Fellow homeowners out there – worrying over your home’s renovation process and not sure what to do? Check out our below compilation of good advice from other Qanvast homeowners like yourself who have been there and done it and spare yourself the panic and stress right away.

1. Map Out Your Ideal Floor Plan With… A Liquid Paper

When it comes to designing your home, the sky is the limit. For out-of-the-box ideas, use correction fluid to remove the outlines of those (hackable) walls from your floor plan. Now, you will view those living areas from a new perspective instead of planning solely what’s written on the floor plans,” Vanessa shared.

6 Golden Renovation Tips from Qanvast’s Homeowners

2. Don’t be fickle minded

For Hairul and Suyin, having a clear idea of a desired design is key to ensuring a smooth renovation journey. “We referred to Qanvast to get ideas for HDB homes. Before you meet your interior designer, have a clear picture in your mind of what you want. If not, there’ll be a lot of time wasted going back and forth over ideas,” advised Hairul.

And we totally agree; having to repeat your design requirements to at least 3 designers can be cumbersome, not to mention having to consider the various proposed different ideas from them. Stay grounded to what you like and the decision process automatically simplifies.

Get more advice from Hairul and Suyin here.

3. Plan Your Power Points

Reflecting on an important detail they forgot whilst planning, Kelvin and Sharon reminds fellow homeowners to plan the location and the number of power points when designing their homes. “We forgot to take this into consideration and the power points are either hidden behind our furniture or positioned too far from where we are usually seated. Now, Kelvin and I have to compete to use the power point when we want to charge our mobile phones in the living room.” –Sharon shared amid laughter.

Social urbanites who need to stay connected 24/7, this is an important point to take note!

Learn more about the renovation do's and don’ts from Kelvin and Sharon here.

4. Always Do Your Research and Know What Works For You

Couple Xuan Rong and Angela who got their ideal home was determined to share their top secret to their success - “Start by doing some research and ask around about what works for others and what doesn’t. Also, get your interior designer to bring you to visit their completed projects or visit your friend’s homes so you can get a better idea of how your renovation will turn out.”

Xuan Rong and Angela spill more about their experiences here.

5. Get An Interior Designer Who Listens

For Dominic and Chloe, having a listening ear was one of the key factors they looked for when deciding on a designer. “It’s crucial that the interior designer listens to what you want,” they said. A good interior designer should be “one who takes in these information, understands, and then interprets the spaces to their best knowledge".

Taking a step further, the couple also gave their interior designer free will to design based on their requirements without having a budget to restrict the design planning. From there, they decided what was necessary and what wasn't. The result? A workspace that was unlike any.

Listen and gather more useful advice from Dominic and Chloe here.

6. Be Flexible With Your Budget

“Have a good buffer and don’t be too fixated on the budget”, recommends Kheng Hwee and Valerie, who highlights the importance of having a flexible budget. “Find a balance between what you can spend and the quality you are getting,” they advised.

Indeed, having to top up for quality works beats scrambling to tear down and/or repair sub-par works. Know the differences in what you are getting and weigh in factors like the frequency of the usage and the material durability.

Kheng Hwee and Valerie share more about their experiences here.

Make your renovation journey a breeze and throw away frustrations! Engaging the right interior designer will ease the process and ensure you get your ideal home. Get started with Qanvast - browse for inspirations, save ideas and get connected with 5 trusted interior firms when you drop us a complimentary quote request here. All recommendations made by Qanvast will be protected under the Qanvast Guarantee, up to $50,000. Find out more here.

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