Want to give your home a facelift? Are you new in the neighborhood and want to differentiate from the houses in the block? Let this article help you decide what's best and cost-efficient in renovating your home sweet home.

• Required permits

  Renovation is defined as modifying the appearance of structures that include land houses, apartment buildings, condominium, cluster housing and residential units in a mixed development. Renovation in private homes can either be additions, alterations or reconstruction to pre-existing dwelling units. Most of the time, large-scale renovation requires permit from authorities but modification works that are minor in nature are exempted from paper work. These modifications are those with no structural impact to the dwelling. Even removing a tree from a pathway is considered as a major renovation project since it alters the structure of the house and according to the Guidebook to Development Requirements, putting down a tree requires necessary permits from the government. Also, excavations for wells or water fixtures in the yard require a different permit as well. Taking from this, the first step that you need to do when you already have a project in mind is to research for the necessary building permits that you might need and if it is allowable in your zone. It can be very frustrating to have everything you need for the remodeling only to find out that you can't push it through because you don't have the complete requirements.

• Financial planning

  Financing the project really stings. Efficient budget planning is needed especially when the renovation is more functional than decorative. Canvass the materials, tools and manpower that you might need before the project or any paper processing begin and assess if today is the right time to demolish a wall, a toilet or your roof. If careful financial planning is not done, you might be surprised that you removed the staircase of your 3- story house for renovation only to find out that it cannot be replaced due to lack of budget. Firms and banks that provide loans especially for home improvement projects if you come in short in the middle of the renovation are present to help in case.

• Device and follow a timeline

  When to finish what is a good thing to know and have control of. If your renovation needs to finish before a certain date or event, for example renovating a bedroom to be a baby nursery and playpen, transforming a piece of garden to be a dirty kitchen or backyard barbecue picnic place for dad's retirement party, you ought to know better than renovate aimlessly. It will also help in securing that you have the right amount of resources just in time that you need it the most.

• Tools and manpower

  If you are excited about a project and think that you can handle the whole renovation, well think twice, thrice or even multiple times before embarking on that journey. If you think you can save money by DIY, consider the waste for subpar output if you are not experienced enough. See tutorial videos, but don't solely judge your capacity based on them. Buy the tools, try on using them for small scale projects, test your accuracy and still seek expert opinion upon drafting the final blueprint. Especially when it will cost much, don't leave your renovation projects to chance.

• Exterior renovation hack: Best money-saving projects with the most value

  A wood-deck addition, entry door and pathway facelift, fancy garage door addition and vinyl windows will surely step up your house's game. If you want to change anything about your current home for impact, these should be the top priorities. Your property would not only be an eye candy, but also will deliver the best ROI.

• Interior renovation hack: Just sprinkle a splash of color for pizzazz

  Want maximum impact with minimum change? Answer: color. Consider repainting a section or a single wall of your space. You only need a focal point for added surprise. It is also advisable to pop some color to unexpected areas such as interior spaces of cupboards and cabinets. For example, if your cupboards are painted a boring white or gray, splash some bright yellow or lime for contrast.

  You can also try new patterns or prints that are easy to implement. Some patterns that you can try are hombre, fishbone, or stripe when painting manually, or stencil designs that come in different shapes and sizes are available from hardware stores nationwide.

  Paint can be a tricky renovation project. Choosing a paint color will cost you substantial time. Remember that the temperature and mood of your house will heavily depend on your color choice. Some experts say that in order to select the best color for your walls you need to choose a few from the palette that you like and buy small portions. Paint a square meter of the wall and observe it for a day. You can paint on a tile and hang it on the wall so that you can see how the natural and artificial lighting affects your choice of hue if you are hesitant to paint and scrape. Keep trying until you find the color that best suits your purpose.

  If you are fully contented with the color of your walls or not really open to the idea of permanent changes in your home, additional curtain rods, movable bar, or mirrors are probably the best options for you to take. Curtain rods that are long and hang high up the ceiling can provide space for grand ceiling to floor curtains that will cover the walls. Movable bars, dividers or tables with inconspicuous wheels are a DIY decorator's' dream. They are very adaptable and permissible to change. And as opposed to a whole wall, changing the color of a movable divider is a lot cheaper and manageable. Mirrors not only increase depth and width to a room but are also functional options that are affordable and very classy.