How to Live with Your Remodeling Project

You've researched, interviewed, and hired the best remodeler for the job. Congratulations! The only step that remains, of course, is the project itself.

Adapt to Your Home as a Work Site

Having your home remodeled is uniquely different from having a new home built. With remodeling, your home becomes the worksite. You'll live side-by-side with the project from start to finish.

Once construction begins, you'll probably long for simple pleasures like a dust-free home or a fully functioning kitchen or bath. But the end result wil be well worth these inconveniences. The rest of this section is designed to insure that you arrive there with your sanity intact.

Communicate with your Remodeler Often

Consistent and open communication between you and your remodeler will enhance your understanding of the project, provide an opportunity to exchange ideas, and ultimately help to make the experience a positive one for everyone involved.

To facilitate this process, you need to:

Determine who you and your remodeler should contact for daily decisions or an after-hours emergency. For example, your contact may be the lead carpenter for the job, while the remodeler's contact should be your spouse.
Designate a backup for each contact person to assure continuity in anyone's absence.
Create a place in your house where the contact persons can leave messages for each other (a securely anchored notebook is a good idea since it is less likely to disappear).
Speak up. If you are uncertain about any aspect of the project, be sure to let the contact person know.

One way to ensure the success of your project is to plan for and actively participate in a pre-construction meeting. This allows your remodeler to clarify procedures and explain how the job will progress. It also offers both you and your remodeler an opportunity to prepare for those issues that may arise later. You should think of this meeting as a forum for all participants to define their expectations and agree on the anticipated outcome.

Some of the issues you may wish to cover at this meeting include:

Will you allow your remodeler to place a company sign on your property? Remember that, in addition to being a marketing tool, signs help contractors and suppliers locate your home
How will workers, construction equipment, and vehicles get to the job site damaging outside structures, plants and flower beds?
What areas of your home will be off limits to workers?
Do you have a place on site to store building materials for your project?
Who is responsible for removing your belongings and later returning them to the newly remodeled space?
When packing, remember that the workers may need access to the electrical panel, the water shut-off valve, and area not being remodeled.
Does your house have an alarm system?
Will workers need a key or will someone always be there?
How will you ensure that your children and pets stay out of the work space?
Does that space to be remodeled contain any special items that you would like to save from demolition? If so where will they be stored?
How will trash removal be handled?
Where will the remodeler locate the dumpster on your property?
Does the remodeler anticipate any interruptions of utilities during the project?
If so, when and for how long?
At certain stages of construction, the project may affect basic household neccesities like water and electricity. Will you need to vacate the house at any time?
What are your expectations regarding clean up?
Will sweeping be sufficient for a daily cleaning, or will you need a more thorough cleaning in order to use the space?

You should also use the pre-construction meeting to establish guidelines for the remodeling crew working on the project:

What times will the workers begin and end work at your home?
Be sure to consider the neighbors as well as household members. Your remodeler may contact your neighbors and give them a phone number to call if they have any concerns about your project.
Where can workers park near your job site?
Will you allow workers to use your phone for local business calls?
Will bathroom facilities in your home be available to workers?
What is the remodeler's policy on the use of profanity? If you are especially sensitive to this issue, you should let your remodeler know.
Will you allow workers to play their radios at a reasonable volume?
Are there any stations or programs that you do not want played?

Schedule and Time Your Project Carefully
The time it takes to complete a remodeling project varies quite a bit depending on the scope of the project and uncontrollable factors like the weather. A simple bathroom remodeling may take only a few weeks, while a two story addition may take six months or more.
To stay on schedule, you need to plan ahead:

Expect to set aside time for telephone calls and regular meetings with your contact person to review progress and discuss the schedule of remaining work.
Ask your remodeler to provide you with a weekly schedule.
Ask your remodeler which product orders require the longest lead times.
For custom-made items, it is especially important to make your selections as early in the process as possible.

Realize that changes you make to the project after the work had begun may affect the schedule and the budget. Change orders should include prices, full descriptions, and authorization in writing before any new work begins.