Let's get right down to it. This isn't HGTV, it's real life.
Chances are, your project is going to bring its own challenges and constraints from the very start. You'll be faced with tough choices, seemingly redundant decisions, unpredictable weather, unsteady material prices, and probably a contractor that you've never really worked with before. Basically, you'll be relying on a whole lot of good fortune to make it out to the other side.
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Choosing Your Contractor
Arguably, the most important decision you make will be which contractor you decide to partner with for your project. To navigate your project, you'll be relying on this partner to essentially conduct the entire process in an efficient, cohesive, and organized manner. Some responsibilities of your contractor include, but are not limited to the following.
Design
Whether you have an independent designer or not, your contractor will be responsible for understanding the projected finished design of your project. A good contractor will be able to determine whether or not a design is achievable. He or she will also be transparent in not having all of the answers. A contractor this is willing to utilize a wide network of professionals is beneficial to every single person involved in a serious project.
Mapping Material Selections
You will be relying on your contractor to accurately lay out and sort through any material selections that you'll need to make in order to complete your project. For the most part, this includes any aesthetic materials as well as utilities or appliances that you'll have to choose from. Ideally, an organized contractor will provide you with a consolidated list of options that are built around your specific preferences and circumstances.
Mapping Scopes of Work
Based on your design preferences, your contractor will be responsible for mapping out official scopes of work in reference to their respective fields of trade. Certain materials can require specific preparation and installation methods. Warranties can be voided down the line if these precautions are not taken into consideration.
Value Engineering in reference to a Budget
Once final designs and scopes of work are defined, your contractor will need to take a close look at the projected costs in accordance with your target budget. At this point, you'll be relying on his or her experience and attention to detail to proactively point out any potential roadblocks ahead. On top of that, you'll need to trust your contractor to be willing to bring up the tougher subjects- even if they know it isn't what you want to hear. It's reasons like this that make your relationship and rapport with your contractor all the more important. You will both need to be able to trust each other and have open conversations in order to achieve the same goal.
Permitting
Your contractor should be the one pulling the permits for your project- not you. It will be their responsibility to make sure things are built to code and that the proper inspections are conducted. The last thing you need is for an inspection to be missed, and to have to pull-apart and redo any work being done.
Communicating with Vendors and Subcontractors
An effective contractor will be able to map out a project based on learning about you, knowing your goals, and communicating those goals to vendors and workers in the field. He or she will be in charge of scheduling labor, getting materials on site, and overseeing daily progress in order to maintain the trajectory of your project. A good contractor will keep you updated throughout the process; understanding the importance in summarizing details in a way that is easy for everyone to understand.
Getting Started
Honestly, if you've suffered through reading this far, then you may just find the whole remodeling process relatively easy. Regardless, it's important to step into the process with diligence. We offer a simplified breakdown of our process to serve as a segway for clients to delicately step into their projects. You can learn more about this process by clicking the link below.