How To Plan and Execute A Great Remodel

Let's face facts: Remodeling your home can be a scary task. In our minds, we have a picture of the finished product, but deciding who should make your dreams into reality without experiencing a contractor nightmare. To simplify the process, and to insure you get a satisfactory job, there are some steps you should follow.

Determine Your Budget In Advance

Remodeling jobs can vary dramatically in price. Your final cost depends in large part on the price of the materials you want. Labor costs can be affected by some material choices, because of the additional time or necessary skills to install certain products. But most of the time, you can assume all hardwood floors take similar labor hours, tile floors will be about the same regardless of the tile cost, etc. 

Ask the mortgage company if they can finance you based on the future value of the home (after the remodel) instead of its current value. This may be the key to a larger budget. Finally, don't out build your neighborhood. Unless you plan to stay in your house forever, you will want to make sure that with the remodel you don't price your house out of the available market.

Find Some Examples

Open up those magazines, and find what you want. Gather the brochures you have picked up from all the home shows and hardware stores for the last year with the products you want to use. Focus on the features you want most and prioritize your list. Most of the contractors working with ReliableRemodeler.com are "Design and Build" contractors. This means they have the necessary drafting skills to design, draft and construct most projects. If the project is extensive, you may want to talk to a designer or architect before you call ReliableRemodeler.com.

Click Here and Get Three Estimates

The hardest part of any remodeling job is finding a reliable contractor. Of course, that's why ReliableRemodeler.com exists! We take the work out of finding the right contractor; we also follow up with every homeowner to find out if our members performed up to standard. Of course, you should still interview each contractor, verify his license and insurance information and decide if you can work with the company he represents. If you need assistance in verifying any information about one of our members, simply call us on the phone at 1-800-538-5280 and we'll point you in the right direction!

Establish The Price

Your ReliableRemodeler.com member contractor can do a much better job in planning your project if you give him an idea of your budget. If you give your contractor a chance, they can develop a workable plan for your remodeling plans using the budget you have versus the dreams you envision. By adjusting the type of products used in your remodel, or altering your plans for size and scope, you can do the project as you planned in one step. Or you can have more than your budget allows if you stage your remodel into logical steps - starting with Phase One now and completing Phase Three over a one, two or three year time frame.

Contractors spend a tremendous amount of time preparing your estimate, and these costs are reflected in your final project bid. Be specific - and most importantly be sure you are comparing apples to apples when the final budget is delivered. It is impossible for you to gauge the best estimate if each contractor is presenting you with three different proposals based on square footage, quality of appliances and products or scope of work. Don't let your imagination change what you tell each contractor. Write down the scope of the work, the quality of the raw materials and the expectations for time involved to complete the project, so each contractor bidding on your project is estimating the same work.

Get It In Writing

Here a little extra time goes a very long way. Be sure you have material specifications, work schedules, clear understanding of what, if any, warranty is being offered, payment schedules and expectations for how the daily and end of project clean up will be handled. Additionally, it is a good time to talk about how change orders will be handled and how payment for those changes will be handled. Event the best of pre-planning often has a change during the process which will materially affect the final contract price and delivery schedules. You should also get a copy of the lien law information and the three-day right of contract rescission.

What To Do During the Project

You should establish a regular walk around with your contractor, and don't be afraid to point out things that don't seem according to specifications. Every contractor (and every homeowner) makes mistakes, and the key to resolving most remodeling conflicts is early detection.

Chances are there will be subcontractors doing many parts of your project. They are not authorized to make substantive changes in your project. You should discuss all changes with the contractor - and be sure that physical change orders, including any changes in price, scope of work, time frame adjustments or material substitutions are put in writing BEFORE the changes are undertaken. This will avoid conflicts at the end of the project, and insure a smooth finish to your project.

How To Close The Project Out

The final walk-through is a critical element to bringing closure to your job. Develop a "Punch List" of things that need to be completed before making your final payment. Set a specific date for completion and be sure you and the contractor sign the document. It is common for there to be "little things" that are still to be completed, so don't be frustrated. Being clear and specific during this walk through will make the final steps to completion go smoother. Finally, sit back and enjoy! Your home is the biggest investment most people ever make, and a beautiful remodeling project is something you and your family will enjoy for years to come!