bainmrb I agree that hiring the best general contractor is key. It is not about price-shopping. A great contractor will have relationships with all of the subs and trades in the area. You will possibly pay more, but your project will be finished with quality and on-time. We are completing a major, entire home remodel that looks as though it will be competed ahead of schedule, in less than 10 weeks. Every bathroom (3) was gutted and redesigned. Every surface and trim replaced (floor to ceiling). Walls removed, all new electrical and plumbing. New windows, and all new floors.

Leslie Kreger Well-written article and bang on! I would also add "marital stress" to the list....you 'think' you're on the same page financially and aesthetically until a major house remodel tests your marriage in ways you didn't begin to think possible. All that dust, noise, and decision-making can take a toll!

(But the party is awfully fun!)

Cusano Construction Company Inc. From a contractors point of view.. many things to agree with, but a little exaggerated. Key to a successful remodel is everyone check the attitudes at the door with the contractor and owner being up front & straight forward as much as possible. No games and take things in strides. Great Ideas on dust control if cost prohibitive.

John Whipple - By Any Design ltd. We are a big fan of the dust walls but prefer the "Tarp Zippers" for entry points. Also protecting finished floors, door jambs and such is a key to not damaging the existing home's finishes or the new work.

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rinqreation In our home remodel we ARE our contractors, our architects, our interior designers and our workers. We're doing it all by ourselves, just the two of us, so we learn A LOT! All points you're stating are right. Can't wait to reach #11! But when #4 peaked at totally exhausted (and if you want to test your relationship, this is it, mixed with #7 and #9), we decided to better not be in such a hurry, because planning takes a lot of time too (and enough rest turned out to be very useful). You 'forgot' that point; planning and designing; which is ok to place under #9 though. It's an adventure for sure!

Still I must add: If you never worked in construction, had no technical education, no major diy hobbies, are afraid to get dirty, if you think working more than 8 hours a day is too much, if you have enough money to let someone else do it for you, if you're far from creative, and if you're completely sane: Get a contractor to do it for you.

midmodfan Expecting the worst and hoping for the best was our way not to go bonkers.

We were living in southern Germany while our 'new' house in northern Germany was being remodelled from top to bottom. It took more than a year and we only visited twice to make some major decisions. The rest of the time my husband kept his nose out of the business while I dealt with our architects through phone calls and mostly emails. Some days I had 15 new emails and was tempted to just shut my notebook and go to bed. lol

Thankfully, DH and I are a perfect match when it comes to taste, so that helped a lot. He just recently said how much he likes all the fixtures and materials I chose throughout the house. That was more gratifying than a bouquet for Valentine's day (I never get one).

Our remodel cost much more than expected (due to unforseeable leaks and frozen pipes and whatnot), but we thoroughly enjoy the outcome and are even glad we made some expensive decisions along the road, like rewiring and having the roof replaced, not only repaired. So in the end, all is well.

S. Thomas Kutch As both a designer and as a contractor, I can honestly say the two biggest keys to a successful project are being honest and upfront with the client and communication.
Nobody likes excuses or surprises......especially when they effect the checkbook.

In 30+ years in this business, I've only had one client that came in and said "I don't care what it cost or how long it takes, this is what I want when it's finished".

The realities are that very few clients have the big picture in mind when they walk through my door.......they have an idea or dream of what they want and it's my professional responsibility to assist them in getting as close to possible to that end weaving all the factors together ..............otherwise, they don't need me.

Honesty and communication. If I'm doing my job properly, the client is prepared for the realities of the project.......from cost to schedule to surprises to the whole experience (dirt, dust and noise)........and 9 times out of 10, I end up with a successful project, happy client and a referral. What's better........I can look at myself in the mirror.

Marina Klima Goldberg - Klima Design Group I have to agree with all the 11 things to expect when you are remodeling or renovating. The big factor for me though is about expecting the unexpected. As you tear down a wall or floor you have to brace yourself for unexpected things you might discover such as broken wiring, leaking pipes and etc which will be an additional cost to your current budget.

Da Vinci Remodeling, LLC Excellent post Anne! I would add “Disruption of Other Space” as well. A good remodeling contractor will do his/her best to limit the disruption to the work area, but we sometimes need to utilize additional space in the house as well.

Consider new appliances or cabinetry that may need to be stored in the garage. Saw centers and lumber storage in the yard. It’s also amazing that the dirt removed for an addition foundation takes up three times its original space after its excavated.

And lastly, just because the project is on the first floor, doesn’t mean the second floor or basement is immune to some construction traffic. We occasionally need to shut off the water in the basement, or open a faucet on the second floor, or find which outlets in the master bedroom are affected by a circuit breaker.

These intrusions into other parts of the house should be minimized – but they will happen.

E. Miles Custom Builder, Inc. I would add, know your contractor AND your architect, and be willing to negotiate personality differences between the two.
Great advice on having reserve or additional funds of 10% to 20% over budget, to help with unexpected costs.

judypiegza This article is spot on to what I experienced. Add to it, the foreman kept trying to tell me that his mistake was installed correctly. (I am a single woman and he assumed inexperienced) I would have to call the boss and insist that his mistake be pulled out and replaced... on his dime. On the third repair/replace he finally started to listen. Now that it is almost done, I'm happy, but I finally had the foreman kicked off the job.

appytrails I must be the exception, as my 24 x 14 addition came in ahead of schedule, on budget and with very little inconvenience to us living in the house during construction. I've also had a powder room created from a closet, and a kitchen remodel and I must say I must be the luckiest person in the world because all of these remodels have been spot on with schedule, budget and no surprises.... just the fantastic feeling of loving the end result.

janie82056 We are currently in Day 14 of our lower floor remodel. We are living in two rooms upstairs while the project is progressing. We have a microwave and a coffee pot upstairs. We were amazed at how quickly everything was going until the kitchen wall that looked wavy. Now, everything has stopped to get that mess fixed. Also found and old rat's nest (emphasis on old) so we lost 2 entire days on that wall alone. The remodel involved removing a wall, soffits and as long as we had the ceilings open, let's replace the plumbing, etc. It has grown a life of it's own. If we didn't have a needy dog we would be living in a hotel! The contractor is caring and really listens to us and really, that's all I want.

kjziebell Rather than stress myself out...we just moved for the duration of the construction. Two thirds of our stuff is in boxes in the basement and in the garage. We took the necessities with us and moved. As stressfull as moving was, staying in the house during the construction would have been nuts. We are putting on an addition and redoing a bathroom and the kitchen. I don't want to be anywhere near that mess until its done!

Shades IN Place 100% spot on!!

janie82056 kjziebell, your house looks similar to mine. We sure wish we could have moved out as well. The trash cans stuffed full in the middle if the room could have come right out of my living room! Run, run, run, as far as you can! We had two days of jackhammering. We go out for the day but it has been cold of late and places are limited with the dog. Everyone says,"you'll be so happy when it's finished". I sure as hell hope so!!

TRAM Construction Great article Anne, that puts a major remodeling project in perspective. Communication and trust is at the top of the pecking order. We go out of our way to make sure we do what we say and make every effort to keep the house and family including animals as comfortable as possible. Especially when you are doing a kitchen remodel, it isn't hard or cost prohibitive to set up a mini kitchen in another part of the house. Setting up a sanctuary that the family can go to without a major mess facing them goes a long way in keeping people happy. I cannot stress enough the importance of comfort and show that you care. So if something does go wrong or a problem arises people will be less likely to get freaked out because they see that you care.

TSG Designs, LTD Hiring a Design Renovation Specialist will make your world so much easier. This is the person who coordinates/schedules/oversee every aspect of your project as well as helping the client choose the right materials and designs and keeping you on budget. For the homeowner, if you have your wish list prepared prior to renovations it will cut down on change orders and save time and money instead of making lot's of changes in the middle of the project.

noreaster88 Terrific article. As the survivor of building two homes and still in the throes of a third, I would add a couple of things:

1) Most construction crews are really sweet guys (and a rare girl or two), but they're noisy. They whistle, they holler, they bang stuff around, they tell jokes and anecdotes that you'd just as soon not hear...if this sort of racket bothers you (or your pets), definitely be elsewhere.

2) You will reach a day when you will completely despair and wish you had never started the stupid thing. It usually follows that major unexpected budget hit or a squabble with your contractor or your spouse; it will pass, but you will have dark days/nights...maybe several of them.

3) Nature will get you at least once. Wind, rain, blizzard...something is going to get massively delayed or possibly damaged.

4) When it's finally done, you will wish you had done something differently. Maybe several things. Maybe a major thing. But hey, you can always do another project!

Michelle Finnamore Interiors Ltd. Hi Anne, really solid advice you have outlined here for a remodel. One thing I would add would be for the client to mention if they are having any sort of event at their home close to the finish date that they take into account that they reconsider how that will take place.

If there are any unforseen delays with the remodel, where will the event take place?

Once had a wedding shower planned for the end of the project. The client did not say anything to us about this event taking place at the house and not an outside venue. Plan, plan and then plan and you will have less stress.

mjneylon We just finished a kitchen dinning room addition.../ whole house Reno . Just be ready, when you redo one part of the house the rest looks tired and you know what that means

jcufaude I think one of the things we need to be sensitive to is how our remodels affect our immediate neighbors: sawing going on outside on your patio that generates noise for them, contractor trucks taking up precious street parking, etc.

Ronda Potter Working on a mini kitchen remodel ourselves. Nothing is ever easy and it is always over budget. We have some wiring issues right now but when that is fixed, we will be building a half wall and making it into a bar. At least the DIY projects can save us alot of $ and I like that I have my own creative control. This is a pic of the kitchen partially done. Putting in the marble backsplash soon and new wood grain porcelain tile as well as curtains and new light fixtures! We do have the new granite countertop in as well as the new chrome faucet. We changed the pulls on the cabinets and replaced those with pewter backplates and crystal knobs. I got that idea from this site! Also replaced the counter microwave with an over the stove microwave. Had to remove the existing cabinet to do so. That project was tedious but worth it. I love the extra counter space. Sanded and painted the trim on the garden window (outdated honey oak) to white. It is starting to come together beautifully! Will add more pics when it is finished.

cklingler Patience!

lccampbell What have I learned from our ongoing kitchen remodel? 1) Get EVERYTHING in writing before the job begins, especially as to the quality of materials being used. 2) Ask and doublecheck that the people doing the work are licensed and bonded for the type of work they are doing. 3) Inspect everything at every step of the way. Examine the materials being used and make sure they are up to your expectations and the quality specified in your contract. 4) Contractors can be fired and must be fired if you find that they are using inferior materials, and inferior workmanship, or when they are doing work they are NOT licensed to do i.e., electrical, venting, etc. 5) Add at least 50% to the time to finish expectations. 6) Add at least 25% to the original cost expectations.

cmkmt Nothing new here. Maybe I have done too much remodelling in my life.

gcanty As design/build contractors for 35 years, i cannot stress written details enough. the more decisions that can be made ahead of time, the better.
Also, there are many contractors that low ball allowances to make the project reflect a lower cost. Be prepared to challenge a $100 lighting allowance BEFORE you sign the contract.

paarlberg We started a small renovation to add a second floor to a house in February 2009. It was a 1950's ranch with 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. We wanted to add a couple bedrooms upstairs for the kids, and combine the first floor bedrooms for a master. Also wanted to enlarge the kitchen. As we dug deeper into the bones of the house we found that we would not be able to add the second floor to the existing framework. My contractor had quoted $45k for the initial remodel (with me providing some labor as well) and about 4-6 months to complete.

