Renovation dos and don’ts
Do set a proper budget before you decide to start any renovations.
Don’t do cosmetic renovations when your home is in need of serious repairs. A lot of people fall into the trap of renovating places like their bedrooms, basements or mudrooms when their kitchens or their bathrooms are falling apart. Kitchens and bathrooms are accentual parts of your home and need to function properly for the family to function properly.
Do make sure that you have a reserve fund for emergencies. A lot of times when contractors start removing drywall and tearing up floors they find issues that they have to fix before they can proceed with the rest of the renovation. Electrical wiring, plumbing and load bearing beams are just some of the issues that can need to be fixed before you can properly proceed with a renovation. A contractor has a duty to fix something that could damage the house or hurt someone in the future. As the homeowner you can always refuse to let them do the repair, but why would you though when you know it will cause problems in the future.
Don’t spend all your money on the fixtures like ovens and fridges and neglect the cabinets. A lot of people think that they can purchase a cheaper kitchen and then brighten up with expensive appliances. This works until a couple of years down the road and the kitchen starts to fall apart and you either end up with a kitchen that looks a lot older then it is with nice appliances or a kitchen that is in such bad shape after a couple of years that people don’t even notice the fantasy appliances.
Do hire a professional interior designer to help you with all your choices. Something that people don’t understand is that whatever the cost is to hire an interior designer, you will make most of it back in the discounts and bargain finds that they are able to get you when they help you pick all the items in your in renovation. Also an interior designer can help lower the stress that you will be under during a renovation by making smart decisions for you.
Don’t hire a contractor that you haven’t had the time to check out. When I say checkout I mean you need to ask around to people that you know if they have used them. Ask for a list of references; ask to see some of the places that they have renovated and check the internet. This should take you sometime, the more time you put into researching and interviewing your contractor the better you will feel when you give them your money.
Do ask questions. No legitimate contractor will be upset with you if ask them questions. If you don’t understand why they did what they did that day then ask! The only thing that will happen is that you will be given an answer, if you don’t like the answer ask more questions. If you hired the right contractor then they will have nothing to hide.
Don’t start a renovation without a proper plan. If you are doing renovations that are extensive then you better have some sort of drawings so that everyone knows what is to be done. The worst thing to happen is if you have to give them a list of things you want them to do every day. Also if you don’t have a proper plan then the contractor could end up doing things twice, the more information the better and more efficient they can be with your money.
These are just some of the dos and don’ts of having renovations done.
Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.
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