Should you manage your own renovation, or use design and build?

There is a belief, possibly fuelled by social channels and good editing, that the design and build journey is quick and easy. It's not.

Why do homeowners choose to manage their own renovation?

Usually because project management looks like a cost they can remove. It's often forgotten altogether.

To anyone who has never seen what it involves, the cost seems unnecessary. So homeowners take it out and try it themselves, sadly often with failure. As a business owner, part of my job is explaining exactly what the "managing" involves, so homeowners understand the need, and the cost.

What does managing a renovation actually involve?

A huge amount. You're wholly responsible for the build, the contractors, payments, specifications, time management, procurement and much, much more.

What people underestimate most is the level of detail that's needed, the number of questions that come with any build, and the experience it takes to know what's needed. In construction you need to be thinking four stages ahead to keep things moving.

It's also crucial that your site is kept tidy, safe and organised:

• materials kept secure, safe and dry
• the right welfare facilities on site
• everyone knowing what they're doing each day, and what the plan is

It's a huge task, and not one to be underestimated. It's certainly not managing from a laptop in a warm café!

What goes wrong on self-managed renovations?

We've been brought in to rescue self-managed projects many times, from a large house build to single-room renovations. The same things tend to go wrong:

• a lack of communication
• targeted blame and a lack of ownership
• a lack of cost control
• crucially, no focus on finding a resolution, so things go round in circles

The key to moving forward is focusing on the end goal: getting to completion. Once that becomes the driver, we can take on board what's happened previously. We act as a conduit, presenting each party's perspective independently to the others, so everyone has a better understanding of what happened. That way we find a resolution while still moving forward, keeping the work going and pulling everyone back together.

When is it fine to manage your own renovation?

Only when you're confident you know what you're doing, and you have the time, patience, contacts and knowledge. Otherwise, pay someone to take it on.

What does full design and build save, beyond money?

Time, stress, and the design itself. An upfront design fee can be a hard pill to swallow. But taking the time to develop a design, considering all the finishes, layouts, materials and options, far outweighs the cost of jumping straight into a build without a plan you can understand and visualise.

Changing a specification, even the most minor tweak, during the build can have a fundamental impact. Not just for the immediate contractor, but for the whole onward plan, and the cost!

Having one company start the design and continue into the build means there's a partnership from day one. Each understands the other, budgets are aligned and understood, specifications are considered, and timelines are managed and respected. And most importantly, the design is delivered.

Submitting a design to an independent team of contractors can cause issues. They may not see the vision, and they'll often introduce their own ways of doing things: usually the easier, cheaper and most available route, rather than keeping to the design.

Already have a design? Can you still hire a project manager?

Yes. We can provide a site or project manager to oversee your project and be the conduit between you and your build and installation team. Having one person to coordinate can be hugely beneficial.

Our background is in high-end retail design and build. That's a very high-pressure environment, where retail and brand designs must be delivered and build times kept, managing many different sources, suppliers, contractors and clients. Otherwise, there are huge financial consequences.

We can be engaged on a day rate, a fixed fee, or a percentage of your build cost. Whether you have a design, a drawing or a full house redesign that needs managing, we're happy to help, even if you have your own contract team.

What should you do before starting a renovation?

Sketch it out, design it, and write a list of likes and dislikes. Stop and think about what you really need, for at least the next five years, considering your future needs.

Don't be a slave to socials or trends. Think about you, your space, your life and what you want. Unless you're a retail or commercial client, this space is for you to enjoy and live in. Why do you want and need to renovate? What doesn't work, and what does? A number of our clients, after our first visit, recognise that the first thing they need is a skip to get rid of general "stuff"!

Once you're ready to start, consider how you can plan and phase the works if you'll keep living in the property. Engage with contractors and designers, but not on the premise that it's just a potential project for them. Be open and ask questions: most designers and trades will be happy to offer helpful thoughts.

Budget is key. Don't forget VAT, and always, always allow a contingency.

Planning a renovation, or need someone to manage one? Get in touch, see our residential work, or read how one team delivered our Bedford whole-house renovation.