We made the decision to take it down completely and start over with a few exceptions. The house was my grandmother's house, so it had some sentimental value, almost every Sunday, Holiday, etc was spent there for my 44 years, and 59 years for the rest of my family.

Since our initial budget was covered by cash in hand with about $20k as backup, we were not ready to spend the $$$$. We also did not want to get a loan for the project with the failing economy in 2009. We made the decision to pay as we go, even if it took a lot longer.

It is now March 2013 and we are in the home stretch, we have about 3-4 months left to be moved in. We didn't skimp on materials being used, we did 4 sides reclaimed antique brick, wide plank heart pine flooring, all spray foam insulation to fully encapsulate the whole house. We reused all the initial 2' thick granite foundation.

We have had theft on the job site (copper water pipes stripped from house) which forced me to purchase cameras and to run a wireless link between the house and the one we are renting 2 houses away. We have caught 4 people stealing on the property. The local police love us, the cameras make their jobs easy ;-).

Our initial budget of $45k will end up being close to $400k. The original house was 1500 sq ft, we were adding another 1500 sq ft initially. It is now at 6000 sq ft and additional unfinished space, 3000 sq ft in the basement and 1500 sq ft in the attic.

We were not prepared for the worst when we started, but after 4 years, we are still sane. I owe a lot of this to our primary contractor. If I suggested something that was stupid, he would let me know, and not hold back. We are actually good friends after the 4 years and he is working on my mom's house now.

Ventana Construction LLC Thanks for all the comments! @noreaster88, your list is great! Nothing worse than finishing a project and realizing what you should have done and didn't--unless you see it as a new opportunity. @jcufaude, this is an excellent point, and one our company handles by sending out letters to all neighbors on the block (and who share the alley behind) letting them know what we're doing and how to reach us if they have concerns. It's an easy thing to do and yields good results.

beeskitchen2013 @noreaster88 You are right on about the noise created by the workers themselves! They play their "boom boxes", yell, whistle, curse, leave their lunch wrappers & cigarette butts on the ground. I have had to ask many to be more considerate. I would add behavior & cleanliness of the construction crew to the list. This is my home and everyone needs to be respectful of the surroundings.
I have owned 4 homes and all have been remodeled, large & small projects, while we've remained living in the home. I am not a novice to remodeling construction, but I am still surprised by the delays that can occur. One kitchen remodel started in August and my deadline to the contractor was to finish before Thanksgiving. He remarked he'd be losing money if he was finished by the first of October. It was finished the week before Thanksgiving! (Except for the punch list, of course!)
Despite all of the above experience, we are preparing to remodel yet again.
Signed, Glutton for Punishment

lakemomof4 Very informative. Over 22 years in the same house I have designed and built and remodeled and even with the stress consider it fun! I would add to the list: Make a plan, work the plan. :) , take lots of photos, check the work daily, (you might catch a mistake despite the plan) vacuum the floors or insist on everything being swept up and vacuumed nightly and then go in, check it and do it again if you can. Have the air ducts cleaned out afterward. My original contractor was terrible: swept dust into the floor vents and on every remodel (with a good contractor) I found something; besides poor work we discovered trash inside the wall and even a pile of trash inside the wall under the stairs! (my kids were small I didn't pay as much attention on the build. We also were trying to save $ and chose the cheapest builder. BIG MISTAKE. )

Never intended to stay this long in one house but I have photos of the original build of our home and every remodel and they came in handy.

On a major 3/4 house remodel with 4 kids in high school, some with allergies, we moved out. Fortunately my mom was thrilled to have us! No matter what we did to control the dust it was everywhere. Box up or tightly cover everything you leave in the house! Once we were back in I had the air ducts cleaned. Mom built all of her houses (her dad was a builder) and she actually went in and mopped the subfloors before the flooring was laid. We did the same. It's amazing how much dust is covered up by the flooring if you don't remove it. (I did have 4 great able bodied kids who helped)

Once you are back in the annoyance will be a blip on the screen of time enjoyed in your new space!

WaterMark design.build.remodel First and foremost, anyone watching reality TV needs to be reminded that "Extreme Home Makeover" DOES NOT happen in one week. I meet too many people with thier head stuck on TV, with champagne taste and beer budgets. If these TV reality shows would truely show the realities of what it takes to do a remodel or addition, people (might) understand that some (larger) scopes of work can take weeks to months of planning, design, coordination, pricing, etc. The costs to do these projects can easily be 2X more than most people are lead to believe from these shows or talking with few "Home Depot" employees. I'm tired of seeing reality shows like "Holmes on Homes" showing the "problem", then the "fix", without ever explaining the true realities of the time and expense it takes to properly plan, design, price, a remodel or addition.

The point here is, really do your homework and ask the right questions, and think reality and set realistic expectations, deadlines, etc. And budget for the unknowns. GC's are not superman, and don't have x-ray vision / can't see behind walls or thru ceiling's and foundations. So, if there's something there and uncovered during construction, that's when you need to stop on consider what actions you're willing to take and their everlasting total impact on visual and use of space etc.

Anyone pursuing a remodel, addition, etc., needs to have at minimum a written contract, as well as scaled drawings and specifications. Nothing verbal holds up in court... documentation does. So, put your ideas on paper, take lots of photos before, during and after. The photos during construciton will also help you with future repairs if needed. They are a great resource of information that explain what's tucked behind that wall, or where that electrical or plumbing line leads to.

Homeowners!!! AVOID micro-managing. Homeowners who feel compelled to give direction to sub trades are in fact taking on liability. The GC and their subs have builders risk / GL insurances for a reason. You do not. If you choose to instruct a sub-contractor to perform scope of work, then you, the homeowner, just became liable. All you have is homeowners insurance, and they wil not cover any construction or liability damages. Avoid this at all cost.

If you hired a GC, then ensure to make your sole responsibility to "observe and report" only. If you can't do it, hire the design proffessional to perform "construction administration"... which is to observe and report back to you (not the GC). Then, when items are in need to be addressed, you, the design professional, and the GC can meet to discuss corrective actions, if any are needed. This will help keep you sane and the project progressing with little to no delay. Yes, you may own the home, and you may feel that you have the right to instruct subs or give direction, but what you are really doing is setting your self up for an epic fail later. Remember, you are not the only one photo documenting the project. The GC and subs (and the inspectors) also have the right to document and take photos of the work being performed... and they are doing it for more reasons than just to post on a website gallery.

Next, AVOID doing the work. You hired the GC to do work. Let them. Your minor savings may cost you BIG TIME later. Yes you may know how to run electrical, plumbing, running low-voltage wiring, or even tiling. That's great. However, there are building codes (IRC codes / NEC / TCNA guideliines for installing tile, etc.) that must be adhered to at ALL times. For example, if you decide to run low-voltage wires yourself in lieu of hiring an A/V installer to pre-wire for sound and security, and you bore holes thru wood memebers and get red-tagged on an inspection because they found that you bored thru or notched an area that impacts the integrity of the structure, then you just became liable, not the GC. It's best to work with and thru your GC.

Broadhouse Design Inc. There are some amazing contractors out there. They work with homeowners and interior designers to make a vision come true. They realize that their skill set is to build/construction and provide advice when needed. Then, there are others who fancy themselves interior designers with no official training or accreditation.

Beware of the contractor that does not provide you with scaled floorplans. If for nothing else, these drawings provide a starting point for a conversation about use of space and traffic flow. Professionals use 3D software to show clients what the room will look like. They usually come really close!

If you aren't working with an interior designer, but renovating your kitchen or bathroom, you can have floor plans drawn to scale by kitchen or bathroom companies. You (may) pay, but it will be a worthwile investment.

Think twice before simply working on a "vision". What you envision and the actual end result might be miles apart. It would be a shame to spend a small fortune only to end up dissappointed in the final results.

TSG Designs, LTD Also, using Houzz with the client has helped so much. When you explain something, it isn't always seen the same way to each other, but when you SHOW them pictures then you know you are on the same page. Love Houzz!

tareyece Thank you WaterMark for your comments, I totally agree. We have done several remodels, from a complete gut of the kitchen that took 6 months to a flooding induced remodel of the living room that took a nightmarish 9 months.

At the end of the day it was all about doing our homework as homeowners. We had to be actively involved, no matter how many professionals we had as part of the project. We were the only ones who would be sensitive to our budget and aesthetics. Long term, this has served us very well.

Oh, one last thing......I interview contractors. I think this must be unusual, but I was a Human Resource pro for to long not to do that. The contractor I work with is awesome, he is clean, tidy and respectful. He is a wealth of knowledge about products and offers tons of advice and assistance. He has never once left a wrapper or his tools in disarray. We have used him on many projects over the past 8 years.

92viadi Excellent points in the article.

Next week we move into our completely remodeled home. It has taken 18 months and, yes, more $$ than we had expected or hoped. But we are thrilled and so happy we undertook this project after years of deliberating whether we should remodel or just move.

A few more considerations:

I agree with @bainmrb: hiring the best contractor in your area is essential to your happiness and satisfaction. And, hire a GC who has done significant work in your area. Their knowledge of building codes and relationships with sub-contractors and inspectors makes a difference. A busy, in-demand GC already has many subs who work with him / her regularly and eagerly. They work well together and are more available to that GC because they know they'll get more work through him / her. And, the subs are more likely to work consistently to the standard set by the GC. (Our GC, Pettigrew Construction, is an excellent example.)

Consult with architects or designers on big-investment projects. We know what we like in design, but lack the skill and confidence to get there by ourselves. I credit the architect we worked with, the kitchen designer, and garden designer with helping us realize our vision by creating build-able plans and helping us select materials. (Our team: Jeannette Architects, The Kitchen Consultant, and The Plant Nerd)

Select professionals with whom you are comfortable and who will work with you in the way that you prefer. We wanted to be involved in our project and chose to work with professionals who welcomed that collaboration.

