Showing posts with label village builders newsletter. Show all posts

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Know Your Remodeler

Know Your Remodeler

Many of our clients are anxious to learn all they can about the home remodeling process before embarking on their project. This is understandable and admirable. A remodeling project is exciting, can have a positive impact on a family’s quality of life, and is potentially an excellent financial investment.

A good place to begin the education process is with the remodeling contractor. Customers who understand the remodeler’s motivation and approach to the work will be better equipped to select a remodeler that suits their personality and project.

This is not a mysterious or complex undertaking—remodeling contractors are just business people. We possess skills that lend themselves to home improvement just as you apply your expertise to your chosen profession. Like many others, we want to earn a living doing something we’re good at and are passionate about, as well as leave some positive mark on the world.

As business people, we are interested in making money honestly by providing an excellent product for a fair price. Professional remodelers accomplish this goal by preparing business plans, understanding and adhering to client expectations, and establishing strong and reliable partnerships with suppliers, lenders, and subcontractors. We live in the communities in which we work, and therefore rely on our local reputations to sustain our business success.

As with any business, some remodeling contractors lack adequate business and communication skills to be successful, at least in the long term. Those human deficiencies—not intentional deceit—are the root of most horror stories about dissatisfied customers. Only a very small percentage of remodelers act badly, and they are often (and increasingly) ferreted out and exposed by various regulatory and industry certification standards that continue to improve the reputation and professionalism of the industry.

Professional remodelers—those with both the trade and the business management skills—work hard to avoid misunderstandings and miscommunication with their clients. That effort is sometimes challenging. Unlike other industries, construction work is exposed and open as it progresses, and takes place in the full view of the client. What may appear to be incomplete or a mistake might simply be an unfinished phase of the project.

As a homeowner and potential remodeling client, it is critical to remember that contractors are engaged in the remodeling process every day, year after year, developing a solid sense of daily progress and a vision for how the project will finish to their client’s satisfaction. Homeowners, on the other hand, may go through the remodeling process only once, and so don’t get to develop that long-term perspective.

Successful remodeling professionals recognize the difference between their experienced perspective and the untrained eyes of their clients. They bridge that gap by respecting a homeowner’s questions and providing clear and satisfactory answers. They understand the significant emotional investment and the financial risk undertaken by their clients, and they work hard to calm fears and debunk myths.

Informed homeowners, in turn, must understand that remodeling is all in a day’s work for a contractor. When both you and your remodeler respect each other’s role and approach to the project, it creates a greater opportunity to foster open communication, build trust, and achieve a successful and satisfying project.

Warm Regards,

Doug Abbott
Village Builders

This is an excerpt from a newsletter that is distributed to all former, current and future clients of Village Builders Inc. If you would like to receive this newsletter feel free to email me at www.robabbott@villagebuilders.ca

Rob Abbott

Village Builders Inc

Friday, April 10, 2015

Keeping Projects on Track When Renovating

Keeping Projects on Track

Failure to make timely decisions is the number one culprit behind schedule and cost overruns.

Homeowners play a key role in preventing these problems.

Some homeowners find it a challenge to make their final selection of products and materials. It’s easy to see why—with practically limitless choices in countertops, fixtures, tiles, windows, and other products, it can be difficult to settle on one model, style, or color.

But decisions must be made at some point, and making those decisions in a timely manner is crucial
to keeping a project on schedule and on budget. Indecision and delay can cause costs to rise dramatically.

Professional remodelers always include enough time in the schedule for homeowners to sort through these choices, but they also set firm deadlines for when each choice must be made. Those deadlines are based on how long it takes to obtain each item, and whether other work depends on the decision.

Take the example of an interior remodel that includes replacing the existing windows, and where the new windows will be sized to fit the existing opening. After the new drywall has been installed, the homeowners decide they really want larger windows. This would require cutting back the drywall and reframing the openings, a job that will slow down the schedule and increase costs. The same goes for decisions about plumbing fixture locations that would require the moving of pipes after the drywall is in.

What about items that don’t affect framing or plumbing? Late selections anywhere can cause problems. Custom-made products like shower surrounds, cabinets, and countertops can have long lead times, so late selections can easily push the job past its original finish date. The same goes for decisions on flooring and paint colors.

The problem with extending the schedule is that time is money—every day the remodeler's crew is on the job, expenses are adding up for labor and overhead (for example, items like the dumpster, a perimeter fence and, on large projects, a jobsite office).

