For the moment, let’s imagine that you’re in the midst of a home makeover. There are shattered cabinets, missing countertops, and half-painted ceilings everywhere. In addition, there is construction equipment in your living space, making the entire place unlivable.
Now imagine if the remodeling was halted due to an uncalled-for event, and you have no choice but to live in this mess for weeks, maybe months. That is heart-breaking, right?
As pretty and appealing as the outcome can be, tackling home projects can be a massive pain in the butt if your timing isn’t right. Typically, when a renovation project breaches the time frame, it runs the risk of exceeding the budget and, well, frustrating the homeowner.
Yes, we admit; keeping your home improvement projects afloat and on schedule isn’t a piece of cake. Luckily, we’ve got a few handy-dandy tricks you can use to get your home improvement project finished on time.
So without further ado, here’s a list of what you need to be mindful of:
- Always have a plan for utility outages
Depending on where you’re working in the house, you may not have plumbing shut-off valves. If this is the case, you must turn off the water at the control valve, which will leave your home without water.
As a result, it is critical to prepare for utility outages like this by keeping water containers in the refrigerator for drinking, on the counter for cooking, and buckets of water in the bathroom.
Moreover, finding a portable potty for rent for contractors and workers is a good way of ensuring the water you’ve stored isn’t used by anyone else.
- Set a project budget
To ensure your home renovation project is on schedule, the next step is to determine your budget. This budget should include building materials, labor cost, the décor, and the cosmetic touches.
To create a budget, first, decide how much you want to spend and then finalize financing. Get cost estimates from professionals and price out all necessary materials.
If your estimated costs do not fit your budget, don’t fret.
Use the home improvement project plan you created in step one to eliminate less critical project elements. Confirm cost estimates from several contractors to determine which solution is right for your budget.
- Ensure to hire the right people for the job
You should ideally hire a contractor based on a recommendation from a friend or neighbor. If that isn’t an option, look up the contractor’s references online. Be sure to visit Supa Group to find out more about 2nd storey extensions.
A search on BBB, Yelp, Home Advisor, Facebook, or other similar websites will help reveal which contractors value their reputation and have positive reviews from clients.
Contractors on your shortlist should also provide you with the contact details of previous clients so that you can approach them for more information on their experience.
Remember that reputable contractors have all the necessary insurances and licenses, so ensure to double-check these so that you don’t end up hiring the wrong people.
- Obtain permissions
Some homeowners consider obtaining a building permit as means of speeding up the remodeling process. If you fail to obtain the necessary permits, it may come back to haunt you.
These approvals ensure that your remodel complies with all safety procedures and structural requirements. If it doesn’t, inspectors may order you to yank out the work that is not up to code, causing you delays and lots of headaches.
So, plan ahead of time and obtain the necessary permits.
- Make a renovation-free zone.
Before beginning a home renovation project, it is good to define a specific home area free of all remodeling projects. You can use this area for the family to gather to loosen up – or somewhat relax at the end of the day.
Finally, the key here is to provide a functional space for everybody to gather, eat, and socialize.
- With a well-written contract, you can cover all of your bases.
Ensure you have a detailed contract that contains crucial elements like the project timetable, payment schedule, products/materials, conflict resolution provisions, and so on.
Check that all bids are based on the same plans, quality standards, and scope of work. If you are unsure, have a legal aid or a lawyer draught the terms with your contractor.
- Keep communication lines open.
You should converse with your contractor on a routine basis and schedule weekly site meetings to avoid problems. It is prevalent for homeowners to request changes or extra effort during the renovation process. A change order will have an impact on and delay your project.
Hence, it is critical to have a signed change order for all the work, including detailed documentation in your service agreement.
- Be prepared for the unexpected.
A golden remodeling and construction rule states that once you’ve completed your budget and explored it with your contractor, you should add 20% to account for unexpected costs.
Suppose you want to install your tile floor in a grid formation rather than a linear sequence. In that case, you will need more material and sometimes even more labor.
When removing a wall or relocating a window opening, you may encounter unforeseen pipes or electrical wires.
All of these things may be shocking, but they do not have to derail your budget or schedule. Plan everything ahead of time and provide a detailed overview of your plan to the contractors involved; this is the only way to get a plausible time estimate.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you’ve made it this far. Now, all that’s left for you to do is move your furniture, appliances, décor, and every other stuff that helps make a house a home. At the same time, ensure you have a Plan B in case things go south.
Taking the time to find out information ahead allows you to start getting what you need in advance. So always be prepared for everything.
Finishing crucial home improvement projects isn’t an uphill battle; you can take on anything if you follow the above guidelines.