Finally, go into it with a spirit of adventure, because surely it will be a voyage of discovery!

adamlevy I am a realtor and residential contractor. This is such a thorough and informative article that it puts the entire process out there for any potential homeowner thinking about it.
Thank you. I have book marked this and am ready to pass it on.

ddelora One thing that would be helpful here is actual locations and names of contractors who do good work. We do most work ourselves, but do need a contractor for some things, and delving into the contractor world is scary. Without the funds to hire a home designer, and most contractors not interested in doing "small jobs", forget trying to get a good contractor, just try to get one to return the phone calls for a simple bid!

We hired HW General Contracting, in Southern California, to pour 2 cement slabs a few years ago. They presented the best bid, but also treated us like important clients, even though it was a small job. They just finished tearing out and installing shower for us in a 35 year old house. Again, their prices beat the tar out of other bids, they were on time and did a magnificent job. They also encountered a few minor "surprises" upon the tear out, and didn't ding us extra $$ to address some of the items.

If this sounds like a plug for them...IT IS! Offering generalized comments on what to look for in choosing a general contractor is fine, but quite frankly, I can find this same info anywhere on the Internet. What we regular, normal, budget-tight homeowners are looking for are NAMES! Sure, it's no guarantee, and homework on background, licenses, and recommendations should be persued (common sense), but actual companies and their locations would GREATLY assist in leading us to a real SOLUTION in finding a good contractor. Attached is a pic of the old and a pic of the new.

tareyece Ddelora......above I spoke in glowing terms about my contractor. His name is David Vavara, Vavara Contracting and he serves the Chicagoland area. His number is 847-668-2143. He also works with a great fabricator, Filip Vavara at Contemporary Tile Master.

erock5000 Words of wisdom, for sure. We are doing a full renovation of a 1958 ranch right now, and have a newborn baby (we're still living in our current home though, so that helps). No we didn't plan it that way, the planets just all aligned at precisely the same time. #1 recommendation, find a good contractor. We went through 7 (yes, SEVEN), before we found a good one. Search Craigslist daily - we found a small independent remodeler with decades of homebuilding experience who can do everything except electrical, and he's about 25% of the price of other remodeling companies. He saved our butts. You can also get great deals on building materials, finishes, fixtures. My wife and I are both professional interior designers, and our tip to all homeowners: set (and stick to) your budget and scope before the first hammer swing, and all will be well. Also, if you are able, do your own demo work before you start interviewing contractors. With remodels, contractors always bid high because of the unknowns. If everything is open, there are fewer surprises.

housegroupie The five MOST EXPENSIVE WORDS you will ever utter to the contractor: "While you're at it, let's...."

adamlevy looks like you do great work. Where is your market?

Curtis Conkey I relate to the previous comments by "rinqreation"

For our whole house remodel we ARE our own contractors, architects, interior designers and workers. I had finished off 3 basements and redone 3-4 bathrooms in my life previous to this, so I wasn't a complete newbie to remodeling. However this project was on a scale far greater than I had ever tackled involving complete redo's of the exterior and interior of the house. What was interesting was that we actually tried to get architect help in the beginning and could not - the architects would not take our small Ranch home remodel on. Not enough money in it for them we were told for such a small house (2800 sq ft). So we just winged it and bought a lot of books and looked at a LOT of Houzz photos to figure out what we wanted, what was possible and what we could afford.

We have strung the remodel out over time and are currently in year three. We have done 80% of the work ourselves bringing in contractors for specialty jobs such as rock work, fireplace installs, gas line installs, etc.
We gave up on trying to control #1 and we just dust a lot. We have had our share of #5's and wondered how that "issue" escaped inspection back in the 70's when the house was built. #9 has been the biggest challenge as we try to predict the future and know where to put outlets, plumbing, etc. One thing that has been a big advantage of doing it ourselves is that we take extra time to put in more outlets, Cable drops and Ethernet drops than we could have afforded to pay someone to do.

I especially resonate with rinqreation's last comment. If you are afraid of having two jobs (9-5 at the office and then 6-10 at home remodeling plus weekends), afraid of getting really, really dirty or have no construction sense at all then you should hire it out.

Ventana Construction LLC @adamlevy, thank you! We are in Seattle, Washington.
@ddelora, I think houzz.com is a tremendous resource for locating remodeling professionals in your area. The site allows you to search by metro area and type of professional. The companies with reviews tend to land near the top of the search results, so you can see not just photos, but find out how the company's clients feel about the work they do. That's a good first step in making a short list of contractors to interview. I covered the topic of contractor selection on our company blog, which might be of help to you: http://www.ventanabuilds.com/blog/2011/07/20/selecting-a-contractor-part-1/

jtrbug We are in the second year of an almost entire house remodel. We chose to go slow because we wanted to pay with as much cash as we can and reserve our savings for really big ticket items. This entire time I have been cooking on one induction cooktop and a Cacdo convection (half-sheet size) oven, a great sink and a fridge...in the basement. My husband has been amazed at my patience. We have gone down to the studs and the joists.We have $$$$ in electrical work and crazily we are doing this to a house that will not increase in value. At 63, we made the choice to stick with our 1/3 acre lot and the garden I've spent over 30 years creating and just make our home an enjoyable retirement place.

I say yes to finding a contractor you like. For weeks at a time it's just me and The Guy. Hard to put up with that when you don't like The Guy. Mine is a great combo of former framer, enjoys trim work and likes problem solving. I got lucky.

Morag Johnston All true. Plaster and lath removal creates more dust and crud than you think possible. Budget for duct cleaning and a maid service to do a big clean when you're done.

ptmatthews It helps if you approach your remodel as an ADVENTURE and learning experience. And if you have a sense of humor. Just know that the unexpected is going to happen - that IS the nature of construction.

mauryt This article is spot on, as are many of the comments. My husband and I are in the final weeks of a major remodel--gutted a 1965 rambler and added a Great Room. Couldn't have lived in the house if we'd wanted to, so we didn't have to deal with some of the tips on how to avoid the dust and noise. Nonetheless, it's been a wild ride, and I know we'll be happy when it's all said and done. To those about to embark on such an adventure, I'd like to emphasize what others have said here: do your homework. Research, research, research. Be as clear as you can be about what you want before you begin the design process and select your architect and contractor. You will also benefit greatly from a solid team (architect, structural engineer, and contractor). And I highly recommend the wisdom in a book by Amy Johnston: What Your Contractor Can't Tell You.

rosesdaughter I learned just how important sleep is! For complicated reasons I slept at a neighbor's house for nearly 2 months while our bathroom was being remodeled. Though the accomodations were lovely, I don't sleep well away from home, and the added stressors of the remodel (we experienced ALL of the above mentioned ones) added to the sleeplessness. Many quality of life and health issues are affected by sleep deprivation! If you have a way to mitigate that, do avail yourself of it.

Sims Construction Great Article hitting many over looked issues until they are an issue.

#1 Dust (and fumes)

Negative Air

The big difference when keeping dust under control is adding negative air to the work area.
It goes on first before work starts and stays on all day long. For some projects it may be left on for projects like a stain and lacquer job it can keep the fumes from traveling out of the work area.
It cleans the air for the workers and even more importantly it pulls air from non work areas into the work area so the dust is pulled into the work area and moved outside.
The fans cone in different styles and shapes. They can be rented from box stores and other rental places.
The plastic tube for moving the dust in can be rented or purchased in reusable or disposable.
It may be hard to believe such a simple addition could make such a big difference. Seeing it once will make you and the client a believer.

Ram Board

I use a lot of Ram board , But beware if you think heavy or sharped edges could be dropped use hard board.
Ram board on carpet will tear in a shatter pattern when tools and materials are dropped.
This is really not a big problem. Having a roll of duct tape handy is a quick lasting fix.
I put down plastic before The Ram Board in work areas where this is a concern and high traffic areas. For heavier work areas I always use 1/8" hardboard.

Keeping the walls clean
I am a big believer of putting light plastic on walls not being worked on. It keeps the walls cleaner and cuts cleaning later.

Vents and Return Air

Covering the vents and return air is missed and a biggie.
I cover return air venting with doubled air filer that I cut to fit, the outer layer is replaced as needed.
I cover supply venting if it is coming on during the job or plastic and tape if it is not in use.
I also but in a mesh material to keep debris from falling down into the vents.

Access

I use a combination of zipper doors , plastic flaps, drops and carpet protecting self stick easy remove plastic depending on traffic, materials and debris going through the opening.
I use different thicknesses of plastic depending on the amount of time and wear and tear the access will be used.
On some projects the opening may move and be relocated as progress and need changes.

Foot wear and protection
I may have to walk through snow to get to the house on those days the guys have second pair of shoes. This is not always an issue at the rough demo stages as it is at finish.

Koatings Plus Inc need ideas for outside cooking area

eldertooba Having just completed an 18 month remodel plus another 2 years of planning, I have a couple of suggestions.
1. A project needs daily supervision by the owner. Construction workers mean well, but they are like 5th graders. They, along with the construction supervisor, need at least daily supervision. Otherwise you won't get what you want.
2. Your job is not the only job your contractor has. He will on occasion pull all the workers from your job site for his other projects. Put in your contract that 1 or 2 workers will be at your project 8 hours a day, every day, with a financial penalty for non-compliance. Sound extreme? You may have moved out of your home into a rental. If the workers don't show up, you'll spend an extra month or two on that rental that could have been used on a change order.

mbhigh Expect the unexpected! We were adding a second story to our house. A few days after the roof was off it rained! Unfortunately the tarp leaked. We had not been planning to redo the old living room, but because of the leak the ceiling came down. To make matters worse there was loose blowed-in insulation on that. Picture wet, loose insulation... A super sized mess! On the positive side it was a blessing in disguise. We cut out the old ceiling to make 8' ceiling and I don't regret that one bit!

sheepdogplanet I am in the middle of a remodel, so all of your comments above hit close to home. The one item that is really difficult to plan for is lead times. I recently found out that a door I am ordering for the cellar is taking 12 weeks, some of the windows are taking 4-6 weeks, and a ventilation hood for my Viking stove is taking 6 weeks. Had I known about these lead times I may have ordered everything before I even signed my contractor. Of course, my contractor kept telling me "don't worry - you have lots of time" so I am now in a position to have to sit around and wait. Word to the wise - make the appliances and fixtures wait for you, not the other way around.