During that extra time the homeowners may have the continuing inconvenience of, for example, not having a kitchen. If it's a home they just bought and are having remodeled before moving in, the delay will extend the time they have to pay for both the new home and the one they're living in.

Savvy homeowners reduce this risk by working closely with the design team, whether it's the remodeler's design staff or an independent architect and interior designer. This helps minimize selection problems: the design team helps the homeowners to narrow the choices in models, styles, and color, and guides them to selections they will be happy with.

The most effective thing homeowners can do to ensure a smooth project is to work with the remodeler and design team to make as many decisions as possible before work starts. Early selections eliminate a lot of stress and expense. Every remodeling project requires a lot of decisions, and savvy homeowners help keep the project on track by meeting decision deadlines.

Warm Regards,

Doug Abbott
Village Builders

This is an excerpt from a newsletter that is distributed to all former, current and future clients of Village Builders Inc. If you would like to receive this newsletter feel free to email me at www.robabbott@villagebuilders.ca

Rob Abbott

Village Builders Inc

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Can I Hire My Own Painter Instead Of My General Contractor?

Can I Hire My Own Painter?

Or buy my own carpet...Remodelers get these questions a lot. Here's why a Yes answer is seldom in the homeowners' best interest.

It’s not unusual for homeowners to ask their remodeler to use a trade contractor with whom the homeowners (but not the remodeler) have an established relationship, or to let them buy their own plumbing fixtures or other items. The homeowners should not be surprised if the contractor discourages this. Sticking to known subcontractors is a policy that’s in the best interest of the remodeler and the homeowners. The reasons have to do with the business relationships between remodeler, suppliers, and subcontractors.

Purchases from approved suppliers

Lets start with purchases. Allowance selections and purchases are made with approved suppliers, and for good reason. The remodeler who agrees to use unfamiliar suppliers or owner-sourced products in critical applications can’t guarantee the reliability of those products, can’t stand behind the warranty, and risks problems with the schedule and budget.

As an example, imagine the homeowners order carpet from a non-approved carpet supplier, then find out that the carpet they chose is European, only comes in widths of three meters (instead of the 12 feet that the carpet allowance was based on) and is a special order that takes 20 weeks to deliver. Will the schedule accommodate that delivery restriction? Can the remodeling contractor trust the vendor's assurance that all seams will "disappear"?

Builder-selected Subcontractors

There are even more compelling reasons for using known subcontractors. Remodelers depend upon subs as much as they do employees – trade partners are an integral part of the project team. Thus, remodelers tend to award major contracts (the fabrication and installation of custom kitchen cabinets, for example) only to contractors that have proven themselves. With proven subs, accurate bids can be assembled quickly, and the remodeler can be confident in the quality promised by those bids.

A professionally-managed remodeling contractor whose focus is quality will test new subs out on small jobs and then evaluate their work over time. Do they consistently produce work that meets the remodeler's quality standards? Do they work well with the project manager or lead carpenter? Are their bids accurate? How quickly do they respond to service calls? Does their work stand up over a 3 or 4-year period? Yes, it can take several years to determine if a sub can be trusted on a large and complex job. Sometimes a new sub makes a good impression on the first job, only to disappoint on subsequent projects.

In fact the remodeling contractor who agrees to use unvetted subs risks losing control of the project. The painting crew that is doing just one job for the remodeler may not be as conscientious as the crew that relies on the company for a majority of its work. Even if the homeowner agrees to take responsibility for the end result, the truth is that any problems will reflect badly on the remodeler’s reputation. And remember: a good reputation is likely why the clients hired the remodeler in the first place.

The point is that good relationships between remodelers and subs are crucial to successful projects. Part of maintaining those good relationships is treating subs well, including paying them fair prices and not squeezing them out of jobs they have earned a shot at.

This pays off big when the inevitable problems arise. For instance when schedules change because of a weather delay or an unexpected structural issue that had been hiding behind that old plaster, subs that have been treated well are more likely to change their schedule and do whatever it takes to keep the project on time and on budget. After all, everyone’s on the same team.

Warm Regards,

Doug Abbott
Village Builders

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Preplanning Before Groundbreaking

Preplanning Before Groundbreaking

On time, on budget, and exceeding customer expectations starts with a thorough preconstruction plan.

