Demographics show that 36% of renters in the US live in apartment buildings. It is also shown that 5.4 million of these renters are women living alone.
If you’re an apartment resident, you may want to start making changes. After all, apartments are usually quite plain and designed in a way that can be dressed up or down.
You may want to start an apartment renovation to personalize this space. The only downside to this is that you have to ask the property manager for permission.
Keep reading to find out how to ask your landlord about an apartment renovation project.
Review Your Lease Agreement
The first thing that you should do when you want to make apartment updates is to check your lease. Your lease may give details about what is allowed and what isn’t.
These are details that you may not have noticed when signing the lease. The majority of leases will have a section outlining any updates to the apartment space.
This also includes repairs that may be necessary that you can ask about.
Decide on Your Desired Renovations
If you have checked your lease and the renovations are not included, you need to make a plan. You need to decide what renovations you want to do and how much they will cost.
It may seem silly to make a plan before asking, but this is important. You want to know exactly what you want to do so you can present it to your landlord.
If you want to paint the walls, you need to pick out a paint color that you can show them. If you want to update the kitchen counters, you need to figure out how much this will cost.
A landlord will be more likely to agree if you have done your research.
Ask Your Landlord for an Appointment
The next step you need to take is to ask your landlord for an appointment. This is a way to be respectful of their time since making this request may take a while.
It is much better to do this than to catch them at an inconvenient time. This can make them frustrated and far less likely to agree to make changes to your apartment.
This also means that both of you will get together at a convenient time without having to rush. This is ideal if they agree to these renovations and you need to discuss the details.
Have Pictures
If you really want to convince your property manager, you should have photos. No matter what kind of renovation you want to do, you should be able to find inspiration.
You can search online to find pictures similar to the apartment renovation you want to do. This may be a paint color or a picture of different lighting fixtures in a room.
You most likely got inspiration from somewhere that led to you wanting to make these apartment updates. Bring these photos with you so that your landlord understands what you are talking about.
This may help to sway them if they aren’t envisioning what you are describing. It will also show them how good the apartment will look with these updates.
Prepare to Negotiate
You should also prepare yourself to negotiate with your landlord. There are certain details that the two of you will have to decide on for these approved changes.
You may want to offer to pay for the labor of these renovations if the landlord pays for the materials. If you are doing it yourself, you can ask them to pay for the materials alone.
You can even ask for a rent discount if you cover the renovations yourself. There are several ways you can split it so that both of you are happy.
Remember that the more costly the updates, the harder it will be to convince your landlord. You also don’t want to invest too much money since you are only renting the apartment.
That is why small apartment renovations are best that don’t require too much money or time.
Common Apartment Renovations
Now that you know how to bring up apartment renovations, what are the best renovations? Because this is an apartment, you don’t want to go too crazy.
After all, most people do not consider an apartment to be a long-term living solution. You can’t take these renovations with you, so you don’t want to invest too much.
Here are some common apartment renovations that landlords approve of.
Painted Walls
Repainting the walls is one of the most common renovations you can do. This transforms the space and makes it more personal to your style and decor.
This is also something that most landlords allow since it is easy to paint over the walls. Keep in mind that you may be limited to specific colors if it is allowed.
New Light Fixtures
Light fixtures can also transform a space and give it a completely new look. You can do this with more modern fixtures or more cozy fixtures for your space.
This is a relatively affordable change that most landlords are willing to do. You may even be able to take the light fixtures with you if you pay for them yourself.
New Hardware
If you don’t like the hardware in your apartment, you may be able to change this. This is a relatively small renovation that is easily reversible.
This usually includes changing the knobs on kitchen and bathroom cabinets or the plates over light switches.
Discussing an Apartment Renovation With Your Landlord
If you want to start an apartment renovation, you need to ask your landlord. There are steps you can take to do this that guarantee that your project will be approved.
Do you want to find out more about being a tenant? Contact us today at Reedy and Company for tenant and property manager information.
