Newlyweds and House Renovation: How to Survive?

That’s it, you have entered another important stage of your life – ‘family time’. You are both blissfully happy, your partner is the sweetest person in the world and life seems to be taking the right direction. Is there anything else to dream about? You manage to buy a house, wanting it to become a family nest, and start planning a grand transformation. Then suddenly, things start taking the wrong turn and the perfect picture vanishes away leaving you with a feeling of frustration.

According to the research, 12% of newly-married couples get divorced right after they finish the renovation of their home-to-be building. Such an appalling statistic is rooted in two major problems – financial and psychological. We deeply care for our readers and their well-being, therefore, we have assembled the guide to follow for a new couple in order to create a home and save the tenderness of the relationship.

Financial side

Buying a house or an apartment is always a financial burden, not all newlyweds can afford it. Typically, it’s a matter of mortgage and income stability. When spending a great deal of money for buying a property, it’s quite challenging to proceed with other changes, as the renovation can also cost a fortune.

Money-saving tips will help you cut expenses significantly, however, you will still need a financial basis.

1. Budget

When planning the budget, you can clearly see all the money flow, and count the right amount you will need for the renovation. While making the list of necessities, it’s important to plan an emergency fund, and never use it for any other reason.

There are two main ways of setting the budget:

• Straight planning – gives you relative freedom for renovation. You plan the rooms to transform, state clearly your vision of the design, get quotes from the contractors, and contact the ones that you find the most reliable. This type is a well-fitting option provided you have no financial issues.

• Reverse planning – you have a fixed amount of money to start with, and that’s what defines the further transformation of living space.

Typically, young families still have to pay off the student loans, and the mortgage taken for the property purchase. Therefore, reverse planning is a better option, as going broke is definitely not on the list of priorities.

2. Discounts

Depending on the time of renovation, it’s worth monitoring seasons of discounts and just weekly or monthly offers. Sometimes, it can help you save up to 20-30% of the overall budget. Of course, it may be helpful if you are not pressed for time, and can take months and years for renovation.

3. Essential rooms

Start with the room that you are going to spend the most time in. Typically, that’s the bedroom and kitchen. Stay focused on one place, and don’t split your attention on everything as it can lead to mistakes and, therefore, more spendings.

If you start with a bedroom, define the design and all the preparation works, do everything there, and afterward, move on to the next room. Such unrushed consistency will be the key to the quality of the whole remodeling with no need to break the bank.

After you have settled in the main room, you can get involved in other works.

4. Wallpaper vs Paint

The coverage of the walls influences the money you spend purchasing it, and the time for application. As usual, there are two camps of supporters – those claiming that paint is more durable, and those in favor of wallpapers.

Paint is a good idea for places that are prone to moisture, and is considered to be easier to apply. The versatility of the colors and shades is truly impressive, however, the walls will typically be of a plain color, as only professionals can paint specific patterns. Besides, paint can chip and peel after some time, requiring renovation every few years, which again, will slim your budget.

Wallpapers, in contrast, are more durable and offer a better choice of patterns. If you go for peel-and-stick wallpapers, you will also avoid all the mess with the application process, as you will need no other supplies.

For instance, you are both for classy style and want to introduce the black-and-white pattern into the room:

1) With the paint, you will have monochromatic walls or simple geometry patterns. Besides, you will need brushes of different sizes, a floor cover, painting edging tape, a roller, etc.

2) With black and white peel and stick wallpaper you can choose any pattern you want, for all the walls or just for an accent wall. You will need the wallpaper and a special knife. No hustle and bustle, for a few days, everything will be clean and tidy.

5. Design

When discussing the ideas of the remodeling, be consistent and don’t make the house an exposition of various styles and building materials. Define the atmosphere you want to create and what color scheme will be prevailing. It will help you catch up on the best discounts as well, as you will know what you are looking for.

You probably know that going grocery shopping when you are hungry will make you spend more money. Same works for construction – when you don’t know what you need, you will buy lots of extras, that will soon turn into clutter, just because everything is catchy and nice, and colorful. Hence, stick to your plan and design, and don’t let the marketing strategies mislead you.

6. DIY

DIY isn’t only about saving money, it’s about a truly homey and family atmosphere, as you create the bricks of the design. It relates to basic activities like door handles or bookshelves installation or decoration matters. To save up your budget you can hire contractors for all the dirty work, and everything else just do yourself. YouTube is a great teacher, and with proper motivation, you can discover talents you were not aware of.

Psychological side

Renovation, like traveling together, works as a litmus test for the strength of their relationships. It places people in a situation where two types of interests clash against each other and it’s crucial to learn to find a solution and cooperate with each other.

1. Be ready for conflicts

The memories of the wedding and all the sweetness are still rushing in your head, however, it is the moment for a down-to-earth approach. Be ready for the fact that something may go wrong. Often times the disagreement itself is the source of frustration and conflict, not the color of the walls.

2. Be ready for differences

We are all different, you and your partner as well. You may share the same attitude to life, yet, the ideal color of the wallpaper may not be the same. Just acknowledge the fact that you will need to give in in some situations.

3. No bossing around

Marriage is always about cooperation. Don’t try to take the lead, share the responsibilities. If one partner starts to boss around, the other one will naturally oppose it, steering the conflict. Hence, the renovation will just reach the dead-end as well as the relationship.

4. Discuss the budget together

You are both participating in the renovation, thus, you both need to plan its budget. When only one partner is responsible, it will be simply unfair.

5. Define the timelines

The timelines can be another reason for a dispute. If one partner wants to do everything at once and the other is willing to take time, both will be annoyed with each other’s behavior. Sit together and check the time frames that will fit the working schedule or any holiday plans. Renovation shouldn’t be a disruptive burden.

6. Open communication

Communication is the basis of any kind of relationship. It helps to solve the problem and alleviate all the triggers. You need to articulate clearly your desires about the changes, feelings, and concerns. The worst thing to do is silently go through all the misunderstandings alone. It will just boil up the anger, leading to fights.

Marriage is about trust, hence, don’t be afraid to express what you think, yet, don’t forget to listen to the other side as well.

7. Compromise

When disagreeing about the colors or the placement of the cupboard, hold on for a second and think if they are really worth your family’s peace. Your relationship is a priority, thus, giving in is sometimes the best option. However, it should be in equal measure for both sides. If only one partner needs to step aside all the time, the other one will feel neglected and frustrated. Is it a fair price for the renovation?

House renovation is creating a space of comfort for a family, where every member can feel relaxed and welcomed. It is often a stressful experience, especially if the couple is on a tight budget.

However, it’s important to prioritize things, and not to forget that materialistic things can’t take over your spiritual world. Talk more, discuss everything, share your opinions, and don’t even try to show dominance over your partner. Such an attitude is the first step toward disagreements (and not only during renovation).

You are about to create a family nest, enjoy your collaboration, take photos, and have fun together. Time vanishes away at a rate of knots, don’t waste it on disagreements, enjoy it.