To finish a complex project on time and on budget, the Professional Remodeler must have a thoughtful, thorough and well-developed preconstruction planning process. It can feel like a slow way to start, but the time spent upfront pays off in more ways than some homeowners realize.

Despite its importance, planning is one of those success factors that gets too little credit. Most homeowners understand that the project must be completed on paper before work starts, but not all of them realize the full extent of the prep work involved. This work goes well beyond blueprints.

For a project to come off without major problems, the remodeler must plan every detail and activity for every stage of the project. The right materials and products have to be in place at the right times, workers and subs must be ready to go when needed, and contingency plans have to be created for weather and other obstacles. The more detailed the plan, the smoother the workflow and the faster the job will get done. This is especially important if the homeowners will be living in the house during construction.

Such planning may be relatively simple for a small project like a new deck or bath facelift. But the details that need to be tracked for a major renovation can be staggering, and can include hundreds of colors, components, finishes, and model numbers. The absence or presence of specific words in the plans and specifications can dramatically change estimated costs, finished appearances, and scheduling. Calculating and determining correct quantities, costs, and delivery times for all these items demands real organization. A decision made today will determine whether the right personnel and materials are on the job a month or two from now.

The plan must also consider bureaucratic entities such as zoning boards, architectural review committees, and homeowner associations. A good plan will ensure that their rules are taken into account during every step of the project.

Then there are communication issues. A large-scale remodeling project has much in common with a relay race, where the baton gets passed between participants at key points. The most crucial of those happen during the planning phase, when a lot of information has to be passed intact from the salesperson, to the designer, to the production manager or lead carpenter. A professional remodeler will have a management system that makes sure these transfers happen smoothly and accurately.

Someone on the remodeler’s staff must also confirm that key details are communicated to all members of the project team—homeowners, architect, interior designer, project manager, contractor—at the right time. This person must also ensure that everyone on the team understands their own, and everyone else’s, responsibilities.

A project that starts with this type of detailed planning stands a much better chance to come in on time, on budget, and with minimal stress. By taking the time up front to think through all the details, the remodeler can ensure the best possible outcome for the homeowners. The ultimate benefit of this is a finished project that reflects the vision of the homeowners, and a sense of pride and satisfaction for all who had a hand in completing it.

Warm Regards,

Doug Abbott
Village Builders

Friday, October 17, 2014

Avoid Common Mistakes When Doing A Renovation

Avoid Common Mistakes

How professional remodelers avoid some of the most common construction mistakes.

Most homeowners judge a quality remodeling project by the obvious: a design that’s a joy to live in, a streetscape that wows passers-by, great natural lighting, and lots of storage. The list goes on.
But some less obvious details have as great an impact on the homeowners’ satisfaction over time. While the homeowners have little control over these details, a professional remodeler with a sustainable business will make sure they get done right.

The possibilities for bad work are too many to list. A few examples should make the point.
Poor moisture control

Mistakes here can potentially raise the chance of mold, mildew, and rot. Steve Easley, a California-based building consultant who investigates moisture problems, sees the same errors again and again.

Three common ones:

• Horizontal valleys. Such valleys include where a roof slopes into a chimney or wall. The detailing here needs to be close to perfect to keep water out.

• Lack of overhangs. In a Canadian study, 80 percent of examined homes with moisture in the walls had no roof overhang, making it easy for water to flow down the siding and into the wall.

• Improper housewrap. When water gets behind the siding, flashing and housewrap should direct it back out before it can get into the structure. Mistakes here are rampant. Take the example of a piece of flashing that laps over the one above it. Anyone with a basic grasp of gravity will understand that if water dripping down the wall hits this intersection, it will flow into the structure rather than out. Shockingly, building science experts say that it’s one of the most common errors they see in the field.

Under-performing mechanicals

Modern heating and cooling equipment is very efficient, but efficiency doesn’t guarantee comfort. Equipment must be well sized and ducts properly sealed. Sadly, these aren’t always properly done.
Some HVAC contractors still use rule-of-thumb calculations to size furnaces and air conditioners. That may have worked for old, drafty structures but with today’s tighter homes the result is often oversized equipment that costs more to buy and operate, and leaves the home less comfortable than it could be. Smart remodelers work with HVAC companies that carefully calculate the home’s heating load and precisely matches the system to that load.

