Homework For Homeowners. Keeping Your Home Remodeling Project on Track

Keeping Your Home Remodeling Project on Track

Delays in home remodeling projects are frustrating, especially when a little education, planning, and smart choices can effectively avoid many project delays.

Creating a home that meets all your functional and aesthetic needs is a process. From making decisions about finishes and fixtures to choosing the right professional, you have more control over your project’s timeline than you might think. While your contractor plans the specifics for your project, there are several steps you can take to move your home remodeling along.

The decisions and the preparations you make before the hammers start swinging can ensure that your project goes smoothly and efficiently. For example, having your financing in place and a clear vision of your project before you hire a contractor can help get the ball rolling in a positive direction. While there are almost always unforeseen issues that can affect your project’s timeline, educating yourself on the process can help you keep your home remodeling project on time and on budget.

Here are some valuable tips that will help you minimize delays and get the results you want for your next home remodeling project!

Step One: Make a Wish List

If you’ve been thinking about a remodel, the first step is to start with a wish list. Look at your home objectively. Think about what works and what can be improved. Create a list of potential improvements and rank them in order of importance. Start with a “money is no object” attitude and think about how you’d like to improve your home.

Look through home design magazines and visit sites like Houzz to begin to generate ideas for your project. Explore the fixtures, finishes, and design styles available to help you narrow your choices. Make notes about what you like and what you don’t like, and develop an idea of your personal style and needs.

Learn More About Our Home Remodeling Process

As you get further into the process, use various cost guides and online resources to begin to develop a budget for your project. This can help you gain an idea of the scope of your project, the elements you’ll need to consider, and a rough budget. Once you’ve hired a design-build contractor, they can effectively help you create a realistic budget and choose materials that are more cost-effective to help you value-engineer your project, maximize your budget, and help you realize your creative vision.

Keeping Your Home Remodeling Project on Time

As the homeowner, you have more control over your project’s timeline than you might think. While your contractor will control the specifics of the timeline, there are steps you can take throughout the project to help keep it on track, on time, and on budget!

Finances

You are in control of your finances. When you choose a contractor, they will help you to create a realistic budget based on your specifications. Before any project begins, your contractor will need to order materials. This requires money. Before hiring anyone, make sure you have financing in place. Whether it is a HELOC or contractor financing, having your finances in place will help keep your project on track. Most contractors will require an upfront deposit to order materials and scheduled payments throughout the project. Having your financing in place before your project begins can keep it on track.

Previous Construction Errors

Unless you’re purchasing a new build, your home will most likely have some issues due to previous construction errors or code changes put in place after your home was built. Many home remodeling delays are caused by the need to fix previous problems. Whether you’ve purchased an older home that may have materials like asbestos floor tiles, lead plumbing, or older wiring, or the previous homeowner hired a cheap contractor who did poor-quality work, these types of issues are often not discovered until construction has already started. Hiring a local contractor who is aware of the local building codes and has worked on other homes in the area can help you identify issues earlier in the process.

Change Orders

Any home remodeling project requires a lot of decision-making, especially when choosing materials. Change orders are one of the biggest timeline killers out there. Minimizing project delays comes down to two factors when it comes to change orders.

First, take your time when making selections. You might love those light blue kitchen cabinets you saw, but will you still love them in ten years? Think through the design aesthetic you want in your home and think about how you’ll use the space. Ask yourself, is this what I want my kitchen (bathroom, sunroom, etc.) to look like for the next 20 years? This can help you minimize mid-project changes.

Step 2; if you do make any changes, make them early! If you must make changes, make them early in the process to minimize delays. You can make changes later, but the longer you wait, the more it will set back your timeline and impact your budget, especially if it involves construction changes or ordering new materials. Weigh your decision against any potential delays.

How Your Contractor Can Help Keep Your Remodel on Time

Your contractor is instrumental in setting realistic budgets and accurate timelines and sticking to them. Your contractor’s experience (or inexperience) will show in their ability to stick to a project timeline. You need to do your due diligence, ask the right questions, and, importantly, speak to their references to make sure you’re making a smart hiring choice.

Hiring a responsible, seasoned professional will help you keep your project on track by:

Providing an Accurate Budget

Your contractor will provide you with an accurate quote that takes your material selections and scope of work into a realistic budget for your project. This quote will also consider any permitting fees, taxes, or financing information if they apply.

Recognizing the Need for Contingencies

An experienced local contractor will be able to warn you of any potential issues or unforeseen challenges you might encounter during your project. Older homes have a higher likelihood of issues like outdated wiring or plumbing that is not up to current codes. An experienced local contractor will be ready to address any challenges efficiently should they arise.

Understanding The Flow of the Industry

Like many industries, the remodeling industry faces seasonal challenges. Spring and fall tend to be busier than summer and winter. There can also be seasonal changes in supply chain patterns. An experienced local contractor will be able to adjust their timelines based on their knowledge of the local industry norms.

Providing You with a Realistic Timeline and a Proactive Approach to Scheduling

Once you have hired your contractor, the first thing they will do is present you with a realistic budget and timeline. They will base this on their understanding of the steps to completing your home remodeling project. They will take a proactive approach to planning your project and scheduling any sub-contractors - like plumbers, electricians, and drywall professionals to keep your project moving forward on time and on budget.

The Bottom Line on Making Home Remodeling Easier

As the homeowner, understanding your project, identifying your needs and aesthetics, having financing in place, and preparing your home before construction starts can help keep your project on time. Hiring the right contractor can take your home remodeling project to the next level.

An experienced local contractor will obtain permits and schedule inspections promptly to keep your project on track. They will work with you to choose and order materials early. While unforeseen issues may arise during any project, an experienced contractor will have contingency plans in place to address any challenges head-on. A professional local contractor can help guide you through your home remodeling project as smoothly as possible, so you can enjoy your completed project as soon as possible!

Are you considering a home improvement project? Whether it’s a kitchen remodel, a bathroom update, or any other project, let us help you create a new look and design for your home! If you live in the Greater Madison area, call the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel at (608) 846-5963. We can take your home to the next level of comfort, design, and function! Are you ready to learn more? We are always happy to answer your questions.