Mary Yaeger how long it takes the components to be delivered after they have been ordered. Think months, not days or weeks.

permvictoria All of the above is correct--BUT. Spend lots of time on your contract. Put estimated completion date in writing. Write all details. Number of floor sealer, coats of paint, and every other piddlin' detail. Remember---a good personality when getting the estimate does not guarantee if the owner will be on job. My own GC

Sims Construction With proper planning and ordering many pitfalls are avoided.

Having a good relationship with suppliers is key knowing who is delivering and getting materials when promised

Something's are foreseeable others are hard to plan for.
It may be as simple as ordered wrong, arrivers damaged or fill in the blank________.

We are dealing with a supply chain that just spent a few years cutting back.

Plan on longer lead times with construction getting busier until production catches up and supply houses are not under stocked and manned.

Don't get a false since things just appear and happen like on reality shows.

Some projects you are asking for trouble without product in hand.

Even if it was in stock last week is no guaranty for this week.

Paula Moffett Interiors Great article. Thanks for putting into words what we all want to explain to our clients in a nice, non-intimidating way.

mikebarton1 Damage! That was left out. It's pretty likely something else will be damaged during the remodel.

Domenica Cambareri Timely Article.....Well, today I officially blew the last of the budget, YES, luckily I did keep an extra 20% as backup, work commenced on the bathroom renovation today...an extra $1100....Where did all the money go ? I ask myself...I spent months on researching, the best buys for appliances and fittings, even longer trying to find a contractor...
It helps reading this, as I'm feeling quite flat, and a little disheartened at present...I envisioned doing so much more with the funds borrowed...I've been vigilant -and before I made any purchase I would double check the budget.... Still with all that, I'm not going to have enough to paint....That will have to be done in stages now.
Anyhow, I'm glad I could post this, I needed a rant....And I don't feel so alone....It just goes to show doesn't matter how much I tried to get things just right....I made mistakes....and now it's accepting what's done and working with what I do have...
I swore the previous renovation I did; would be the last - Not so...here I go again...It does take a lot of time, resources, energy embarking on a renovation...I'm much older these days, so it's limited on what I can do myself to save costs....Years ago I was much more able to tackle a lot the renovation myself.....Thanks Houzz I did spend a lot of time here looking at pictures and reading articles, it's a been a major inspiration in tackling the renovation.

robinmodlin I know what is important in life and I know you should not sweat the small stuff but......the stuff that happens in a remodel can be sooooo irritating. The most disappointing part is that there can be so many unnecessary mistakes. Many of these come from just being human and many can come from manufacturers and it makes you wonder who is it that is filling orders? A lot of inconsistencies and incompetence out there. We are just so done with the project and that nearly every thing has some issue attached to it....it comes in the wrong color, or, oooops, sorry about that , but I will fix it. So much gets done twice. So inefficient and wasteful. So many I talk to know the feeling and remodeling can be so painful and frustrating....don't think it should be that way. The construction industry and other businesses seem to have an attitude that if it breaks it can be fixed rather than don't break it in the first place........

staple87 Make sure you get a signed off sub-contractor bill before final payment or your warranties might not be honored. Our contractor didn't pay our sub contractors and we couldn't get any help unless we paid them the amount he owed first.

Sherry and Chris Krodel Lots of good comments here. Having a great, open relationship between contractor and client is crucial. Always tell your contractor what is stressing you, they can help you through it. A good contractor wants to know what you are thinking!

slrslr In addition to noise that is unbearable, I would add unpredictable loss of well, everything. From internet service to phone service to electricity to water. If it doesn't need to be turned off for the construction, it will be disrupted by accident. We also had a cat that ran below the crawlspace, a basement flood because the electrician thought he could guess which plumbing pipe served which faucet. He opened wrong one and left. Sigh.

judybath It always takes longer. The last thing we had done was the hardwoods upstairs refinished while we lived in the basement. I was surprised how long we could live on toast! Using a microwave to cook scrambled eggs for breakfast and making sandwichs for lunch we only had dinner to deal with. My husband sealed off the only open ceiling in the basement with plastic sheeting so no dust came downstairs plus we hired a company to do the floors that had a huge HVAC system they ran with the sander. Really worth the extra money as I have asthma and there was very little dust. Floors look great.

Jubi Arriola_Headley Excellent article. I wish it'd been written before our flooding induced remodel (like others who have commented here) last year - I would have been FAR better prepared for the process (which involved replacement and on-site finishing of hardwood floors, drywall and tile repair, and moving my washer/dryer as an add-on). I wanted to offer a couple of additional comments.


1) Prepare for the DUST. It never occurred to me to close the AC vents, and part of the remodel was refinishing about 1,200 square feet of hardwood floors. OOF! Heed the sage words of this article - close the vents, seal off areas that are not part of the remodel...and accept that in spite of these preparations, you'll still end up with some dust in places you don't want or expect it.

2) RE: finding a contractor - ask your insurance company! Liberty Mutual offered to let me use my own contractors, but a) I had none and b) I figure someone recommended by them is someone they trust to do the work well, and cost-effectively. So I asked them to recommend someone who works in my area, and I ended up with a great contractor. He charges 20% off the top above the cost of materials and labor by the subs - and there's no negotiation on that point. But I learned in the course of my project that he earns every penny. He saved me time, money and more than one headache. I cannot IMAGINE how insane it would've been to coordinate all the various aspects of my project by myself. More importantly, there was more than one occasion where I was un-pleased with some aspect of the work done by subs. One call to the GC and the problems were addressed.

I have often heard about projects where people save money by acting as the GC on their project - HA! Think SERIOUSLY about how much your time is worth, and how much time you actually have, before you decide to act as your own GC. A really good GC can save you money, it's true, as well as time and headaches.

mrb449401 I agree with eldertooba. I am currently in a complete remodel of one-half of my house. I started this project as I am at home temporarily (having left a job) and I knew from other work I have had done (while I was trying to work on my own job) that it is nigh to impossible to make sure that you are getting everything that you contracted for and to get the work done in a reasonably quality manner without overseeing it yourself. You will get cheap builder grade products substituted for what you had contracted for, etc., especially in those areas where you can't see behind the drywall, etc. It is very disheartening but I have found that I have had to research products and installation myself and become a near expert in everything to make sure that I am getting what I am paying for. For instance, I had a sunken living room made to be level with the rest of the house for aging-in-place reasons. This required framework, plywood sub floor and I contracted for insulation as I am on a slab. The day the framework was complete, the workers started putting down the plywood and nailing it. I told them that I was to have insulation under that floor. If I had not been there, my floor would have been covered with plywood and I would be none the wiser (and I would be wondering why my floor was colder than I thought it should be.) But most importantly, I would have paid for insulation that I did not get! This is but one example of many that have occurred in all my remodeling projects. I also had a Bain Ultra thermal massage tub installed and they did not follow installation instructions and build a framework for the tub. It had to be framed after they put it in. (This occurred during a remodel when I was working.)

Also, I am a woman and agree with other women on this site. You will be given excuses and you will be told that things that you want aren't possible. Every time I am told that, I go on-line and I find the solution or the product that does what I want. You can say that with so much out there, a person can't know everything available but it is amazing (I even find some humor in it now) what you will be told because it may take more time (which I am paying for) or because it takes a little more skill set. You would think that after being on my job for any length of time and knowing that I am going to check out everything I am told, they would just cut the crap--but amazingly, they don't. I have gotten to the point that I have sourced my own products and I have told them that if they won't or can't do what I want that I will find someone who can. Sad, but true. I don't know how anyone can expect a quality job without overseeing it. Moving out of my home and going on automatic pilot, leaving minor/major decisions to others, and expecting a quality job would be like rolling the dice in Vegas to me. When they are all gone and you have paid the money, they are not the ones living in your house-you are. I don't know about you, but money is too hard to come by for me to leave things to chance and perhaps have to correct work I have already paid for once. My biggest caveat after having remodeled about 75% of my house, is that you do your best to find a quality contractor, you do the best that you possibly can to make sure that your contract spells everything out (they will whip the contract out on you and try to say something is not in there), you make sure that you can oversee the job, if something happens that would be costly to correct but you can live with it--you get a deduction that you and the contractor can agree upon from your contract, and you must be willing to be tough and negotiate these things. Remodeling is not for the faint of heart--you WILL be taken advantage of if you are not savvy. Remember, they do this for a living. Many times they have honed their objections to work that is in any way out of the ordinary to a fine art. Oh, the internet is a wonderful thing!

E. Miles Custom Builder, Inc. @ mjneylon Yes, that is a normal reaction also. A friend once described his remodel project as the "While we're at it...." phase. As in, "While we're at it (remodeling the kitchen) let's go ahead and add on that extra living space, bathroom, porch and those built in bookshelves!"

Dura Supreme Cabinetry Great article! Thank you!

Cliff Spencer Furniture Maker Love this.

jinajae I would add that when you don't have that extra 10-20%, accept that you may not be able to get everything on your wishlist and prioritize your projects accordingly.

shelleyhmln The one thing I wish I had known/thought of is this; my son was one at the time of the remodel. My house was built in the 50's. At his 15 month checkup they asked me again about lead. We didn't live in a house or a neighborhood that was a danger, so the doctor was never worried about lead. We decided, at the last minute, to run a lead test. The test came out at 18%. Not particularly high, but high enough that we made some significant changes in his life. It scared the heck out of me. Everything has turned out okay, but at the time and with his age, the reactions could have been really significant.

lyrics1967 Oh boy! I am in the midest of all of this RIGHT NOW! I thought I knew everything I wanted but when the varied questions started coming, I was close to halting everything one day. I thought my brain was going to explode. I do think it did leak a few cells. Or maybe that was just some texturizing gunk left on the floor by the sheetrock guy? Everything you have said here is so so true. Expect the unexpected. It's really like life in general. If you always expect sun and think you're entitled to sun everyday, you will freak when it rains. Can't say enough about the budget and the time. Add 2 1/2 times to that and when it is finished ahead of the new modified schedule and under that new modified budget, you'll be giddy! I also recommend you make a chart of projected projects for the day. A big chart like doctors us in the ER that maps out what is going on and who's doing what? Then as it's done, you can check it off. Two things that does. It makes you feel so empowered to check it off and it helps you see things are truly truckin' along. Commit to be happy when certain things take longer because it might suggest you have a really diligent, detailed, perfectionist contractor. Yeah! Anyone strarting a remodel needs to print this advice Houzz has outlined. Pin it to a wall and read it first thing each morning until you have it memorized! You won't always like what is going on but you will be more emotionally prepared for it and your stress will be minimized greatly if you expected it. Then try to find that old song "Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This" and blast it on your stereo,,,,and dance!