Another rampant problem is leaky ductwork. If the leak is outside the main living area, such as in a basement, living and sleeping spaces won’t get the air they need. There will be resulting comfort issues, and the equipment will have to run longer to satisfy the thermostat. If ducts run through a totally unconditioned space—for example, a hot attic in summer—leaks will create a slight vacuum that pulls unwanted outside air into the house through leaks in the floors, walls, and ceilings.

Sloppy insulation

When insulation is installed without enough attention to detail, the home can end up with hot and cold spots and uncomfortable drafts.

John Tooley, a nationally known building science consultant and energy expert, says that the most common problem areas he sees are attic kneewalls and vaulted ceilings. In the former the insulation usually gets installed without backing and so falls away from the wall; in the latter it’s stuffed into the ceiling cavity, leaving heat-sucking voids. “Insulation has to touch the surface of the drywall to do its job,” he points out. “That’s obviously not happening in a lot of cases.”

The thread running through these situations is that the remodeler lacked a quality system and process to make sure insulation was installed right, mechanicals properly sized, ducts sealed, and the home protected against moisture. And if those tasks escaped scrutiny, chances are others did as well.

Warm Regards,

Doug Abbott
Village Builders

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

The High-Performance Remodel

The High-Performance Remodel

Many of our clients are less interested in “green” construction than they are in projects that offer health, comfort, and low ownership costs.

“Green” remodeling hasn’t been as big a hit among homeowners as some contractors hoped it would be. It’s easy to see why. Green has been over-used as a marketing term, often supported by vague definitions and poorly defined customer benefits. But while many homeowners are no longer moved by pleas to “go green,” they remain very interested in upgrades that use less energy and require less repair and maintenance.

The good news is that making a home more energy-efficient and durable also reduces its impact on the environment. And its owners reap a harvest of concrete benefits.

Green Builder Magazine definesa greenhome as "healthier, more comfortable, more durable, and more energy efficient, with a much smaller environmental footprint than conventional homes."

Matt Power, editor-in-chief of Green Builder magazine, agrees that the term “green” doesn’t connect with a lot of homeowners – even though builders and remodelers who embrace the term do a great job meeting those homeowners’ needs. “What we have come to understand as green is really just good building practice.
It’s a high-performance home that’s healthy, safe, and comfortable, with predictable expenses.”
Of course a newly-remodeled home will be better on all these counts than it was before work began, but high-performance professional remodelers raise the bar even higher.

These remodelers prioritize health, comfort, and energy efficiency with top-shelf doors and windows, high R-value insulation, careful air sealing, and ventilation systems that provide a steady supply of fresh air. By doing so they reduce heating and cooling bills, eliminate uncomfortable drafts, and ensure that the homeowners enjoy a healthy environment. These techniques also keep the home quieter by helping to muffle street noise.
The result is a home that’s a sanctuary—a retreat that is the focal point for family gatherings.
When it comes to heating, cooling, and electric bills, the savings can add up fast. A savings of just $120 per month is $1,440 per, or a five-year savings of $7200.

High-performance remodelers also use quality products and careful construction detailing to reduce costly repairs over time. These details include good moisture management to keep water out of the structure, eliminating worries about mold and rot, as well as top-end mechanical equipment that will last for years without the need for replacement or repair. For instance, with today’s variable speed furnaces the fan runs at low speed much of the time. Besides requiring less fuel to operate, the fan will last longer than one in an older furnace, which runs only at high speed and is constantly switching on and off.

Determining which details to prioritize are driven by budget and client needs. For instance, the homeowners may want to replace all the home's windows when they add that master suite, but may decide to put a furnace replacement on the back burner for now. Local climate and utility rates can also factor in the decision: upgrading the home's insulation might offer the quickest return on investment in one case, while better windows might be the first choice in another. The professional remodeler can help the homeowners choose the best options for a particular project.

The ultimate benefit offered by upgrading a home's performance is peace of mind. “What we’re really talking about is making the home more resilient,” says Power. “Because the home has a lower cost of ownership over time, the homeowners are better able to plan for, and weather, economic ups and downs.”

Warm Regards,

Doug Abbott
Village Builders

Monday, August 11, 2014

The Impact of Change when renovating

The Impact of Change

Even small changes made after work begins can have surprising effects on the budget. Here’s why.
Minimizing change orders is one of the most effective things homeowners can do to control costs during a remodel. This is especially true when you have a fixed-price contract. The reason is that seemingly small changes can have cost impacts beyond the remodeler’s control—costs that ultimately are borne by the customer.

