Using AI To Research Your Renovation? Here’s What To Keep In Mind.
AI is becoming an increasingly useful tool for homeowners researching a renovation - whether it's exploring design ideas, understanding unfamiliar terminology or getting an initial sense of what might be involved. But, like any source of information, it helps to know what AI does well and when an answer needs to be checked.
Key Takeaways
- AI can be a great starting point for renovation research - it can help you explore ideas, understand terminology and arrive at conversations with your designer or builder better informed.
- A confident answer isn’t necessarily a correct one - AI can draw on information from different countries or sources that may be outdated, so advice about NZ building regulations, consent requirements and technical matters should always be checked.
- Your renovation is specific to your home - site conditions, existing construction, planning rules and your chosen level of finish can all affect what’s possible, what approvals are required and how much the work is likely to cost.
When AI gets it almost right...
Kris recently met with a homeowner who was considering some renovation work to their property.
They had clearly done their homework before the meeting and showed him some images, that seemed to be AI-generated, exploring different ways the work could potentially be carried out, along with information about what might be involved.
It was actually a useful way of showing Kris what they were thinking of doing to their property and gave them plenty to talk about.
But amongst the information was a reference to the proposed work requiring a “minor plumbing consent.”
That sounded plausible enough - except there is no such thing as a “minor plumbing consent” in New Zealand.
In this particular case, the proposed work would require a Building Consent.
It was a good example of one of the limitations of using AI to research your renovation. An answer can sound completely convincing, even when part of it isn’t quite right.
Why can AI get it wrong?
AI draws on a huge amount of information, and not all of it will necessarily relate to New Zealand - or be current.
Building terminology, regulations and consenting processes differ between countries, so information that applies in Australia, the UK or the US can sometimes find its way into an answer about a New Zealand renovation.
But there’s another important limitation too. AI doesn’t know your house.
Two homeowners could ask exactly the same question about removing a wall, adding a bathroom or extending their home and receive a perfectly reasonable general answer. But the correct answer for each property could be quite different.
The age and construction of the existing house, structural requirements, site conditions and Auckland planning rules can all influence what’s possible and what approvals may be required.
That doesn’t make the AI answer useless. It just means there may be more to the answer than can be established from a general question.
What about using AI to research renovation costs?
This is another area where AI can be useful for gaining some initial understanding - but the numbers should be treated as a guide rather than a budget.
Renovation costs are particularly difficult to generalise.
The size of the project is only one part of the equation. Access, existing construction, structural work, ground conditions, plumbing and drainage, demolition and your chosen level of finish can all have a significant effect on the cost.
There’s also the question of where the pricing information has come from, whether it reflects the New Zealand - or more specifically Auckland - construction market, and how current it is.
So if AI gives you an indication of what your proposed extension or renovation might cost, there’s nothing wrong with using that as part of your early research. Just make sure you get some project-specific advice before deciding whether the numbers stack up for you.
So, should you use AI when planning a renovation?
Absolutely.
It can be a great way to explore possibilities, gather inspiration, learn some of the terminology and go into conversations with designers and builders better informed.
It can also help you work out what you don’t know - and therefore what questions you need to ask.
The trick is simply knowing which information needs another layer of checking.
Ideas and inspiration? Explore away.
Building or Resource Consent requirements? Check them.
Structural or technical advice? Check it.
How much your particular renovation is likely to cost? Check that too.
AI is a great starting point for renovation research. It just shouldn’t always be the final word.
Before investing significant time and money in detailed plans and consenting, it makes sense to check that what you’re proposing is both practical and broadly achievable within your budget. That’s where talking to an experienced renovation specialist early can be invaluable.
At MyHome Renovations, our Concept Design & Budget Check process is designed to do exactly that - helping you to explore what’s possible, identify any potential issues and get an early indication of likely build costs before progressing too far down the design and consenting path.
After all, you don’t want to invest thousands of dollars developing plans based on assumptions that turn out not to be quite right - whether they came from AI or anywhere else.
Want a great renovation experience? Then read this
In our FREE guide discover 5 things you need to consider to avoid becoming another renovation nightmare statistic plus receive some extra BONUS advice.
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