10 Common Mistakes in Apartment Renovation

Planning a renovation but afraid of making mistakes? Designer Anna Mozharo talks about the most common errors.

Anna Mozharo, an interior designer and architect, believes a good architect should be able to combine beauty with practicality for everyday life.

Do you believe everything builders tell you? Often, builders mislead clients. The most common claims: "Ceramic granite cannot be cut at 45 degrees" and "There can only be a threshold between tiles and laminate."

Design: Anna Mozharo

Pay full advance to contractors and builders. Many pay for unfinished work without a contract or guarantee, only to show up at an empty apartment later. Therefore, discuss and write down all formalities in advance.

Measure furniture for installation before the final finishing touches. Until walls and ceilings are painted, do not measure niches for wardrobes.

Do not cover the floor with plastic after laying tiles. In my practice, I have seen cases where all protection was removed close to the end of renovation, and black grout was stained with white construction dust, turning it multi-colored.

Choose plastic skirting boards. They are fragile and lose their appearance quickly. I remember how a client ignored my advice and bought plastic skirting boards. After a year, it had to be replaced with new ones.

Save money on S-traps. Metal S-traps have a decent appearance and much longer service life than plastic ones. They are made of stainless steel and do not leak.

Use inappropriate adhesive for wallpaper. The adhesive must be special and suitable specifically for your type of wallpaper. Otherwise, you may ruin the wallpaper and make seams noticeable.

Don’t consider how wardrobes will open. Often, tall wardrobes with doors hit nearby hanging lights. Their placement should be planned early in the renovation process.

Don’t do test patches. It is impossible to determine paint color from sample cards in stores. In 90% of cases, it will turn out different.

Choose curtains without matching them to the interior. When we tried curtains in a store with the wallpaper and bedhead color, the shade seemed perfect. But in the actual interior, it unexpectedly took on a greenish tone.

Design: Anna Mozharo