20 Lessons Learnt from Renovating

As our time in Tiny House (aka the 3m x 6m structure in our garden) comes to a close, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on 20 lessons we have learnt from renovating our cottage over the course of the past two years. If, like us, you have completed a renovation task, from DIY-ing through to major structural work, I’m sure that you will empathise with our breakdown of troughs and peaks. So, without further ado, let’s get to it!

Starting with the most obvious of points, and believe me, I promise they’ll become more obscure as we delve deeper! It’s clear to say if you’ve ever indulged in Grand Designs or the like, apart from 60 Second Makeover as they really do have to stick to a time limit; any renovation work always surpasses your original time estimate.
And with the previous point in mind, let’s be real here, you’re bound to go over budget as more often than not, the heart does the talking and the more time you spend working on the project, the more emotionally invested you become.
You will start to micro-analyse every teeny tiny detail that only you will know is there but, if you’re anything like us, you can’t feasibly imagine proceeding without addressing that little niggling detail.
Pinterest will be your best friend, period. Although we are all realistic as to what our budget has the capability to stretch to, Pinterest is the most important tool for inspiration. Plus, it’s free, which means you get to splash that extra bit of cash that you would have otherwise spent on a magazine.
Loved ones mean well but they don’t half know how to nitpick details and question your supreme project manager judgement.
In conjunction with the previous point, taking up meditation or breathing practises will massively reduce your stress and, if you do a guided meditation before bed, you will actually be able to switch off from thinking about what overpriced style of light switch you just have to have in your desired room.
Others may not be able to see your vision, class you as crazy (we have been called that many a time by passers by in the village) but once your project goes through its process of metamorphosis, everyone will forget it was once an unsightly caterpillar and just see the vibrancy of this newly confident butterfly.
Manicuring will become a memory of the past. Wave, with unruly nails, goodbye to fresh gel polish or acrylics as they will be rendered pointless when you’re in the midst of getting down and dirty.
Screwfix (or any building/tools retailer) will become a place you visit more often than you’d like to admit and eventually, if you’re a regular, you’ll start to develop quintessentially British dialogue with the salespeople about the weather. I once joked that I needed help carrying a tape measure out to my car because of how heavy it was for me, a pregnant woman, to carry to my car. The look on the salesman’s face was priceless!
Buying workwear is a must: whenever I’ve worked on the cottage, which in all honesty hasn’t been for a while due to my ‘pregnant condition’, I’ve been blooming grateful I had my trusty (and slightly oversized/unsightly) workwear steel toecaps on. Also, protective equipment, such as a face mask is essential if you are dealing with knocking down brick walls or dusty jobs, etc. You may also want to invest in a pair of noise cancelling ear defenders and safety goggles. Yes, if passers-by catch a glimpse of you working, you may get some odd looks but you’ll be grateful that you’re protecting yourself.
When you’re nearing the end of the project you will be inundated with the same question. Now, hold on tight because this question might drive you more crazy than actually being called ‘crazy’: you will repeatedly be asked “When do you think you’ll be moving in?” In January 2021 when we first purchased our cottage, we were adamant that we would be moved in with a fully furnished Pinterest-worthy interior by the subsequent December. However, like I started off with, you will soon realise that your development exists outside of the realms of time and space and therefore it’ll be done when it’s done!
You will also find that whenever you show a relative, friend or neighbour around the property at any stage of the construction/renovation process, you will find yourself irritatingly using the same phrases:
- “Sorry about the mess.”
- “It’s nearly there.”
- Or: “We’re getting there.”
Invest in a good quality sketchbook as this will be a great tool for you if, like me, you enjoy sketching your ideas. Additionally, it is extremely useful when you are trying to communicate certain ideas with tradespeople.
Keep a track of finances as, stated in my second point, your renovation is bound to run past your original budget and a savvy way of keeping on top of this is through jotting down all of your spends. I did this in the back of my sketchbook so that everything was together and easy to access.
Barter! Honestly, this is key. It is difficult to do so at times as you might feel intimidated by the tradesperson you are communicating with, but there is nothing wrong in trying to respectfully lower the price to keep ahold of that all-important budget.
Tea bags, coffee and sugar are essentials for tradesmen – keep them happy! Stereotypical, I know, but you need to make sure that there are facilities for the people working on site to provide themselves with refreshments. For a long period of time, when we didn’t even have running water, we would buy five litre bottles of water so that the tradesmen could comfortably ensure they were kept hydrated.
You’ll second-guess yourself down to the last minute, never mind those well-meaning loved ones who have suggestions, your tradesmen will cast their advice over your renovation. This is most certainly useful, especially from those who are experts in their field, but you will end up reconsidering your once sound judgement. An example of this was when we were getting our home painted by our brilliant decorator and he suggested the idea that some of the rooms would benefit from a colour rather than all being white. Since the get go we have had our minds set on white as it coincides with our vision for the property, however, when he suggested opting for a colour in the children’s bedrooms, we found ourselves doing a full 180 and investing in slightly pigmented paints. And do you know something, it was a fantastic change as now the children’s bedrooms feel warmer and more playful.
These final 3 points are probably only applicable for major renovation works when you need to get planning permission and architects involved. Alas, being able to design your desired outlook both externally and internally will be greatly beneficial when communicating your desired outcome with your chosen architect.
Lighting, lighting, lighting! If you’re rewiring the property and therefore able to reroute and reconfigure lighting, then do spend quality time research lighting design. There’s a brilliant video on YouTube which, although it is set an a rather fabulously extravagant home, illustrates the power* of intentionally considering lighting locations, features (dimmable vs non-dimmable), brightness and temperatures (kelvin). *Pardon the pun.
If you have children and bring them around the renovation, you will turn into a hawk-like creature and basically have your heart in your mouth the whole time. You will be terrified of them hurting themselves but more often than not will hurt yourself in the process of protecting them.