Home renovation is often a huge project that requires a lot of time, money, brainwork, and precision. However, despite the precision applied, there’s a need to order extra materials. The concept of ordering extra materials while renovating your home is referred to as the waste factor.
Despite what the name ‘’waste factor’’ may imply, ordering extra materials while renovating your home is not a wasteful act; rather, it is compulsory. One of the most important things to do when calculating the quantity of materials to buy for your home’s renovation is to buy more than the required amount.
The last thing you need while renovating your home is to run out of materials. This is why it is crucial always to order more than the required materials.
So, the big question is ‘’how much extra material should you order for a home renovation? Join us as we explore what the waste factor fully entails, including its importance, and how much extra material you need for a home renovation.
Waste Factor
So far, you understand that the waste factor refers to ordering extra materials for a building or renovation project and that it is compulsory. You may be confused at this point, and it is understandable, considering that this may be the first time you’re learning about the waste factor.
The waste factor involves adding a planned percentage to the required materials for a project to cover damages and errors. Home renovations often involve roofing, flooring, decking, and drywall repairs; these are major home construction projects that require substantial materials. Now, according to the waste factor theory, you need to order additional materials beyond those listed.
Advantages of Ordering Extra Material for a Home Reno
The question on your mind is likely Why do you need to order extra materials after getting an accurate estimate from an expert?
The expert might have already added the required extra materials to the list, but here’s a breakdown of the benefits of ordering additional materials for a home renovation.:
1. It covers material loss
The home construction waste factor is crucial, especially for major projects like roofing and flooring. Ordering extra materials for a home renovation is like preparing for unforeseen circumstances. Material loss is almost inevitable during a home construction or renovation. Materials can be damaged during transport to your home, and errors can occur during construction. The waste factor is essential for homeowners who plan to renovate their homes.
2. It covers future repairs
While no one wants a damaged roof or floor that needs repair, it is better to keep extra materials on hand for the future. The advantages of the waste factor in this case outweigh the disadvantages. Having extra repair materials on hand saves you from spending in the future. Secondly, it prevents the use of mismatched materials. Buying the same material may be difficult.
3. It prevents project delays
Stopping the renovation process just as the project is almost finished because of limited materials is frustrating. Stopping a project at any time isn’t right and should be avoided by all means; hence the need to order extra materials for your project.
How Much Extra Material Should You Order for a Home Renovation
Now that you have learned the meaning of the waste factor and why it is essential, it makes it easier for you to calculate how much extra material to order.
The standard waste factor is calculated by percentage. You can determine the amount of extra materials to calculate by adding between 5% – 20% to the initial estimate. However, you need to understand that the percentage depends on the project and materials.
The first step for calculating the amount of extra material needed is to do an accurate measurement of the work area. This applies to home construction projects like roofing, tiling, flooring, and decking. The aim is to determine the area’s square feet. After determining the area’s square feet, you can calculate the waste factor.
Example:
If your roof area is 1000 square feet and the waste factor is 15%, the calculation is:
1000 x (15/100) = 150
The total amount to order is 1,150 square feet of roofing materials.
Conclusion
While the concept of ordering extra materials is well known among the professionals, it may be news to most first-time homeowners.
As a homeowner, allowing building experts to handle the calculation and estimation is the best way forward. However, you can calculate the waste factor of the materials with the measurements and estimates presented by the experts.
