Thinking about renovating your home? Here are five key things to keep in mind when planning a home improvement project.

Renovating your home in the current climate requires thorough (and we mean thorough) research, budgeting for unexpected costs, and finding the right trades to help bring your vision to life. With building regulations, material concerns, and lead times in the mix, we know how stressful planning a project can get.

So, we’ve asked the experts for their dos and don’ts, key considerations, and words of advice for renovating your home in 2025 and beyond. Pen and paper out? Read on…

1. Check regulations

Depending on the type of project you’re planning, it’s important to look at planning permission and building regulations in the early stages to ensure you’re following the most up-to-date rules. “It would be prudent to check with your architect or designer that they are following the current set of building regulations codes,” advises Kate Clare, founder of Loud Architects.

Thomas Goodman, property and construction expert at MyJobQuote.co.uk, adds, “Don’t ignore rules and regulations surrounding your renovation, do your homework. The homeowner is ultimately responsible for adhering to building regulations and planning laws.”

2. Build prices and materials

Amy Stoddart, founder of the eponymous interior design studio, says build prices have been on the rise since 2020 – and the trend doesn’t seem to falter, so it’s worth keeping this in mind when planning your renovation.

It’s also important not to overlook taxes. For example, tiles coming from the European Union are subject to import taxes and additional costs, says Kate. “I would advise my client to look at local artisans, who can make ceramic, porcelain, concrete, or other materials locally. This saves the carbon footprint, but also additional EU taxes or other costs,” she says. But if you do order from the EU, Kate says they often have an August shutdown period, so she recommends buying an additional 10% on top of the 10% wastage.

Speaking of the carbon footprint, sustainability is now at the forefront when looking at efficient ways to improve homes this year. Amy advises considering eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient appliances, and smart home technology. “Many governments in 2025 offer incentives for green building practices,” she says.

3. Budgeting and value engineering

When planning your renovation budget, write down what it is you want to achieve as well as what you can afford. If you need help planning your project, you can consult an expert, who can investigate and break down construction and contracting costs. “We advise running your architect plans by a quantity surveyor, so they can give you an idea of costs from the beginning,” says Kate. “And always remember to add a 10% or 15% contingency for things that may creep up on site that you would not have been aware of before.”

You also need to be realistic as a client, says Amy. “Some of the finishes or scale of build you want might not be achievable, so you need to be open to changes or scaling back,” she adds. This is where value engineering comes in handy – an organised approach to planning, which helps minimise costs.

“Value engineering could be down to a few different parties,” says Amy. “A builder will be able to break down a scope of work with a price for each item or area, so you can see where their costs might be escalating. An architect might have specified expensive materials, which could be value engineered, or particular design details that are technically tricky for builders to execute, and an interior designer can advise where finishes might be adding costs and suggest some alternative solutions that still give a similar effect,” she explains.

For more tips on setting a budget, click here.

4. Have you considered remortgaging?

While we’re on the topic of budgets, Thomas says younger homeowners are more likely to remortgage to pay for renovation costs compared to older generations, who tend to use their savings. So, could this be the best route for your project?

Pete Mugleston, MD and mortgage expert at OnlineMortgageAdvisor, agrees and adds, “In the current economic climate, younger generations appear more inclined to remortgage to fund renovation costs rather than move to a new property. Rising house prices and transaction costs, such as stamp duty in the UK, make it financially appealing to improve existing homes instead of upsizing.

“This trend reflects a shift in priorities, with many opting to tailor their current living spaces to their needs rather than entering a competitive housing market. Industry professionals expect this preference to grow, especially as green home improvements become a focus, with government incentives for energy-efficient upgrades driving demand for renovation financing,” he explains. So, keep your options open and explore different financing avenues if you are considering renovating your home soon.

5. Renovation lead times

Lead times are another key factor to keep in mind when planning your renovation. “Good builders will have a lead time, so you will need to think ahead and get them booked in sooner rather than later,” says Amy. If you are designing a new kitchen, Kate also recommends doing your research on brands and companies early. “Many kitchen companies have long lead times, which means the homeowner might have to pay additional costs and storage fees if the project is overrun due to problems on site or contractor issues,” she says.

To give you a rough idea of the timings you can expect when planning a project, Emily Pickett, design consultant at Kitchens by Holloways, breaks it down for us. “A lot of homeowners want to start building work in the summer school holidays, for example, and if that is the case, you would need to sign off on your design and plans around March time, so initial planning should start at the beginning of the year,” explains Emily.

“As a general rule/ estimate, think of a project being six months from start to finish (depending on the size of the project, of course). Our typical project lengths tend to be approximately three months for a simple renovation of a kitchen space, approximately four months for a kitchen renovation with structural work, and approximately six months for a full ground-floor renovation,” she says.

Words of advice for renovating your home

Assembling a team of experts, from architects, interior designers, to builders, who can advise what’s possible in terms of project scale and provide insight into the nitty gritty of the planning process, is recommended as early as possible. “Involve specialists and experts from early on in the project. When it comes to kitchen planning in particular, you don’t want to get too far into your process without their input, as they will look at things differently and understand how a space will truly work and come together, both practically and aesthetically,” says Emily.

When looking to hire trades, recommendations from friends, family, and neighbours are always a good starting point. And, make sure to check trade bodies or chartered institutes, such as the Federation of Master Builders, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), or Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. “Don’t pick the first contractor who quotes because you want the job done quickly, get at least three quotes,” advises Thomas.

Going back to value engineering, if a builder’s price is too high, Amy recommends consulting with your team of professionals, whether that’s an interior designer or an architect, to find a solution that fits within your budget.

“And finally, be prepared for the disruption a renovation will cause in your life. However, it’s always important to remember that it won’t be forever, and it will all be worth it in the end,” says Emily.

We promise, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, even though you might not see it now. Happy planning!

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