Juniper River Home Design Many comments about knowing your contractor and designer but here are my two cents.... make sure that they communicate!

As a design professional, it is very difficult working on a project where the homeowner wants to be the center of communication or where the contractor is not interested in communication with the designer. There is often a lot of contention between the designer and contractor and this is NOT good for the overall project - especially the budget!!!

I was just hired to work on a project in which I will take the project into the design schematics and then help the homeowner select the contractor. They decided to do this because they want to make sure that we will work together well. This is the first time I've worked in this format and I have to say, I'm excited to see how it turns out!

brutuszka Great article, really!
I've reconstructed several homes in the last few years, the very last one was the one where I live now, and for some reasons I had to live in the flat during the reconstruction. The worse thing for me was the smell.... The noise stops when the guys go home in the evening, you can clean up a little space, close your eyes and don't see all the stuff you have, but you can't close your nose so that you don't feel the smell... Wet walls, old paintings, old plumbing, and not to speak about when they removed the toilet!
Next time I'll move out (and do everything possible to be able)!

PhatC Inc. This is a great article and the feedback from the comments couldn't be more spot on! As a general contractor we have seen it all!

Mary Kozma When I had my business of kitchen remodeling (now retired), I made SURE the client signed off on choices, too late to say 'changed my mind' later. I found the worst problem was that the clients (homeowners) did NOT stop shopping! They kept looking at photos and wanting something different! Signed off...stuff already ordered, and I delayed starting to accommodate any of this type of 'my friends have this or said I should get that'.... that was the worst for me to deal with, NOT everyone did this, but the clients that did... I learned to spot them early and then explain more than once why no more changes could be made without causing delays and change orders. It is very smart and a must to discuss at length... the change orders and extra expenses that the client can cause to themselves! They need to know they can be their own worst enemy to their budget!

lyrics1967 Everybody needs to pause and go get a good laugh while watching Tom Hanks and Shelley Long in The Money Pit. After remodeling, every scene will be easy for you to imagine. It's just not that absurbed anymore. It could happen.

Carolyn Macmillan should have moved out of the house while our kitchen/diningroom renovation took place!! Removed ceilings, walls and relocated a stairwell in order to create an open concept. Husband did most of the work while working a 2 week away, 2 week home shift!!

EcoLogic Life Style Design It is nice to see a post that sets some realistic expectations about what a homeowner can expect during a remodel. Somehow HGTV reality shows are not so real. They have thrown people off about what to expect, making it appear you can do a remodel in one weekend without a good design professional or experienced, licensed general contractor to manage the work flow.

A good environmental inspector who can detect problems, (before demolition), with poorly insulated walls, termite damage, or mold growth is a minor investment that is well worth it. Having a good plan from a designer or architect gives you the specifications needed to get solid estimates from contractors before you start your project.

How about a "Realistic Expectations" reality show for HGTV or Discovery!

Carolyn Macmillan A "Realistic Expectations" reality show would attract a huge audience I think! So many people would relate to the predicaments we homeowners get ourselves into!

buckeyebrad Three things to remember when it comes to home improvement / construction;
It always costs more
It always takes longer
It's always more difficult

Koatings Plus Inc Why does it cost more? What % of the home remodeling business is being done by the Mom an Pop remodeling companies? Maybe a lot has to do with estimating time and cost. I can see there may be hidden things behind walls or floors but I think a lot has to do with the estimating.

Sims Construction Why Does it Cost More?

That often has to do with homeowners changing their minds and adding more work to the projects.

Often the project opens the clients eyes to the other possibilities because they like what they see and decide to do more.
80% of the remodels get added to in scope.

The next biggest is the unknown.
Sure I know what am suppose to find behind the drywall.
Its what you find that you were not suppose to see that cost more.
Damage, bad or incorrect framing, wiring or plumbing .
As a professional our only option is to correct it Its for your safety first and foremost.

When building a new home or kitchen remodel we have a budget that has been gone over by both the client and myself. Appliances, looked at listed and priced out an allowance set in stone, till they change their mind.

On bigger projects where more time and work is involved I have seen the choice of appliance can change drastically.
Once the client picked a new on the market must have cooktop the blew the whole appliance budget.

Straight forward jobs like Decks, Garages, Porch covers rarely go over budget as is the case for many kitchen and bath remodels where the sizes and locations stay the same.

buckeyebrad It always costs more because of what is seen and unseen. A new shut off valve here. Another box of screws there. To get the paint to cover well it takes more than another quart but less than a gallon. Now the wall plates, switches and outlets look dingy so replace them. The bundle of flooring had a couple or nasty looking pieces and the only way to finish is buy another bundle. Last time I bought this fitting it was X now it's Y. I loaned this tool to someone, now I need it and have to go buy another one. Now this isnt compatible with that. The old register vents are a 1" too big for the new duct work. Sanding this wont do it so you have to buy chemical stripper, the applicators, on top of the sand paper you already bought. The regular shop vac filter is shot and in order not to spread the drywall dust around you have to buy a drywall filter. Your daughter used your premium paint burshes to dust the sidewalk chalk off so now you need to buy new ones. Your help can't be there tomorrow so you have to rent the cement mixer for one more day. My sawzall blades for whatever reason keep breaking so it's off to buy more. Combine the medicine with the cost of the co pay It cost an extra $100 dollars to get rid of the poison ivy I got removing the bushes to make room for the deck.


See waht I mean?

Sims Construction Anne
This is by far one of the better articles.
The dialog, thoughts and venting that has followed along with your article is invaluable.

(Often the project opens the clients eyes to the other possibilities because they like what they see and decide to do more.
80% of the remodels get added to in scope.)

This happens a lot
I walk into your home to bid remodeling the bathrooms and the kitchen follows.


I did a emergency roof repair on a street I had built three homes from ground up.
I told the client winter is not the best time to reroof.
The following spring I went out to bid the roof and was asked was it possible to give a bid for painting and AC as well.
Much of the wood was beyond paint so I was asked to bid the siding and I did.

The bids was accepted and work started.
After the old siding was removed and new siding was going up The client decided he wanted to go with higher efficiency windows and doors to replace the ten year old builders grade ones.
Later one day when I was working outside he ask to replace the door that led to the garage because he could feel and hear the wind going through.
I said let me look at it first.
I caulked, foamed and re-trimmed the garage side of the door, adjusted the door bottom and it was as good as new.
Many things are less costly if the contractor is already on the project.

PS The windows, doors eco cooling roof shingles , solar roof vents house wrap and caulking made the house so comfortable the AC was not needed.

Sims Construction @buckeyebrad Tools ,materials, help, doctors bills is bidding and is why the job costs you more not the clients.

Right
You think you need five sawsall blades for remodeling you buy ten.
You see poison Ivy bidding the deck you add a disposable painters suit to the bid.

Valves, and other items where wear is not visible sure, sanding issues 50/50 we are back to experience. My favorite painter first painted for me in 1993-94

gcanty Buckeye, Sounds like you are discussing a cost plus job with the tools, blades etc. In a priced contract, those type of expendables are the contractors problem not the clients.

In 35 years, we have never hired subcontractors that were "like 5th graders". Granted we worked in small towns and knew who to hire that was efficient, professional and trustworthy.
They worked unsupervised by me or the homeowner and I could pay my regular subs without going out to inspect. They were that good.

I would suggest people spend a lot of time on references for your contractor. If you are the contractor, that means you must make a lot of phone calls to check out all the subs. Another point is the subs owe their loyalty to the general contractors since they are their source of year in and year out business. So, sometimes, u-build-it's have to wait a day or two but the good subs will get there as fast as they can.

Material procurement is an art. It takes a lot of experience to stage the materials and fixtures so no one is waiting including the homeowner.

While things happen beyond anyone's control, if your contractor is moving heaven and earth to get it done, give him a break.

Canty Construction

lyrics1967 @mrb449401- and if that doesn't work, threaten to call Mike Holmes from the TV Holmes on Holmes. Tell them you want them to personally explain their reasons to him. I'm sure he will understand. LOL

mrb449401 There are a lot of comments from GC's here re: the customer is always adding things or changing things. I have learned to be so careful about spelling everything I want out in the contract --yes, I add addenda and clarifications--when I am making a contract-- to try to avoid as many unexpected charges as possible and to try to ensure that I get the work and material quality that I want. I am not adding or changing things-just wanting the work and materials contracted for in my contract--nothing less/nothing more. There are always those issues that cannot be foreseen by customer or contractor when you are remodeling. I agree with one contractor here who said that it is the responsibility of the contractor to estimate carefully and when you need extra sawsall blades, that is not the customer's fault, etc. I would also like to say that when something is installed incorrectly and then it has to be redone (mainly because someone cannot read the installations instructions)--THAT is NOT the customer's fault. I am all for paying a fair price and I mean a fair price for unexpected issues that need to be resolved but I am not paying for someone's errors that create a need for more materials, time and labor. It goes both ways people!

Both of the issues that I brought up in my earlier comment were about not getting what was in my contract--not additions or changes. I do a lot of research and I am trying to contract up front for what I want. And while I am at it here--many of you GC's need to learn how to write a change order! The last time there was an unexpected issue on my remodel, the GC penciled his additional charges on a piece of wood! If you have customers making constant changes, start hitting them with change orders complete with additional costs for them to sign off on and it will probably nip the changes/additions in the bud. I'd love to have Mike Holmes listen to some of the stuff that I have been told--I could fill up a whole time slot!

gcanty On a piece of wood? You have to be kidding me. People are talking about quality work and materials but you need to start with a quality General Contractor. Why did you accept that?

I cannot imagine charging a customer for a sub contractor error. Why did you accept that?
I cannot imagine one of my subs turning in anything like that.

The one place you need to expect to pay is with faulty owner supplied fixtures etc.
It is not the plumbers fault that the Home Depot supplied faucet has a non ending leak. Subs make money on their supplied parts to cover this type of thing. They cannot stop,pull the defective faucet, send a runner to HD, exchange the faucet at the store, and replace the HD faucet for nothing. You have to expect to pay.

Once i explained this to our customers they were happy to agree to not supplying their materials. We only allowed decorative items to be customer supplied. All 'hard items' (something completely attached to the house by us or our contractors) were all General Contractor supplied and our responsibility that they function as they should.

Canty Construction

mrb449401 You bring up some valid points. As for the penciled change on a piece of wood, I made sure that the numbers added up and I recorded the exact amount and what it was for in the job costing records of the job. I pay if it adds up and is valid. I did not pay for work to be done over. These are not subs, they are the contractor's employees. However, I am sure that I ended up making up for the GC's extra costs and I will give an example.

