Love it or hate it, thanks to COVID-19 remote working is here to stay - and that means having a functional home office has never been more important.

Here at MyHome Improver, we pride ourselves to be Chicago’s trusted renovation experts. In this blog post, we’re going to discuss what you need to consider before setting up a home office and how you can transform your home into a flexible living and working space.

6 things to consider when planning a home office

The design of your home office should reflect your work habits. Here are a few things to consider when planning a home office: 

• Location: The location of the office should reflect your work needs and family dynamic. For example, if work requires peace and quiet, you may want to think about a garage conversion or constructing a new outbuilding. On the other hand, if you need to keep an eye on the kids, you may need a more central location near the kitchen or living room.
• Lighting: Lighting can have a big impact on your mood and productivity. Whether you want to add extra windows, install a skylight or set up more artificial lights, your lighting should be bright enough to make you feel alert but not so bright that it causes eye strain.
• Power outlets: Make sure your home office has enough power outlets to accommodate all your devices. Installing additional power outlets - perhaps with integrated USB sockets - will ensure you’re well connected, both now and in the future.
• Flooring: Your choice of flooring material depends on your workspace requirements and design tastes. Hardwood is durable and looks great but tends to be more expensive than tiling and vinyl. Carpet is a cosy solution, but more prone to wear and tear especially if your office chair is on wheels.
• Temperature: A reliable heating and cooling solution ensures you can keep your home office at a comfortable temperature all year round. Ideally, your home office should also have a window so you can let in fresh air.
• Storage: Inadequate storage leads to clutter and inefficient workflows. Avoid these issues by ensuring your office space has enough shelves, cupboards, drawers and filing cabinets to store all your equipment. Everyone has different needs in this area so it’s worth considering having bespoke office cabinetry designed and built for your specific space.

Building a dedicated office space

While you can set up office at the dining table or on the couch, you’re always going to be more productive - and more comfortable - working in a purpose-built space. There are two main options for creating a dedicated office space:

1. Home extension: extend your home to include a home office

Adding a new room (or multiple rooms) to your home gives you the opportunity to create your dream workspace while dramatically increasing the value of your property. From material choices to power outlet placements and everything in between, you have full creative control, giving you the freedom to create an office tailored to your exact requirements.

2. House renovation: Transform an existing space

Renovating is an excellent way to transform spare or under-utilised spaces into a functional home office. Home renovations generally cost much less than house extensions and can be completed faster. The tradeoff, of course, is that you’re limited by the dimensions of the existing room, unless you want to explore more comprehensive remodelling.

Setting up your office

Regardless of whether you opt for a home extension or house renovation, your choice of furnishings can have a big impact on the look and feel of your office. Here are a few tips to maximise the use of your space:

• Desk: Look for sturdy, spacious desks that complement the aesthetic of your office. Be realistic about your needs - there’s no point having a huge desk if you can work in a contained area without feeling cramped.
• Chair: Comfort trumps style when it comes to office chairs. Look for ergonomically designed chairs with good back support and controls for adjusting the seat and backrest.
• Noticeboard: A physical to-do list - be it a corkboard, whiteboard, or chalkboard - is a great way to visualise your goals and keep you on track with deadlines.
• Lamps: While overhead lighting is usually the best option for office work, a desk lamp or floor lamp can help focus more light  onto a specific area if required.
• Personal touches: Don’t be afraid to introduce some personal touches to make the space feel more homely. A rug, some leafy plants, artwork and photos can help give the space some character without making it feel cluttered or unprofessional.

Contact the house renovation experts

If you’re interested in creating a  home office, MyHome Improver is here to help. Backed by more than 20 years of experience as Chicago’s trusted renovation experts , we’ll work with you every step of the way to create a stylish and functional workspace tailored to your requirements.

Contact us today to discuss your home office plans.

