Remodeling your home can be exciting and overwhelming all at once. Below are some of the most common mistakes homeowners experience when it comes to home remodeling – and how to steer clear of them yourself.
Assuming You Will Save Dollars Doing it Yourself
Most often, weekend warriors are only effective on smaller projects such as painting a room, applying wallpaper, conducting routine maintenance and doing simple repairs.What starts out in an attempt to save money can quickly turn into a costly mess. All too often, the job is botched and costs more to have a reputable professional make the corrections. Or, the do-it-yourselfer is stuck with sub par results.
Design Exceeds Budget
Don’t waste time and money on project plans without reliable advise in regards to your personal budget limitations. Instead, work with a designer who can provide conceptual solutions accompanied with tiered estimates to guide the parameters of the design based on your own priorities. Enjoy being presented by a plan that you both enjoy and can afford.
Incomplete Plans
The plans for any remodel project should be explicitly detailed before the work begins. If not, the risks are added costs and delays. There is also a chance for results that don’t fit within the intended design theme. Also, when cost quotes are solicited from contractors, it is imperative that the plans are complete in order to get accurate comparisons.
Lack of Communication Between Owner and Contractor
When it comes to complex issues such as home remodeling , there are no bad questions. Your building team is responsible to provide you with opportunities to get answers. This is best achieved through scheduled meetings and project walk-throughs at key milestones. The vast majority of construction disputes result from poor communication. Choose to work with someone who recognizes this and is proactive in its prevention.
Failure to Plan for the Unexpected
There are many factors involved in most remodels. Often, unforeseen conditions can come up along the way. A qualified general contractor will be prepared to recommend a remedy at additional cost. The presentation of these terms is an example of a change order. Change orders are a normal and very real aspect of many construction projects. Studies have shown that change order costs result in average increases of about 5 percent of the original project total.
The Lowest Price Does Not Always Save You Money
Be certain you are comparing “apples to apples” when analyzing remodeling estimates, even if two different contractors have included the same tasks in their quotes. There may still be significant differences. For instance, one contractor may define a clean jobsites as “a broom clean daily” while another’s may be “haul away mountains of trash and debris on last visit to the job.” (This really does happen). Remember, you can’t get something for nothing so beware of contractors who “throw in” features to win your approval. If they should fail financially, you could be stuck with material and labor liens, not to mention incomplete or improperly completed projects.
Ovation Design-Build wants to be your go-to resource for any remodeling questions and mistakes. We are committed to making your remodeling dreams into a reality. Contact us today to find out how.
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