On my current job, before I hired the GC and while we were contracting, I informed him that I had an issue with a sliding door leaking. He said that his people would take a look at it as he was confident they could solve the problem without getting a new door. My husband and I were more than fine with getting a new door, if necessary. First rain after demo, concrete is wet around the door on a floor that I had contracted to have engineered hardwood laid. I informed the GC immediately, they played around with it, door was possibly installed wrong to begin with, and he delayed getting me the order book for a new door. I was not supplying the door myself--I just want to replace items with quality pieces. Door was ordered through him and he was trying to say that I was holding things up--EVEN though we had informed him that we had an issue up front and that if it was not resolved, we wanted to get a new door and pay for the additional work. When the door came, the new door leaked because the workers did not read the instructions and properly caulk the bottom edges. Now it was wet and had to dry out to be redone properly and the supplier had to supply some new felt and weatherstripping. This was not my fault! When the GC gave me a price for the door and the labor, he said--$1672.00 for the door and $350 for installation. That was fine with me. When mistakes were made and the supplier had to come out and supply new parts and the work had to be redone correctly, the GC then told me that he needed $1672 for the door, $350 installation and $200 to paint it. I told him that he never told me that the painting would be an extra charge. I paid it but isn't it possible that I paid for the extra parts and the additional labor by him "manufacturing" a painting charge? Lesson learned. Now anything that comes up unexpected, I will get them to put the change order IN WRITING and that is the price I will pay. This is a good example of the point that I am trying to make with people about remodeling. Get everything in writing--any changes that need to be made and what the charge will be. I am trying to give others the benefit of all my experience because as I said, the contractor might have been in business for years and they know how to recoup the costs of their mistakes. They have had many opportunities to hone their skills in this area. You must be a savvy customer and try to protect yourself.

lyrics1967 @mrb, No one can be any more detailed, any more thorough than you have been. You are an honest person. You are exemplary at all you do regarding this topic and have set a wonderful example. What you are showing us is that we live in a fallen world and many are not as concerned with their personal integrity as you are. And that's the case in all industries. So, unfortunately, if we don't want to be taken to the cleaners, we must do as you did. Everything in writing and initialed and dated a must. Journaling would probably be a good idea. You and I both know there are people out there that are a pain to work with. I hate being treated by anyone who performs a service for me to act like I don't know what a jungle it is out there, as if the rest of us have never been in a position to perform a service. I've worked with the public. I don't live under a rock.

My husband and I have always laughed about how doctors and lawyers and other professionals can keep you waiting or not promptly return your calls and yet, a mechanic gets such grief from the same people if he discovers another issue and it's going to cost more and heaven help, the car is going to take more time to repair! Boy, can they get on their emotional high horse then!And yet, a mechanic cannot fully know what he is going to find until he tears down that motor. Now the shoes in the other foot. Where did their patience and tolerance go? What happened to "treat others how you want to be treated"? Do these people try to treat us as if we could be their mothers or sisters or wives? I'm speaking to all who provide a service.

So, I presonally thank you for sharing all you have learned.It's helped me a lot. Maybe you shojuld put out a book called, Remodeling Your House for Dummies! I bet you'd make a million, judging from the response here.

Sims Construction Remodeling is not for the faint of heart (Truer words could not be spoken)

I do not know the average for a remodel but the average new home has two million components in it and something will go wrong, it’s the law of averages.

You WILL be taken advantage of if you are not savvy. (I hope and believe that is the exception)

As a contractor my pricing varies to some extent on the client. You know some will need daily updates, other weekly works. Time is money!

I also know of contractors who gouge whenever they can, they treat every client as a one timer.
Again they are the exception but they exist.

By all means educate yourself and be savvy.

Even hire a third party inspector for quality if the scope is such it is warranted.

I think I have been asked three times by clients about third party inspectors.

Twice on Spec homes and once on a contract pre sold in twenty years.

I have encouraged them to do so if it gives them piece of mind.

Define what quality you desire in the beginning, because the building inspector cannot inspect for quality.

A 10’ wall could be leaning 1 5/8” out of plumb and still meet the building codes requirement.

I know no one personally who would do that kind of work but when I use to trim for numerous contractors I did come across really bad framing. By the time the trimmer is onsite drywall is done and framers are long gone.

I chose as a trim carpenter to never trim for three builders who accepted that level of work again. I did not want my name associated with their houses.

They are usually the ones who are first to disappear when the economy drops.

Unfortunately when the economy drops you get a few people saying they can do things they do not do well just to have a job.

There is always a first time to do something,

The first stairways I did I was painfully slow but the quality of the workmanship was as good as any on the project.
The stairways were a set price so I paid for the learning curve so to speak.

I did one houses the first day and the top guys were doing five houses a day.
The next day I did two and a half and the third day I did three plus the half from the day before.
I also knew I would probably never be a five house a day guy.
I still 25 years later have all my fingers and many of the fastest on that project were missing a part of one finger or more.

gcanty Sims Construction, We also had variable pricing. By the time the plans were drawn, redrawn, spec'd and ready to be costed we knew our customer pretty well. We had a line on our spread sheet to add a small percentage in called the PIA factor. People with extremely wretched and uncontrolled children got a nice little bump on that line.

I came into one house and found the children dancing inside the cabinets that had been painted the day before. The parents were completely oblivious. Same dad rode a 2 y.o around on his shoulders as the kid stuck a chocolate cupcake to the newly painted walls.

We did not clean up either area. They paid to have the inside of the cabinets redone and left the chocolate on the walls. So did we. The wife broke into the house at night and redid the wall paper. :-O

Not all PIA's were about kids. Some customers are extremely needy and need lots of hand holding. Some have to be taken shopping multiple times to pick out lights and flooring because they can't make a decision.

We have to live with a customer most of a year but we do not have to marry them.

Gail
Canty Custom Construction

Matt Sanford Homes Well written, I concur with all of the points written. You could write another section called "Discovery". Seems like after every demo, there is always something that surprises everyone. I doubt surprises are going to stop too, there are so many old homes in the world, and lots of homeowners neglect to do the maintenance, which always comes back to haunt somebody's budget!

Another section could be called "Moving Parts". Construction is typically very logical. Framing before plumbers/electricians. Insulation before drywall, which is before paint. If you follow the logical sequence it goes smoothly...BUT there is always the curve ball that tries to hold the whole show! Good contractors usually spot them early and deal with them effectively.

Next article should be on contracts and pricing..."How does the money work?!"

Sims Construction @Matt
I am surprised at the things obviously done after inspection , not to code on million dollar+ homes built during the down turn.
Where did these builder come from?
If I asked my electrician to leave wires (hot) in the ceiling hanging loose he tell me to quit smoking crack.

I have never been surprised by what a home owner/ handyman will do.

A neighbor called knowing I built several homes in the subdivision.
Her husband and a handy dandy friend had removed the header to make room for a sliding glass door. She was 99% sure it needed to be there but Handy D assured her it was not necessary, well he tried to.
This same handy man did his own basement finish. The electrician told me the walls were falling off the ceiling as he tried to drill holes to run wire.

jinajae A lot has been said about homeowners and contractors. All of it true :) If you would not like to navigate that relationship on your own, or feel unqualifed to do so, hire an architect (or interior designer)! They not only help with the design and selection - making the space work optimally for you and deciding every outlet height and hardware finish with you beforehand - but most also do construction administration, CA, or overseeing that everything is done as designed, making all the little decisions along the way, and bringing only major concerns to your attention. Architects are underutilized in residential construction when their fees don't have to be cost prohibitive. Many architects even do residential on the side for fun.

If a designer is out of the question, plan Plan PLAN! Knowing the details about what you want ahead of time will minimize a lot of the homeowner complaints that good contractors talk about. The time to clip magazines and obsess over home improvement shows and figure out if the couch will fit is before the remodel begins, not during. Don't get in their way, but do review ALL their work or have an architect do it for you.

gcanty Sims, I am always shocked at what a home owner not only accepts but pays for. The same homeowner will turn around and hold our feet to the fire
for an unfilled nail hole because of our rep for exactness.
Jinajae, i guess we should be getting fees for these services as we have always done as you stated with our customers making their decision lighter and more managable for them. Also less headache for me.

CCC

Ventana Construction LLC @jinajae, thanks for your comment about hiring architects for Construction Administration services. We always encourage our clients to hire a team of professionals for their project and keep them all active as a team through the end of construction. Particularly on whole-house remodels and additions, the number of decisions and items that require design can be boggling to a homeowner, and having input from their architect or designer is invaluable. On large projects, our preference is to have architects present at all our weekly site meetings and walk through at the end to create a punch list.

Koatings Plus Inc Sounds good to have more professionals involved in the decision making but if the client isn't decisive than you may get change orders that end up affecting the time line and budget and in the end it comes out of you OH & P..

gcanty We built one the inspectors said was 2.5 " into the easement. the subdivision's owner produced another set of subdivision plans that showed it was 2' inside the line. These were what we had built with.

Of course, i about fainted with the inspection.

Sims Construction The last home I built on a zero lot line I was within 1/8" of the PL, Five levels, highly energy efficient SCIP home. The homeowner move five feet to new home and dropped utility bills by over 50% and gained 1/3 more conditioned area .

Because it was the first home of its kind built in the city of Denver I had private inspections on all structural aspects. Many days included daily inspections

sheepdogplanet @jinajae - I had to do exactly as you described. I ended up hiring my architect to help me deal with my contractor. His attitude of "I am the expert don't ask questions" didn't sit well with me. So I figured architect to contractor they could speak the same technical language and I was less likely to aggravate him. Had I the ability to start over I wouldn't pick the same contractor but the architect was a great find. And @gcanty, its too bad homeowners can't assign a PIA fee to their contactor and deduct it from their invoice.

Sims Construction @sheepdogplanet .

Having designers and architects opens windows to different ideas.

That said one person has to have finial say. That is the person who holds the labiality.

I have built and remolded a number of projects for engineers and architects, mostly their personal homes.
I know I have learned from them and would like to think they feel the same.

Sometimes it is not a good fit , no fault to either party.

@gcanty I had an engineer who I built two homes for he pull permits and he carried the liability.
He set the stakes for the set back lines and took off for Europe.

I laid out the house with in the set back boundaries and proceeded.
I am pretty sure he knew the boundary was in the easement by 60'.

Bad verbiage by the building department they lost.
The permits zoning page said Front 100' side 40' and back 25'
So the house had roads on two sides two so it had two frontages.