Believe it or not, paying a professional builder to quote your renovation plans is going to save you money in the long run… 

You’ve decided to renovate your home and embarked on your journey to find the right builder.  Perhaps you have some plans drawn up already and you’re looking for builders to give you a quote.

You start researching for local builders and come across a couple that offer FREE quotes.  You send off your plans and eagerly anticipate the arrival of their quotes.

But wait, how confident are you that their quote will be a true and accurate indication of how much it will cost you to renovate your home?

What you need to know first

If you’re dreaming of a transforming your home, the renovation costs will almost certainly be on your mind. Even the planning stage of a renovation involves some costs.  So it’s worth making sure you can afford the build, before you begin investing in things like consents and drawings.

In our experience, homeowners tend to make two major mistakes;

• they have unrealistic expectations of how far their budget will stretch and,
• they have no idea of today’s building costs.

Here’s how to get a handle on your renovation project to make sure your budget is realistic.

Make a loose plan

Establishing a budget for a renovation is complex and almost impossible to do without determining a number of details first. You need at least a loose plan of what you’re trying to achieve.  Also consider the quality of finishing you want and anything that looks likely it needs replacing.

If your home is old, the chances are things like wiring, roofing structure and piling will need to be looked at too. If you’re breaking new ground to add an extension, the earth works can add significantly to the cost, especially on a sloped site or one with potential for rock.

It often helps to sketch out a plan of the renovation work you’re thinking of. Even if the plan changes once you take it to a renovation expert such, it can provide a valuable starting point for getting some cost estimates.

Without it, you’re dealing with unreliable ‘guesstimates’.  Even the most experienced building company will only be able to provide a broad cost based on average square-metre rates.  As we’ve outlined in a previous article, this approach can be wildly misleading.

Think beyond just the build

The cost of a renovation isn’t just the build. There are design and building and resource consent costs to consider.  These often also include costs from specialists such as engineers, surveyors, stormwater and Geotech experts to determine details specific to your project. You’ll need to research these costs and include an allowance in your budget.  They can quickly add up and be a significant cost in the planning of your renovation.

Council requirements can also add to the complexity and therefore the cost of your build, with height-to-boundary and site-coverage rules, or drainage and vehicle access requirements. So, it’s important to bear these things in mind too.

Get ready to compromise

Once you’ve moved past the scoping stage and have proper house plans and consents, the real figures will start to emerge. The chances are there will be costs you hadn’t thought of, or figures that are much higher than expected. This may mean compromising – focus on your must-haves and leave the wants for a later date.

The best way to keep control over your renovation budget is to work alongside a builder through the planning and design stages. Look for builders who specialise in renovations and offer a wrap-around service, with expert start-to-finish planning. A builder will always be more up-to-date on current building costs than a draughts-person or architect.  They also have a more vested interest in getting the build planned and ready to go.

Include a contingency

In renovations, expect the unexpected, especially if yours is an older home. Non-compliant windows, rotten floorboards, wiring from last century – these surprises are why a realistic budget should always include a contingency fund.

Under a fixed-price building contract, we always recommend a contingency of 10-15% so you have funds available for the unforeseen if needed. The contingency for a charge-up/cost reimbursement contract however will need to be more around the 25% mark.  This is because the builder won’t have necessarily spent the time to determine all costs as carefully.

Careful planning is the key

While you’re imagining that shiny new bathroom, or the luxury of extra space when you push out the lounge wall, it’s important to do some careful planning before you jump in the deep end of renovations.

Make a loose plan and do some rough drawings. Decide how fancy you want things to be, and what your must-haves are. Look carefully at your budget – then add 10-25% as a contingency fund. Don’t forget council consents and draughting costs, building regulations and what you might find when the wall coverings come off or the carpet comes up.

Above all, choose the right builder.  One with specific renovations experience who can offer you not just a realistic estimate, but also an end-to-end service for your renovation project.

Want to talk to someone about the cost of renovating? Contact us at MyHome Improver about your project today.