Home remodelling is exciting! You’re going to be giving your living space a brand-new look, a makeover! And we all know what change does for the soul. Not only will you feel rejuvenated, but you will also be adding value to your property, whether you’re looking to stay in the house or flip it for profit.
Home remodelling can be so much fun, but you just need to be cautious when it comes to working with contractors to help you execute your vision and plan.
So, how do you ensure that you get the best work out of your contractors when home remodelling? With these five tips.
1. Communication must be excellent
When it comes to home remodelling, the most important and useful tip we can give you is to maintain excellent communication with your contractors.
When you first meet with them, ask them what their preferred method of communication is, whether that be over WhatsApp, over email, or actually speaking over the phone.
Whatever the means you need to speak with them daily to voice any concerns you may have, to hear their interests, and to review progress and plans for the coming days.
The ideal way is to speak with them face to face every morning when they first arrive on-site, which you should try to do, but keeping a paper trail of what is discussed is also smart. Our advice is to use a renovation app to do so, but a little more on that later.
2. Track all changes
If there are changes, which there may very well be, make sure that they are always is in writing, or tracked somewhere.
As your build progresses, you will most probably want to add things, and you may even encounter structural issues that are out of your hands. By ensuring that everything is accounted for, you will avoid any arguments or complications.
Your contractor should give you a typed-out description of the change and a fixed price for what it’ll cost. You should then print it out and get them to sign the document along with your signature. Do this before the change is made, and you will be covered should anything go wrong.
3. Avoid giving your contractor an allowance
Another mistake that some people often make is giving their contractor an allowance for something that is yet to be determined. As an example, before the contractor has priced every single line item for a new kitchen, they may assign a total as a place holder.
The issue with allowances is that if you base your budget on these “placeholder” totals, you could end up getting caught should these aspects of your home remodelling project come to more than what was anticipated for.
Our advice? Sort out your material and product selections, by brand and item description before your contractor gives you an itemized quote.
By doing the research, you will avoid running out of money halfway through home remodelling.
4. Use a renovation app
As we mentioned earlier, use a renovation app to track any changes as well as all communication between you and your contractor.
A renovation app enables you to be in constant and complete control of the build process. You can keep track of everything, from payments to renovation progress. For home remodelling, it’s the ultimate tool for keeping tabs on all aspects in one centralized place that both you and your contractor have access.
5. Listen to them
When home remodelling, it is crucial to hire quality-checked, able and professional contractors to execute your build. There’s not much worse than spending thousands of dollars on materials and then having someone inadequate implement the project.
Reference-check absolutely everyone you work with, and when you find the right tradies, listen to them. They are the expert, and after years of experience, they are fit to advise you on everything from materials to timeframes.
Happy home remodelling!