Buying a basic five room HDB flat may be one of the easiest ways for you to become a homeowner. However, if you want to make that flat your own, you may have to renovate it quite a bit. The process will take a while. You need to know what steps to take to ensure that your flat renovation goes on without a hitch.
So, how do you renovate a 5 room HDB flat?
Budget
Renovations are not free. Even for a 5 roomed flat, you would still have to spend some money to make it your home. You need to consider the extent to which you want to carry out renovations. You can then ask around for quotes. These should help you set up a realistic budget for the whole process. When setting up the budget, you should ensure that you err on the higher side when it comes to financial limits. That way, if there is money left over, you can use it for other things.
Financing
The money you set aside for renovation of your small HDB flat has to come from somewhere. Where is yours going to come from? You can use some of your savings if you have been setting money aside for that purpose. This will ensure that you do not have to incur any debts when renovating your flat. You can also source for funds from family and friends. This option may or may not come with interest charges. The other alternative is to get a loan, which should help you meet the renovation expenses. If you choose to go down this route, make sure that you have income coming in to pay off your debt. Otherwise, you are much better off postponing the renovation process until you can save up some money.
Hire an interior decorator
The kind of interior designer that you hire can make or break your renovation. You need to take time to select the right one for your needs. Designers of this nature cost money. However, you need to see them as part of your investment. If you can hire a good one, then you will end up with a flat that is simply your own. In addition, the renovation work will be beautifully done, which will make it much easier for you to sell the flat if you want to move to another one.
Interior designers know how to arrange the different elements in your space, to make them cohesive. The professional that you hire, should be willing to sit down with you, in order to hear what you want to achieve in your flat. This professional will then come up with a design, which may be in both 2D and 3D format to give you a feel for how your five-roomed HDB flat will look like after you renovate. If you do not like some of the features in the design, then you can suggest changes to ensure that you get the home of your dreams. These changes will then be incorporated into the final design, which you will then have to approve. After that, the renovation can begin.
Renovation
The interior designer that you selected will supervise the whole renovation process to make sure your approved design is implemented. If you have a place to stay, then work can begin simultaneously in all the rooms of your flat. This option will ensure that you can access your new home faster. On the other hand, if you want to stay in your home, then you can renovate each space individually. To reduce the costs of labor, you can agree to lend a hand if you have some basic construction skills. Otherwise, you are far better off, letting the experts do all the work.
The actual process of renovating your flat can cover everything that you want to change. You can change the colors of your walls, you can change the ceilings, and you can replace the floor. You can also change the countertops in the kitchen and even put in new cabinets if you want to. Your renovation can also include selling your old furniture and getting new replacements. Alternatively, you can reupholster them. Your bathroom can be renovated by getting new tiles, a new tub, new sinks, and faucets and so on.
Bottom Line
How you renovate your HDB flat is entirely up to you. Having an interior decorator however, makes the process relatively easier. A professional of this nature will ensure that everything is in the right place. Your flat will then become a home for you, no matter how small it may seem.