Clients often ask us where they should start when planning a bathroom remodel or kitchen renovation. Should they start with calling a contractor? Budgeting the project? For many people, not knowing where to start is very confusing, frustrating, and potentially expensive.
Just what are the key steps to planning a home renovation project? The following five step plan should simplify the process and save you money, time, and hassle. Let’s hit these real fast, one at a time.
1. Scope Planning
The first thing you should do is plan the scope of your project. You need to know what you want to accomplish in the target area.
Let’s think about renovating a bathroom, for example. You need to know if you want a total bathroom remodel or only a partial renovation. Write everything out on paper.
This is called your scope of work.
Whatever you want done at the end of the day is your scope of work. Make two scopes: on the high side, put down everything you want done in a perfect scenario, and on the low side, put down your Plan B in case Plan A exceeds your budget.
Perhaps in a perfect world, you’re tearing out the bathtub, vanity, etc. for a complete remodel of your bathroom. Write all that down. But on the low side, figure the minimum you would be happy accomplishing. Maybe replacing the tile and painting the walls would suffice.
Then list a store item number for each item you want to replace your current bathroom elements. For example, include the paint color number, the item number for that bathtub you really like. Get this all down on paper.
Remember, your contractor isn’t hired to shop for you. If he does your shopping, it’s going to be a lot more expensive for taking up unnecessary time. At the end of the day, this is your project, and you should put down exactly what you want your contractor to replace your current items with.
Now, if you don’t know what you want, ask your contractor. Contractors are happy to make recommendations and inform you of your options. They can recommend colors, styles, fixtures, etc. to help you understand what your options are.
2. Pricing
Next, present your two scopes (the high scope and low scope) to your contractor or contractors if you haven’t yet chosen a specific contractor. Show them what you ideally want versus the minimum you would find acceptable. Getting a few quotes on each of these scenarios will give you an accurate sense of the market pricing for your two scenarios.
When your contractors come back with pricing, make sure it’s not just a vague, verbal number. Get specific numbers for specific scopes in writing. Ideally, it should be your scope for their price written down. Get this settled before you ever assign your job to a contractor.
If your high scope is too high for your budget, figure out what you can eliminate. Maybe you don’t have to go straight to your low scope. Make adjustments until your scope is in budget. Find the balance between what you want out of a remodel and paying a fair price.
3. Qualifying
Before you settle on a contractor, qualify them. Call their references. Ask questions.
- Are they the type to start a job and then not show up again?
- Are they known for quality work?
- Do they communicate clearly and in a friendly manner?
- Will they finish in a timely manner?
- Are they the kind of contractor who always finds extra expenses to charge you for?
Remember, contractors aren’t necessarily bad just because they’re inexpensive. And contractors aren’t necessarily good just because they’re expensive.There are a lot of affordable professionals who really know what they’re doing, while many expensive contractors don’t have a clue. Many times, the middle of the road is the safe zone.
Do all of your homework before giving them the job. You can only afford to do this once, which means you can only afford to do it right. It’s much better to want a contractor you don’t have than to have a contractor you don’t want.
4. Scheduling
After you have selected a quality contractor who works wells with you and your needs, discuss scheduling.
And this doesn’t just mean settling on a start date.
You should nail down the start date, the finish date, any absences in between, etc. How long will it take them to complete the renovation project? Will your job sit idle for a while? You need to know this so you can either schedule work during those down times or, if you live there, so you can schedule your life around this timeline.
This works both ways. Your contractor needs to know when you will be there. Sometimes, we get to a job first thing in the morning only to find they aren’t ready for us until 10am. Contractors typically count on full work days, so putting them off a couple hours completely throws off their process and costs them money.
Communicate scheduling clearly, and understand the timeline clearly. If there are any events or scheduling problems foreseeable, mention them in advance.
What about unforeseen emergencies? Communicate to your contractor as soon and clearly as possible. Be courteous to your contractors and expect them to be courteous to you.
Once your schedule is nailed down, stick with it. This may mean cancelling social activities. Along with your scope, the schedule is the most important factor in the renovation planning process. Move everything else to accommodate the project. Keep with it.
5. Executing
Once the first four steps have been addressed, wait patiently for the job to begin. And make sure you handle whatever you are supposed to do for your contractor.
If you have agreed to pick up materials or provide an on-site bathroom or just keeping a clear work area so they can move freely, execute faithfully. Your contractors count on you to make the partnership work successfully.
Whatever you said you would do to ensure a smooth workflow for your contractor, do it. And then, once they arrive, review the scope and expectations with them so everything is fresh in the mind and everyone is on the same page.
Then, get out of the way, and let them work. Trust your contractor and your plan, and watch that renovation plan become a reality!
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