Make no mistake: renovating your home is a complex business, but if you're aware of the pitfalls, you have a headstart, writes Sarah Pickette.

In theory, renovating your home should be a creative and satisfying experience – you're customising a house to turn it into your ideal home. In reality though, a renovation is time-consuming, expensive and never as effortless as it appears on television. Armed with the right knowledge, however, you can emerge from the renovation process unscathed and with few regrets, as the owners of this month's featured houses will attest. Identifying the potential pitfalls is key. Here, we've put some industry experts on the spot so you don't have to discover things the hard way.

Structural issues

When planning a renovation it's tempting to focus on what your finished home might look like, but you really need to begin with how it was built.

The regret "I could have saved money if I'd thought about what was behind the walls."
Avoid it As challenging as it may be to factor in what you can't see, you need to be certain that your studs and joists are sturdy and in good condition. In the case of kitchen and bathroom renovations, it's essential to also check that your waterproofing membrane is up to scratch. Ignoring unsound structure can be an expensive mistake to correct, says Luke Van Dyck, owner of Sydney building company LVD Industries and a presenter on the Australian Renovations program on Foxtel's How To channel. "One of the best things you can do is have your builder cut an inspection hole in the walls so you can get an accurate picture of what you're dealing with. Common problems are studs not in the right place, moisture damage and under-sized beams. All of these need attending to before you proceed."

The regret "I didn't consider the footings when I went for an open-plan layout."
Avoid it "Knocking out walls to gain an open-plan layout is all well and good, but even if your beams are supportive enough, they're going to transfer the load to your home's footings," says Van Dyck. To assess whether your footings have sufficient load-bearing capacity for your plans, have your builder check the foundations and the type of soil your home is built on at the beginning of the renovation process. "You may need to factor in an amount for excavation. It's better to know this early in the process than have your costs blow out when work commences."

The regret "Since renovating, my walls have become full of cracks."
Avoid it "People are often under the misconception that their homes don't move," says Van Dyck, who is also the author of Home Maintenance (New Holland, $35). If you're adding a second storey in your renovation and the top floor is constructed from a different material to the ground floor – quite common practice – it's vital to include a construction joint where the two floors meet. "You'll have two separate floors with different materials expanding and contracting at different rates," says Van Dyck. "If you don't have a construction joint between the floors, it's going to crack every time."

Electrical

It is advisable to have your builder or architect in attendance when you first meet with your electrician.

The regret "My powerpoints and light switches are inconveniently located."
Avoid it You should be able to have powerpoints wherever you want them – with a couple of exceptions, says Andrew Bailey, General Manager of Master Electricians Australia. "There are restrictions on powerpoint and light switch placement relating to closeness to water," he says. "You may also need to think about wall construction when deciding where they go." Bailey advises talking to your electrician early on about the finishes you want. "Have all the details – location and finishes – confirmed in writing," he says.

The regret "I think my electrical safety measures are inadequate."
Avoid it Safety switches on all light and power circuits are mandatory. "You can opt to have safety switches on all circuits, covering your airconditioning, pool, oven and hot water service," says Bailey. "If you live in a storm-prone area, you should also consider surge protection." If you're renovating an older home, you might need to upgrade the meter panels and circuit breakers.

Lighting

Few things impact on the atmosphere of your home as much as lighting. Understanding early on what your lighting requirements are will mean your renovated rooms look and feel their best.

The regret "I didn't install dimmer switches or lighting controls."
Avoid it Because lighting is one of the last things to go in during the renovation process it's often an area where builders cut costs, says Studio Kybra lighting consultant Mary-Anne Kyriakou. "The thing is, lighting is one of the first things you notice and you will be constantly irritated by if it's not right." Kyriakou says it's a false economy not to have lighting controls. "You might save $800 by not having an electronic control system, but you'll spend a lot more if you end up going back to install one once you've sealed off the ceiling. Dial-style dimmers are a good compromise – they do the job and don't cost as much."

