Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make When Moving Into Your Project Property

Before even reading this article my first thought was that the number one mistake you can make with a project property is trying to live there and work on it at the same time. I was right! lol. I attempted to do that once a long time ago with the absolutely WRONG individual and I learned my lesson very expensively and the very hard way. With the right individuals I’m sure it would be a doable task however, living in a place you’re constantly working on makes everything just that much harder.

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)

Moving into a project property can be an amazing way to get more for your money and, perhaps even more importantly, ensures that you land your dream house at long last. It’s an amazing buzz and, if you’re willing to tackle the work, it’s one of the best things you’ll ever do as a homeowner.

But, let’s not pretend these benefits don’t also come at a sometimes significant cost, with hard work and a whole world of stress on your shoulders from the moment you pick up those keys. It’s a lot, and there’s nothing you can do to offset that pressure altogether. 

That said, taking steps to make your life easy from the very first day can at least help you to stay sane. Most importantly, you’re going to want to avoid the following mistakes which, without fail, are set to make your life much, much harder. 

Mistake # 1 – Assuming you can do everything once you’re in

If your property is semi-functional, then it’s always tempting to move right on in and let all the work come after. We get it; you want to start enjoying your dream home. But, an empty property is definitely best for certain improvements.

Rewiring is the most obvious option here and is something you can expect to need in any older property. Equally, replumbing is going to be significantly harder if you’ve already moved in, meaning that staying somewhere else if at all possible is always going to be best.

Mistake # 2 – Filling every room as you move

When you’re directing your moving company on the big day, it’s tempting to tell them to stick boxes wherever they can find space. Then, you end up with boxes in every room. By proxy, this means you’re going to need to clear out before you can get to work anywhere, and that’s time and effort you could really do without.

Avoid such setbacks by planning your move around the rooms that need the most work. Leave these entirely clear, and instead pile stuff into the rooms that need less attention, or can at least wait, until the larger tasks are taken care of. 

Mistake # 3 – Tackling multiple large tasks at once

When you have a project house, tackling one thing at a time simply isn’t practical, but it’s also important not to jump into multiple large tasks the moment you move in.

As well as drastically compromising the safety of your home, something like a kitchen refit at the same time as you tackle your bathrooms could leave you all out of action at a time when you’re trying to get yourselves in order. Instead, leave a little unpacking time directly after your move, and plan one big project at a time so that you can live, as well as renovating.

Your project is going to bring you so much joy, but a plan is vital to avoid mistakes like these. And, given that planning starts at the moving stage, there really is no time like the present!

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)