Choose a contractor and avoid the nightmare of renovation

Everyone knows a nightmare story of renovation. Either directly through first hand experience, or indirectly through someone they know. They are real. People have suffered.

Here are some friendly suggestions on how to help ensure that your next renovation is an enjoyable experience for you and your contractor.

Don’t think the cheapest offer is the best – you get what you pay for.

It is standard practice to get at least 3 quotes for any work you need to get for your renewal. Whether you’re tiling your powder room, building a deck, or looking for a general contractor to oversee the entire project, you want to make sure you don’t get ripped off. This is the most crucial part of any home renovation project. If a contractor offers you a deal that sounds too good to be true, or if you don’t have a realistic budget, prepare to be disappointed. Like any industry, quality takes time and money, so if you’re offered quality at no cost, something’s off. Often those who choose the cheaper route will end up with a “contractor” who will cut corners, use second-rate materials and practices, and ultimately leave them disappointed. In many cases, these night-flying criminals will fool everyone, take your deposit, and never be seen again.

Trust your gut, it’s usually right.

When I started out as a renovator, I quickly realized that people wanted to see what I had done to judge my qualifications for their own project. Obviously I had no purse and my main order winner was my personality and I promised that I was giving them the best quality for their money. Fortunately, I still managed to get enough work and always kept my promise at a price they could pay; a great stage for my clients. The important part was developing the relationship: I made sure both parties felt comfortable before signing any paperwork. Today, as then, I never ignore my instincts when it comes to weeding out problem customers, and homeowners should definitely follow their instincts when it comes to contractors. Get to know potential contractors well. Your personal relationship with them will make a difference.

Have a backup budget (buffer) for contingencies

The nature of home renovations means you’re removing layers of old stuff and replacing them with layers of new stuff. During the ‘scrub’ phase, there are always discoveries that neither the owner nor the contractor could have planned for; I could devote an entire book to the subject of surprises I’ve discovered in clients’ homes. So if you’re financially strapped for your renovation, you’re going to choke when your contractor finds out that he’s been cultivating an entire ecosystem of mold and mildew behind your leaky shower wall for the past 63 years. As an example, I recently removed drywall from a client’s kitchen ceiling and found that the previous contractor had virtually completely cut through the floor joists to install a vent, and there were no fewer than 8 electrical junction boxes. hidden outlets that fed various lights and outlets (by code, any electrical junction box must be easily accessible). Always, forevermake sure you have a little saved so that if the time comes, you can easily stay afloat.

If you want a pleasant renovation experience, you’ll do well to follow these guidelines. However, if your goal is to attract a lot of unreliable, shoddy, unreliable contractors, and also have a miserable renovation experience, the best bait is an insufficient budget, an overly frugal mindset, and an inadequate buffer. You’re going to catch some beauties.