At the hearing I was told they meant frontage when they put front on the zoning permit

We were done with the shell on a 8,500 sq. ft. home by then. Harder to make you move things is setbacks that property lines issues.

gcanty I am so sorry so many people have disagreeable contractors. I cannot say enough about word of mouth and references.
Please ask for a list of references from your potential contractor and then call every single one of them. Even happy customers may tell of a few pitfalls you should look out for.

It is much easier in a small area because tales live on. Since there is less choice in who you hire and who you choose to work for, it is imperative you keep your reputation in good stead.

All of the research you do ahead of time will be worth every cent. a biggie is Can your contractor handle his money?

Some just cannot understand the draw money is not 'all his'. Check to see if he pays his subs in a timely manner. Request a list of subcontractors that will be working on your job. Call them, too and see what they think about working for this general contractor. Ask specifically how they are paid. At the end of the job, if they have not been paid, they can put a lien on your property even though you have supplied the monies to the general to pay them already.

Dot i's and cross t's

chris_miller6845 One other thing that can be added... inner personal strength.

I had no idea what I was doing when we bought a 1935 cabin that had two non permitted additions from the family of the hoarder who lived here. I had 6 years of architecture experience in school but my career was an advertising exec at a movie studio previously.

Hammer? Huh...um, I have one. Drill? Yeah, I bought a 18 volt as a glorified screwdriver. I owned nothing else tool wise other than a few odd and ends.

I'm almost three years into this and it's my therapy. It's my enjoyment. I know much more about myself because of this than if I bought turnkey house. It did not make issues with my wife. It brought us together more. I went from rookie to what many pros call "dude, you should do this professionally." At 47, no thanks but I love it. Dust? check. Surprises? check. Money issues? Ya think? check!

Still, one of the best situations that I have had in my life. I understand not all can DO the work but even if you aren't, appreciate the experience (as long as it does not end up on Holmes on Holmes). :-D

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Chris

Street All the above sound great. I agree with the comments below also.I'll add that, see some work that your contractor has done. You like what you see, you like the price of the quote, you seems to be a good match, Super. Now, before the dotted line, find out if the Subs you are going to get are the same ones that did the work on the work you saw done at the price of your quote. It's all about the worker bees.

springlering We've had two major remodels at different times: A full kitchen tear out and remodel, and we enclosed our garage, lined a wall with 12 foot bookscase, desk and window seats, put Palladian windows where the garage doors used to be, added a rocking chair porch, breezeway, and a separate garage.

I guess we lucked into really wonderful contractors both times. They were experts at what they did, considerate of our family, busted their bottoms to make sure they didn't make messes, pet the dogs when need be, pulled the girls legs once in a while, and did awesome work.

The only incident we had was they accidentally shattered our beautiful hand made cut glass front door when they were bringing in the new kitchen island. But other than living with a big old ugly sheet of plywood on the door for a month, it was no biggy. It got fixed. I thought about painting a smiley face on the plywood oval, but you know those darn HOAs.....

I am embarrassed to say, both contractors made it so easy, it was actually fun. We had nothing to complain about., and I read other people's remodelling horror stories with a "there but for the grace of God" sigh of relief.

Stoneshop It may cost more than you think. You will learn that there is more than one good decision and if you think there is not, refer to my first comment
DO NOT expect things to be like the TV shows on HGTV. Their budgets are unrealistic as are the time frames and expected added value. They are typical reality TV - not real. The best way to get good advice and a realistic budget is to hire a trusted experienced contractor. They understand the process and it is in the best interest of all concerned to be upfront with costs and expectations

dharmadoodle I need to find a contractor and architect for a home remodel in Huntington Beach CA. Any recommendations out there

Dura Supreme Cabinetry @dharmadoodle, I would suggest these designers in your area…
Western States, Santa Ana, CA – (714) 285-0111
Branch Designs, Orange, CA – (714) 322-9157
ROOMSCAPES, INC., Laguna Niguel, CA – (949) 448-9627 http://www.roomscapes.net

Red House Remodeling Great article for anyone considering a remodel! As a design/build remodeler, careful planning is key to our success (measured by customers who are not only satisfied with the end project, but with the process as well). Before we begin construction, our customers know what the finished project will look like, exactly what materials will be used, and exactly what the project will cost. Of course we sometimes encounter unforeseen problems, but rarely, and the careful planning keeps change orders to a minimum. So my advice: plan, plan, plan before the construction starts. And carefully hire experienced design/build professionals. It's true: you get what you pay for! Thank you, Houzz, for all the great articles!

lyrics1967 If I had it to do over again, I'd do what most think should be last on my list. I would put the new patio cover on first. Then I would put down the planned flooring and light/fan fixtures. I would do all those little details. I would then build the planned attaching pergola. I would then do all the planned landscaping. Everything outdoors designed for relaxing and entertaining would be done first, ie outdoor kitchen complete with gas/charcoal grill and sink along with fridge and I might even have a outdoor fireplace built.

And why would I do all of this first? Because I can't tell you how many times I needed to be here but also needed a quick escape. I needed order and a clean place that was nice to sit in and look at. To be able to go relax or have my dinner in a beautiful outdoor setting, exhausted after a long messy day inside, would have been so wonderful. To see fresh flowers and nicely lined beds and drinking my coffee out there in the mornings, oh, I would have loved that. Or to watch the sun set in all it's glory! The beauty of it all would have given me hope! No matter how dusty or loud it was getting inside, to know I could step over a threshold and be in another world instantly would have done a world for my nerves.

Now, I live in Texas. It gets really hot here. That's why we have ceiling fans hung outdoors. As far as you folks that have heavy snow, those that have real winters, I'd invest in those propane heaters. I'd consider that fireplace too. If you are able to have one, make it gas and use gas logs. They give off incredible heat. My son in law has a gas fireplace inside but didn't make the fireplace on one of his patios gas. I think he just didn't see the need. Even though they live in Austin, Texas area, it was cold. We ended up going inside. You couldn't really get warm by the fire. Gas logs (ceramic) get so hot you have to turn them down. If you insist on real logs, you can go a step further and have these vents made into the front of the fireplace that have blower motors. The vents are in the brick and barely noticeable. They really distribute the heat from the burning logs a lot better than the logs do on their own.

Anyway, that's what I'd do if I ruled the world! Have an outdoor oasis and then take my time knocking out the whole house!

brutuszka I completely agree with lyrics 1967! I had to live in the flat while remodeling, and I am definitely convinced that I could survive only because I had a little balcony where I could sit in the evenings without seeing the ruins inside :)

lyrics1967 If a patio/pergola/veranda and lush landscaping with all the outdoor amenities is in your near future, do it first. If it's not, do as brutuszka did. And even then, if you have no balcony, no outdoor space at all, find a small space inside that is off limits to everyone else and fill it with things you love. I'm talking something as small as a corner. In mine is a comfy chair and afghan with a soft reading light. For me, fresh flowers are a must. I don't care if they are a sweet bouquet from Walmart placed in a coffee can. My house has looked like an absolute war zone and I still put flowers out. It's an allusion for me. Maybe not for others but it works for me. Maybe it gives me hope. You have to admit, flowers never stop being beautiful just because they are in a wreck of a place. Give your eye something beautiful to look at. I also put a girly tea cup and saucer on a little table by the chair. Now get this, I drink coffee from my favorite mug but seeing that tea cup makes me feel special. It's dainty and I like looking at it. I also have these cd's that are instrumentals and play French cafe music. Very subtle music. It's so relaxing. If they're hammering, use the ear phones. I intentionally make snacks for myself that are pretty, like big red strawberries with cheddar cheese slices on a pretty plate. OK, I'm a dork but I swear these things work for me like a Calgon bath! I kind of baby poor whittle self for the war zone I'm having to endure.

Years ago, there was a TV version of Cinderella. A new song was introduced. The lyrics began, "In my own little corner in my own little room, I can be anything that I want to be." That song has stuck with me, especially through the years of raising ten kids! Find that corner in the chaos of raising kids or living with sheetrock dust everywhere! As women, we know better than anyone how to improvise.

Now be prepared to move your special space. You might have to give up that corner to the contractors. That's why I say keep it small. Make it easy to relocate. So, if I'm in trouble and I'm sent to timeout....oh, hurt me again!

Sims Construction Another rule don't be talked out of getting permits.
The contractor is not doing you a favor.
I walked a job today.
His insurance is void if a needed permit is not pulled.
The plumber did everything to code 110%, but the electrician did 80%/90% he did what was easy for him, not what was best for the homeowner or the house and other trades.
A stop work order is the result.

Lucy V I really needed this article this morning. My contractor refuses to give me a schedule, despite my numerous requests. But when he tried to blame me for the delay because I objected to the Milgard windows he ordered without consulting me, boy that really took the cake! This morning, I was ready to walk away from my house, move into an apartment, and never look back. I wish that was a real option. Thank you for this article.

Sims Construction WOW Lucy V
Sorry to hear about your problems with your contractor.
Did your contract not list product and materials to be used ?

I always give a choice of two to three windows, sometimes even different brands at different price levels.
Unless the client already has their mind made up as to the window choice.
Schedules can go out the window with changes of scope of work.

Probably not the case at your house.
I have a project going currently I am waiting for the plans they are in the third plan review because the client change the design so much.
Talk about a scheduling nightmare dealing with redrawing the plans two times for a 3,550 sq. ft. remodel.

Mona Ives I tell clients
1) Lower your expectations.
2) There will be dust. There will be noise. It will cost more and more and more. It will take MUCH longer than he says.
3) Hire a designer. Make as many decisions up front as you can and then trust me to do the little stuff (where does the outlet go yadda yadda).
4) Don't work from home. Spend weekends away or at family's house. It will drive you crazy.
5) Check everything once a day ONLY (so you don't go bonkers) and make a list. Address it once a day with the GC directly (not his workers) and do it in writing if you can so there's no oh yeah woops I forgot you mentioned that...
6) Don't chat and make small talk with workers and boss. Be friendly before they start work with a cup of coffee or after they're done. While they're working you're distracting them.

Pretty good advice above, but surprised there's no mention of advising the client to hire a designer. Contractors make this mistake - and honestly all the talk about not wanting to interfere with giving advice or accelerating their decision making process - why NOT advise them to have a designer?

Cusano Construction Company Inc. @Mona Ives nice check list! Agree 100% You are right to an extent about hiring a designer as well. Over the past few years we have started working with a designer and referring him to our clients. If people have the budget to warrant it, its great!

Scott Walker Construction Your article "hit the nail on the head" so to speak. The check list is a great guideline to gauge your project. Keeping communication lines open with the contractor is key. Address issues as they arise and as stated alway expect the unexpected.