The regret "My lights look fabulous but fall down on functionality."
Avoid it "There's no doubt that light fittings are beautiful and it's easy to be seduced by their appearance," says Kyriakou. "If you've fallen in love with a particular light and have to have it, be sure to think about the atmosphere it's going to create, whether it's going to cast adequate light and is energy efficient." To make the right choice, think of overhead lighting as just one of your scene-creating tools, she suggests. "Stand in the room and get a feel for the natural daylight it receives. From there, you can determine both the direct and indirect artificial lighting you might need."

Plumbing

It may not be the most exciting aspect of your renovation, but keeping the lines of communication open with your plumber can save you water and money.

The regret "I didn't even think about future-proofing the plumbing."
Avoid it Providing the infrastructure to accommodate the latest technologies can really pay off. "It's not necessarily much more expensive to lay pipework that will allow you to have a greywater system or solar hot water in the future," says Glenn Howard, director of Beachside Plumbing in Melbourne and 2009 Green Plumber of the Year. "And you're potentially adding a good deal of value to your home." Ensure the distance between your hot-water system and taps is as short and efficient as possible. This means less water is wasted while you wait for the water to heat up, which, in turn, means smaller bills.

The regret "I let my builder select my bathroom fittings."
Avoid it "Homeowners often leave the specification of plumbing-related items to their builder. Really, the builder is more concerned about the bottom line so they'll probably choose the cheapest fittings they can get their hands on," says Howard. Instead of opting for a better-quality product with water-saving features, a builder might just order whatever is least expensive on the day, leaving you to discover the paucity of spare parts should something go wrong. To avoid this situation, insist on Australian brands, with service support, warranty and good access to spare parts. Alternatively, select quality brands supplied by reputable local suppliers that offer the same backup.

Windows & doors

Think carefully about window and door selection and placement. Once your renovation is complete, it is fiddly and expensive to backtrack.

The regret "I chose my windows on the basis of how they'd look from the outside."
Avoid it "Getting hung up on street appeal is a common mistake people make when renovating," says Bruce Tosello, Director of Marketing for Jeld-Wen, the name behind window and door manufacturer Stegbar. "Homeowners can get lost in what their windows will look like from the outside instead of considering things like privacy, furniture placement and comfort inside the room."
Before investing in any new windows, stand in the room and work out where your neighbours' windows are and whether they'll be able to see into your room, advises Tosello. Consider how much sunlight comes in and how this may impact on everything from the temperature inside to your TV-viewing comfort. You should think, too, about how you will use your windows. "For example, a sliding window over a kitchen bench is a pain because you'll need to lean right across the bench every time you want to open it."

The regret "I spent a lot on bifold doors but rarely use them."
Avoid it "There's no question that bifolds look fantastic and are wonderful to have," says Tosello, "but they're not suitable for every living area." If you're unlikely to open your bifolds right up on a regular basis, you may be better off with stacking doors or french doors with fixed panels on either side. "Either of these options are more affordable and easier to screen. And you'll still get the light and view you're after," he says.

Shop talk

Want to learn some tricks of the trade? Book into RenovationFix, a series of day-long workshops for home renovators. There are four to choose from – Getting Started, Latest Trends and Directions, All About Kitchens and All About Bathrooms – and each costs $350. Aligned with Coco Republic Design School, all workshops feature presentations by industry experts. For more details, call 1300 818 558.

Fine finishes

It pays to think about finishes before you have finished renovating, says Michelle Kelly, Marketing Manager at Porta Mouldings.
Allow timber products to acclimatise for at least 24 hours before installation.
Order 10 per cent more length than you need for skirting or architraves to allow for easy cutting.
Paint trims before putting them up.

By the book

Sydney renovator Amanda Falconer finished her makeover with more than a few regrets. In her book, The Renovator's Survival Guide (Penguin, $26.95), Falconer shares some of the lessons she learnt in the school of hard renovation knocks.
Have detailed plans.
The more you inform yourself, the fewer things will go wrong.
Specify everything you will need upfront.
Role play in your space. It will save you making important decisions later in the process – that's when things get expensive.
Trust your instincts when you are hiring tradespeople. It's your money.

Looking for more renovation advice? Check out our renovation section.