But now that things can finally start moving again with restrictions completely lifted, the demand for builders and housing materials has skyrocketed!
In this article we’ll discuss all the possible reasons that your home renovations may be delayed and what you can do in the meantime to help get your dream renovations on the way.
Why might my renovation be delayed?
Unfortunately, the knock-on effects of coronavirus and Brexit have meant that there are many reasons that could cause your renovation to be delayed. With a lot of raw building materials such as cement, mortar, timber, and roof tiles being sourced from the EU, it has resulted in massive material shortages all over the country. Not only this, but sourcing from outside the UK is leading to extended supplier delivery times, meaning that builders are having to wait longer to get their hands on the materials they need to help renovate your home.
And it isn’t just building materials that could cause delays, the people who will be installing your bathrooms and kitchens are likely to push back your renovation too. Considering that many labourers are having to stop work due to isolation notices and handouts, and the high demand for contractors, electricians, plumbers and so on, there just aren’t enough people to get all the work done.
How will these delays affect you?
The most obvious way that these delays will affect you is in the time it takes to get your home renovation done. But time isn’t the only thing to consider. Although less obvious, and perhaps less likely to affect everyone, these delays are not only going to cause you disappointment but could also become more costly for you too.
On top of the extra costs that contractors are likely to charge you due to the higher demand for materials and labourers, there also may be hotel expenses for home movers who can’t live at home whilst their building work is being done.
Tips on how to handle renovation delays
But do not despair- we have put together some things that you can do in the meantime and tips to help you through this trying situation.
- Plan, plan, plan- the best way to try and outmanoeuvre this situation is by planning in advance all the relevant details, such as what contractor you’ll use, and materials you’ll need, so that by the time your renovation should begin, everything will have been accounted for months in advance.
- Check with your contractor what their ability to store materials is like- those with large warehouses can store sizeable materials in advance, and so this should reduce delays surrounding contractors not being able to get a hold of the materials needed to renovate.
- Don’t just compromise on the cheapest builders and materials- although it may be annoying and disappointing to not be able to renovate now, it’s better to wait for the right builder, and the materials you’ve dreamed of, so that you don’t settle on the dream you had a mind.
If you haven't started renovating yet, or you're just wondering how to afford it, you could remortgage to release equity from your home.
If you want more information on how you can remortgage your home, get in touch and speak to one of our advisers who can help with any questions you may have.
You may have to pay an early repayment charge to your existing lender if you remortgage.
Important information
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
There may be a fee for mortgage advice. The actual amount you pay will depend upon your circumstances. The fee is up to 1%, but a typical fee is £99.