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Alleviate Your Remodeling Anxiety – Part 1 of 2
Remodeling your home is uniquely different from building a new home. With remodeling, your home becomes the worksite. You live side-by-side with the project from start to finish. One way to ease into the project is by defining expectations through communication and a pre-construction meeting. Once construction begins, you'll probably long for simple pleasures like a dust-free home or a fully functioning kitchen or bath. The end result will be well worth these inconveniences.
Communication
Consistent and open communication between you and your remodeler will enhance your understanding of the project, provide an opportunity to exchange ideas, and ultimately help to make the experience a positive one for everyone involved. To facilitate this process, you need to:
• Determine who you and your remodeler should contact for daily decisions or an after-hours emergency. For example, your contact may be the lead carpenter for the job, while the remodeler's contact could be your spouse.
• Designate a backup for each contact person to assure continuity in
Consistent and open communication between you and your remodeler will enhance your understanding of the project, provide an opportunity to exchange ideas, and ultimately help to make the experience a positive one for everyone involved. To facilitate this process, you need to:
• Determine who you and your remodeler should contact for daily decisions or an after-hours emergency. For example, your contact may be the lead carpenter for the job, while the remodeler's contact could be your spouse.
• Designate a backup for each contact person to assure continuity in
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anyone's absence.
• Create a place in your house where the contact persons can leave messages for each other (a securely anchored notebook is a good idea since it is less likely to disappear).
• Speak up. If you are uncertain about any aspect of the project, be sure to let the contact person know.
• Create a place in your house where the contact persons can leave messages for each other (a securely anchored notebook is a good idea since it is less likely to disappear).
• Speak up. If you are uncertain about any aspect of the project, be sure to let the contact person know.
The Pre-Construction Meeting
One way to ensure the success of your project is to plan for and actively participate in a pre-construction meeting. This allows your remodeler to clarify procedures and explain how the job will progress. It also offers both you and your remodeler an opportunity to prepare for those issues that may arise later. You should think of this meeting as a forum for all participants to define their expectations and agree on the anticipated outcome.
One way to ensure the success of your project is to plan for and actively participate in a pre-construction meeting. This allows your remodeler to clarify procedures and explain how the job will progress. It also offers both you and your remodeler an opportunity to prepare for those issues that may arise later. You should think of this meeting as a forum for all participants to define their expectations and agree on the anticipated outcome.
Some of the issues you may wish to cover at this meeting include:
• Will you allow your remodeler to place a company sign on your property? Remember that, in addition to being a marketing tool, signs help contractors and suppliers locate your home.
• What areas of your home will be off limits to workers?
• Does your house have an alarm system? Will workers need a key or will someone always be there?
• How will you ensure that your children and pets stay out of the work space?
• How will trash removal be handled? Where will the remodeler locate the dumpster on your property?
• Does the remodeler anticipate any interruptions of utilities during the project? If so, when and for how long? At certain stages of construction, the project may affect basic household necessities like water and electricity. Will you need to vacate the house at any time?
• What are your expectations regarding clean up? Will sweeping be sufficient for a daily cleaning, or will you need a more thorough cleaning in order to use the space?
• You should also use the pre-construction meeting to establish guidelines for the remodeling crew working on the project:
• Determine who you and your remodeler should contact for daily decisions or an after-hours emergency. For example, your contact may be the lead carpenter for the job, while the remodeler's contact could be your spouse.
• What times will workers begin and end work at your home? Be sure to consider the neighbors as well as household members.
• Where can workers park near the jobsite?
• Will you allow workers to use your phone for local business calls?
• Will bathroom facilities in your home be available to workers?
• What is the remodeler's policy on smoking on the jobsite?
• What is the remodeler's policy on the use of profanity? If you are especially sensitive to this issue, you should let your remodeler know.
• Will you allow workers to play their radios at a reasonable volume? Are there any stations or programs that you do not want played?
• Will you allow your remodeler to place a company sign on your property? Remember that, in addition to being a marketing tool, signs help contractors and suppliers locate your home.
• What areas of your home will be off limits to workers?
• Does your house have an alarm system? Will workers need a key or will someone always be there?
• How will you ensure that your children and pets stay out of the work space?
• How will trash removal be handled? Where will the remodeler locate the dumpster on your property?
• Does the remodeler anticipate any interruptions of utilities during the project? If so, when and for how long? At certain stages of construction, the project may affect basic household necessities like water and electricity. Will you need to vacate the house at any time?
• What are your expectations regarding clean up? Will sweeping be sufficient for a daily cleaning, or will you need a more thorough cleaning in order to use the space?
• You should also use the pre-construction meeting to establish guidelines for the remodeling crew working on the project:
• Determine who you and your remodeler should contact for daily decisions or an after-hours emergency. For example, your contact may be the lead carpenter for the job, while the remodeler's contact could be your spouse.
• What times will workers begin and end work at your home? Be sure to consider the neighbors as well as household members.
• Where can workers park near the jobsite?
• Will you allow workers to use your phone for local business calls?
• Will bathroom facilities in your home be available to workers?
• What is the remodeler's policy on smoking on the jobsite?
• What is the remodeler's policy on the use of profanity? If you are especially sensitive to this issue, you should let your remodeler know.
• Will you allow workers to play their radios at a reasonable volume? Are there any stations or programs that you do not want played?
Once you have established clear communication expectations and agree on the anticipated outcome, your new project should be a positive experience for everyone involved.
Bobby Sanders is owner of Sanders Design Build and is a Certified Graduate Remodelor™ (CGR) with an exclusive professional designation designed to emphasize business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation.
The CGR designation requires that graduates meet prescribed standards of business practice, possess a minimum of five years remodeling industry experience, have a proven track record of successful project management, complete a comprehensive education curriculum and pledge to uphold the program’s code of ethics.
For more remodeling information call us at 806.457.8599. or visit our website at sandersdesignbuild.com
For more remodeling information call us at 806.457.8599. or visit our website at sandersdesignbuild.com
