Watch the full episode online now!

Home renovations can really take their toll — especially if you're juggling work, kids, and a social life while you convert your space. But, you can keep the chaos at bay by following a few easy steps before breaking any walls down. Here are some tips from designer Olivia Botrie to help ensure your home reno remains stress-free from start to finish.

Have a plan, Stan!

There's no bigger disaster than finding out something unexpected once you've already started your renovation. To avoid those pesky surprises ensure that you:

Establish a firm timeline for your renovation process. Do you have a deadline you want the renovation to be finished by? Work backwards from there to figure out a start date.
Plan your transformation for the entire house, even if you're going to going to renovate one floor at a time. That way, you know what your end game is, and you can work with one cohesive plan.
Get at least 2 different quotes, or even go for a third if you need a tie breaker. You can always negotiate on the materials — but never on labour.

[IMAGE]

Succeed by design

Always get professional drawings done by a designer or architectural technologist, even if you're handling the the majority of the reno on your own. A professional can help you put a plan together and arm you with a visual representation of what you want your space to look like.
Provide your contractor with drawings in order to manage expectations about the end result. Drawings will give your contractor a concrete representation of the look you want, and can help them give you the most accurate quote possible.

[IMAGE]

Grab your materials, first!

Order all of your materials before starting construction. When you're working with in-demand fabrics and tiles, you might face backorders and other delays. By ordering everything upfront, you can ensure that you have materials ready as the contractor needs them.
You can always save money on materials, so pound the pavement for discounts and consider outlets and floor models.
Designer secret: tell contractors not to include finishes in their quote to reduce the price.

Feeling ready to take your renovation by storm? Show us your before and after pictures on our Facebook page, and check out Olivia's Instagram to get inspiration for your own home transformation.