We’re not talking about unscrupulous contractors who write vague specifications to create low bids and then nickel-and-dime clients with change orders to increase profits. We mean honest remodelers who write detailed specs, price accurately, and manage their jobs in a professional manner.

Arriving at a contract price for a complex remodel that gives the clients value for their money and provides the remodeler with a fair profit takes a lot of time and experience. The remodeler must plan the job down to the last detail. Deviations from that plan after project kickoff tend to raise the budget.

The kickoff usually happens at the preconstruction meeting, where the remodeler and clients review and sign off on product and design choices. Purchase orders are then generated and sent to subcontractors and suppliers, setting firm prices for every part of the job. If clients request changes after this point, they are responsible for any extra cost.

How much cost? That depends not only on what is being changed, but also when. For example, suppose a major kitchen remodel includes a new door to a deck or patio. If the clients decide later that they want a sliding door rather than a standard door, it will cost less if they decide before or soon after demolition. If they wait until the standard door has been installed and the walls around it wired, insulated, and drywalled, the change is more costly.

Less obvious are seemingly minor changes that have a ripple effect. These can multiply the cost of an item to several times what it would have been as part of the original specs.

Suppose the kitchen remodel also includes a nearby powder room, and the homeowners decide they prefer a pedestal sink over the small vanity they had chosen. The remodeler’s staff has to cancel the order for the vanity and possibly for a granite top. If those items have already shipped, the supplier will likely charge a restocking fee.
The pedestal must be ordered from the plumbing supplier, taking additional time. If the hot and cold water pipes are already in place, the plumber has to move them, and the plumbing inspector has to inspect the change. If the wall has already been finished, the drywaller must be called back. This minor change may throw off everyone’s schedule by a week or more.

Every change also requires time from the remodeler’s staff—time to complete and track orders, to reschedule workers and subcontractors, and to update the budget. That’s why change orders include an administrative fee.
This explanation is not given to discourage important changes. Clients are entitled to make their home their own, and most clients decide to make at least some changes during a project. But they should do so with a clear understanding of the costs those decisions will bring. It’s a reminder that making firm selections up front is in the clients’ best interest.

Warm Regards,

Doug Abbott
Village Builders

This is an excerpt from a newsletter that is distributed to all former, current and future clients of Village Builders Inc. If you would like to receive this newsletter feel free to email me at www.robabbott@villagebuilders.ca

Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc

Monday, May 12, 2014

Effective Communication: Key to a Successful Remodeling Project

Communication is important in all relationships, and your relationship with your remodeler is no exception. Effective communication between client and remodeler will reduce concerns and stress before, during, and after the project. Here are some tips for keeping the lines of communication open at key points.

When selecting a remodeler—The best time to explore your level of comfort with a remodeler’s communication style is while you are deciding who is going to build your project. These early communications often reflect how your remodeler will communicate during construction and after closing. Remodelers who are effective communicators will encourage your questions and provide satisfactory and prompt answers.

As you reach a purchasing decision—Make sure you understand how you and your remodeler will discuss the project and its progress. For larger projects, remodelers encourage guided walk-throughs at critical stages of construction, such as during structural framing, after electrical and plumbing rough-in, or after drywall. In addition, find out how the remodeler manages phone calls and emails, and ask how quickly you can expect a response when you have a concern.

On seeing the schedule—The remodeler will present a detailed scope of work that outlines the process and schedule. Use the scope of work as a guide to gain a better understanding of the remodeling process and ask clarifying questions. The construction schedule will also show deadlines for key decisions you must make, such as paint colors, lighting and plumbing fixtures, and flooring materials.

When working with change orders—An essential part of owner-remodeler communication is the change order, which is the remodeler’s procedure for making changes after construction begins. Few projects are completed without some changes along the way. Find out about this process before construction begins. Also, learn the details of your remodeler’s warranty and service program.

Successful remodelers have systems in place for communicating effectively with their clients before, during, and after construction. These systems have been developed over years with many clients, and deserve our respect.

At the same time, your needs, preferences, and comfort level matter. Once you’ve settled on a communication plan with your remodeler, stick with it! Good communication is a key to a predictable and sane remodeling process that provides you and your family the home you desire and deserve.

Warm Regards,