Published Updates
Whatever the scale of remodeling work you plan to have carried out in your home, deciding upon a construction company that will give you everything you’re looking for – and at the right price – isn’t a decision to take lightly, and great care should go into the selection process.
To help make sure your remodeling project goes smoothly, and that you get the ideal space you’ve been dreaming about in your home, here are 6 things you absolutely shouldn’t do:
1. Fail to carry out enough (or any) research
Going blindly into a remodeling project and hiring a contractor without having taken the time to check reviews from previous customers, or examples of their finished projects, you could be setting yourself, and your home up for a big failure.
Nowadays, finding honest opinions about contractors is simpler than ever, and there really is no excuse for not checking up on them and seeing what others have to say about them, before you consider hiring them.
2. Hire the wrong contractors
What you ideally need when having your home remodeled, is to hire a general contractor with a team of contractors who are skilled at each specific aspect of the project. While you can hire individual contractors yourself, this can be stressful and time consuming, and most opt to hire a general contractor who will deal with the entire project, from start to finish.
3. Not be clear about the project
The only way you’re ever going to be 100% satisfied with the end result when your home is remodeled, is by ensuring that your general contractor is fully onboard with your ideas, and that they completely understand and appreciate your vision. Be clear about what you want, and don’t be afraid to question them if it seems that at any stage, the project isn’t going quite as you had hoped.
4. Not be clear about the budget
Your general contractor can only work to the budget you’ve given them, and the minute you start giving them free rein to pick and choose materials, or make upgrades where they see fit, they will! Be clear about how much money you have available for every part of the project, and make sure that they’re able to carry out your wishes according to that budget. Your general contractor will be able to give you an accurate idea of how much everything is likely to cost – from materials and labor to permits and licenses – and this will help you come up with a firm budget that you can convey to them.
5. Not be clear about the timeline
Failing to ask your general contractor how long each aspect of the remodel is likely to take (remember that even they can’t always predict exactly how long something will take, as many factors out of their control can impact this), will serve only to make you impatient or disappointed when things take longer than you had anticipated. This is also the quickest way to become dissatisfied with your general contractor, through no fault of theirs.
6. Rely on a handshake
With so much time and money at stake where a remodel’s concerned, a handshake definitely doesn’t cut it when it comes to sealing the deal. Have a contract made up, read it through carefully, and sign it only when you’re happy that it covers everything it needs to.
Don’t do any of the above when hiring a general contractor to remodel your home, and you can help make the entire project go as smoothly and successfully as possible.