Anthony Want to find a wonderful general contractor (GC) that is suitable for your scope of project? Ask a high-end, successful paint contractor that works in your neighbourhood. I'll repeat: high-end and successful. I'll tell you why: (1) The paint contractor is the last one in the house and sees and hears a lot that transpires between the contractor and homeowner once the dust has settled - knows which GC is customer-service oriented and which GC is eager to soak and milk (2) The paint contractor touches every surface and comes across every sub-trade that a particular contractor uses - knows which GC has an eye for detail and demands the best from his trades and which GC doesn't care one way or the other 'cause the homeowner isn't likely to notice (3) The paint contractor works with a ton of general contractors - knows which GC is best suited for small renovations, major renovations, custom homes, modern custom homes, "budget" renovations or just decks....no contractor is alike.

Residential architects work with 5-10 general contractors in their lifetime
Residential interior designers work closely with 2-5 general contractors in their lifetime
Your neighbours/friends have worked with 1-2 contractors in their lifetime
Paint contractors work with 10-15 general contractors (& carpenters) every year, or 75+ in their lifetime.

Nobody in the entire construction industry gets around like a successful paint contractor and if you've found one that you or your friends love, then there is your crystal ball. Ask them, they'll tell you exactly who to hire/consider based on your budget and scope.

I speak from direct experience in a very rich real-estate market. I regularly tell my clients to call me first. I've got a rolodex full of:

1) Young carpenters who are talented and looking to grow their business and will give you more attention then their own wives and will come in at a very good (not cheap) budget. They're great for say deck remodels, interior finishing or maybe a bathroom reno
2) Lone-wolf master carpenters who can do anything and everything, have zero overhead, maybe close to retirement, best suited for complicated repairs, a vacation property build/reno or maybe utilized as a grade 'A' handyman when needed
3) Small team (2-3 carpenters) general contractors that balance no more than 1-2 projects at a time, run a lean operation (little overhead) and are thus perfect for renovations of all sizes - not new builds
4) Medium team (4-8 carpenters) general contractors that balance 3-5 live projects, that can easily and expertly undertake major renovations and custom home builds
5) Large team (8+ carpenters) general contractors that primarily build custom homes, work closely with architects, are heavily experienced working with different architectural styles, newly released products and complicated engineering.

....and then within each of these types is a subset of "cheap-and-dirty", "good value", and "expensive but perfect"

There is no such thing as a bad contractor, just a badly placed contractor. Do you have the right one placed??

4palm The one element missing from the list is how to prepare for town planning permit process. Waiting for permit approvals, revisions, and multiple visits for inspections of every line item of the remodel have added months and months to our project. Every town is different, but if your is known for an overly invasive process, it's critical to hire a contractor that knows their nooks and crannies and is an excellent project manager, scheduling inspections ahead of time, and not after the section is done (as you'll wait a week or more for inspectors to come by).

Ventana Construction LLC @4palm You are correct that this varies immensely by jurisdiction. In the Seattle area, permits can be everything from simple and same-day to months-long and even years-long processes, depending on the location and complexity of the project. That makes it key to hire an architect with experience with those building departments as well. We are lucky in the city of Seattle to get next day inspections on most inspection requests, but that's not the case everywhere.

Sims Construction Denver same day interior remodel permit , next day inspection on most inspections.
Arapahoe County four weeks for a simple basement finish permit and if you call for inspection too soon after permit is issued they are all pissed off.
Hard to give a lot of meaningful advice with such a wide difference between city's.
In metro Denver a license may or may not be needed, a test may or may not be given to issue a license and in Colorado if someone tells you they are a state licensed GC they are smoking something as the state does not have a license for GCs only plumbers and electricians .

Sims Construction I am sure it was covered but I can not stress enough get a permit.
Not getting a permit puts all the labiality on the home owner.
Let me say again Not getting a permit puts all the labiality on the home owner.
If you know the codes and what needs to be done by all means be the contractor. I am all for qualified people doing it the DIY way.
I even give advice to DIYers on how to save money and time doing it right.

I am in the middle of a 1800s home remodel where the budget is tripling to meet code. If it was bid to meet code in the first place at least the scope and cost would not be such a surprise.
It really chaps my @$# when subs tell clients its all good and they darn well know it is not.
Nothing done before I took over would have passed inspection or code and now is costing more.
Do it right the first time!!!!!!!

Dura Supreme Cabinetry 4palm - Great point! This is one step a lot of homeowners overlook.

97somtea I'm now 6 months into remodeling a 1920 colonial, which is also my first house. I didn't want to pay for a contractor, so as a 33-year-old single woman with limited construction experience and a regular 50-hour-a-week job, I am my own contractor. It's been a nightmare. Every little decision is mine. Scheduling is up to me. Supervision is up to me. And EVERYTHING has gone wrong. That electrical box image cracked me up- that's me. Asbestos? Yep. Water damage? Yep. Structural damage? You got it. I've gutted half the upstairs and the entire kitchen. I'm 2x over my budget and will be broke when I'm done. I haven't slept in months. I've been sick non-stop. If I could go back and not buy the house I would. I hope I love it when it's done and the joy of designing my home will overshadow all the stress in the end...

Mona Ives So sorry 97somtea that is tough. Wish you the best of luck.

Sims Construction 97somtea Even a seasoned contractor gets surprises but at least we have past experience to pull from.

In my experience home owners usually pay far more than the 20% I charge just in the pricing they get as a one time client from subs. Take into account the better pricing on materials and labor I get , experience in scheduling, buying and the value of your time and you are money ahead hiring a contractor.

I am knee deep redoing work on a 1800s home.
The living room floor has been worked on at least three times judging by the different materials and type of nails I have found.
The newest work was not done by a professional and is in need of being redone years before it should have to be done.

calikym Every single contractor and sub that I have worked with does the same thing - criticizes the work done by previous contractor.

With my current contractor (master bathroom remodel $40k), we have had nothing but problems with every aspect of the job. In every case, the mistake was caught by my husband and I either during or after the installations. Contractor never present at job site My contractor has been generally a "rubber stamp" since he failed to prevent a single major problem/incident from happening and was a total pain to work with. He constantly blamed others, including us ("you were at home, why didn't you notice" or "you made him nervous"). Terrible experience and the contractor gave us a FALSE sense of security 100% of the time.

As for dust mitigation, I wish in advance I had covered all of my expensive electronics ($20k present value). The dust from this project has probably taken years off the life of my entire household of electronics and perhaps even my fridge (Viking $8k). When dust mitigation was used, everything still got covered from the entire house vibrations. My best advice for anyone - put electronic devices in boxes, seal them, and wait to use them after the remodel is complete!!!! Dust mitigation is simply providing a false sense of security to the home owner, IMHO.

Sims Construction There are two types of contractors ones who you would never use again and ones who you may have a relationship that spans decades.

Both pictures are of first time projects.

The home theater client is now talking about doing the wine cellar.

The concrete countertop client has asked me to bid installing a second and third level deck and an addition and whole house renovation on a third project.
I am also bidding tow jobs currently that are direct result of a job recently finished one block away.

I am bidding into next year mostly repeat and referrals.

No contractor or job is perfect, Even some clients are less than perfect , I manage to avoid most of them or they me..
The last perfect carpenter was nailed to a cross and I am not a candidate.

As for the dust mitigation BS There is a difference #1 if they did not set up negative air and maintain it so it was working properly you just got a dust job.....
I know of few contractors who go through the trouble..... because it costs money and take time.

Most clients do not want to pay for it. Mostly because it is not presented properly.
One to two rolls stick on plastic $ 45.00 ea.
One roll of heavy duty plastic $100.00
Set of hardware to keep the plastic in place $150.00 per set.(reusable) Like Third Hand and ZipWall.
Some jobs take three to four sets.
Roll of painters plastic to cover all walls not being demoed $40.00.
Three- four different types of tape $75.00
Floor protection, Plastic, Paper, heavy duty card board like Rino board and 1/8" hard board,1/2" plywood. Every job takes a different mix of some jobs take all listed.
Negative air machine I own three.
I cover all vents with plastic and cardboard if they blow into the room and cover return air vents with two layers of filters. The outer one gets changed as needed.
I charge for this or I do not take the job period.
The home theater was dropped clothed or flooring stick on plastic from front door to work area . Over the plastic was Rino board to the enclosed work area from that point on the carpet was covered with stick on plastic, heavy duty plastic, hard board with seams duct taped.
Zipper door to staging area and zipper door to work area.
It is possible to make a major difference in dust if done right.

jbrill In 1975 we got married and bought an 1890's rundown, neglected old house because that's all we could afford. My husband watched his dad remodel and felt confident he could do the same. We tackled it room by room, governed by time and money and kids and jobs. A two-story addition was added along the way.

Because the house was so shabby, anything we did to it was an improvement. We are still working on it. Most rooms have been updated at least twice. Last year we changed the tile in the shower and actually had someone else do it. What a treat!

It's both rewarding and frustrating. All of the points mentioned are valid. Expect the unexpected. I changed my mind MANY times during each project. We found many unexpected problems during each project. I waited years for things to get finished.

On the plus side, I have a husband who can do almost anything. He is an incredible carpenter, a decent electrician, and a reluctant plumber. Our house is truly a home and every room, floor, window, light fixture, and door has a story.

We are now working on getting heat and air to our bedroom (old house, radiators which are incredible BTW). And a bathroom up there too! We are contracting out the plumbing and ductwork which leaves us with drywalling and installing fixtures, toilet, etc. There will be cutting into two floors to bring ductwork upstairs. I am not looking forward to the mess.

Would I do it again? I honestly don't know.

lyrics1967 jbrill, I think you win the prize! That is an awesome story. Thanks for your honesty. Let us know when this newest project is done. May God bless you in your endeavors and see to it that it turns out as desired with no major hiccups! I'm rooting for you.

revss RE: health and wellness issues: Especially at mid-life, think about what you/your parents may need as aging comes. Hand tremors, falls, broken hips, and more will happen. Can you live with a wood or resilient floor vs. marble or stone? Who will get on a ladder to clean those fancy glass/marble/mirrored backsplashes? Chandeliers? The top of that sleek hood? Even though we're not all doing "universal design", there are some items we think we "must have" NOW that could later be a "dare not have". At 50 we may have no physical limits; at 70+, they're a coming reality with ramifications for real life.

lccampbell revss: Agreed! We relocated for retirement, and wanted and purchased a home on concrete slab. The driveway, patio and sidewalks all needed replacing so we had every entrance made handicapped accessible by making all the sidewalks gently sloping up to the entrances instead of replacing the stair or two. Really is a nice addition to the house for everyone, including the toddlers in the family who can't quite do stairs yet.

revss Good for you! We may need to get a chair-lift for hubby to get to lower level.