Today’s blog article was written by an industry colleague of Progressive Builders, Inc. Bryan Sebring. Bryan owns Sebring Services in Naperville, Illinois and has over 20 years in the design build remodeling and renovation industry. He is featured on Houzz and is a multiple “Best of Houzz” winner. In this article, he gives his perspective of 5 Things Not to Do When Remodeling Your Home.
When you’re working on a remodeling project in your home, you can find a lot of good advice about what to do. Make sure to study layouts. Hire a trustworthy contractor. Make a budget. Though there are a lot of things you should do when remodeling, there are also plenty of things you shouldn’t. To make sure your project goes as smoothly as possible, take a look at the following blog article.
1. Don’t Start Remodeling Without a Plan
The first and most important thing to have when you begin a remodeling project is a workable, well thought-out plan. This doesn’t mean that you have to have every detail smoothed out on your own – there are some things you’ll have to work out alongside your building team – but at least have a clear idea of what you want the end result of your project to be. Planning won’t just make life easier for your contractor, but it will cut down on stress for you as well. The three main things you should keep in mind when planning are:
- End goals: Until you know where you’re going you won’t be able to figure out how to get there. Have a clear idea about what you want things to be like in the end.
- Sequence of Events: Once you know what you’re working towards, consider the most logical way to get there – what needs to happen first, second, third, and so on until the job is done.
- Budgeting: Having a clear-cut budget will help keep your stress down and will also help you plan better.
2. Don’t Purchase Your Own Materials
Many people think that they can save money by purchasing their own building materials, but this isn’t exactly true. Yes, your contractor will mark up the cost of anything he sells to you. However, builders get cheaper supplies, with special deals and discounts for materials. This means that even after the mark-up, you’ll spend around the same amount – plus, letting your contractor purchase supplies means one more chore you don’t have to do yourself.
3. Don’t Ignore Professional Advice
You may think you know all there is to know about your home, but houses are complicated structures that are often full of surprises. There are a number of factors that go into determining whether a project is practical, functional, or even safe. Your contractor should listen to you and be open to your ideas – however, if he lets you know that one of those ideas isn’t great, it’s best to listen. A good contractor will be willing to work creatively, but he isn’t going to give the go-ahead for a project that will harm your home.
4. Don’t Allow Too Much Distraction
When your building team is on the job, try to limit distractions. This will ensure that your project is finished well and on time. If there are pets or small children in the home, make sure they’re well out of the way of all construction – for their own safety as well as for the builder’s convenience. Don’t Make Too Many Changes
5. Don’t Make Too Many Changes
If you’ve followed the first step and made a concise plan, try to stick to it. Too many changes and last-minute decisions can muddle the process and slow everything down. This doesn’t mean that you can’t tweak little things here and there; just don’t change your mind so fast that jobs have to keep getting redone.
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