an unpaid bill even though you paid your contractor there isn’ t much that can be done. Truthfully the system is a bit flawed, and while we hope legislation may change in the future, for now it’ s buyer beware.
8. PLAN FOR THE UNPLANNED In our experience typical renovations have less substantial surprises than TV makes it appear, but surprises do happen. It’ s always a good idea to have some money in a“ just in case” fund, and delay party planning till the renovation is actually finished. Sometimes something unexpected is found during tear out, a product gets back-ordered, or extreme weather can delay scheduling. Giving yourself a buffer, both financial and time, is always a good idea when dealing with a renovation.
6. TREAT IT LIKE A MOVE Take the time to box up items from the renovated area. Mark the contents inside and store them far away from the space you’ re renovating. When you inevitably need these items during the renovation, it will make them much easier to find, and will prevent them from being damaged during the project.
7. GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON BOARD Whether you’ re hiring a contractor or you are the contractor, getting the right people on board is not a place to save money. There is unfortunately no legislation preventing anyone from starting a contracting business. Do your research and ensure you’ re making a decision based on more than just price. We’ re not saying don’ t use your friends, simply take the time to ensure they are actually qualified for the job. Sometimes a friend or family member can end up costing more money in the long run by causing damage or performing work improperly.
Equally important is verifying all trades have up to date worksafeNB accounts and their insurance is current in the case of an accident. If a contractor chooses to hire someone without workers compensation who is then injured while working in your home, the liability could come back on you.
Also ensure your trades can back up their work indefinitely. Horror stories of a contractor stealing money and running out can happen anywhere. Contractors can go out of business and leave you hanging high and dry. If a sub-trade places a lean on your home for
9. STANDSTILLS When scheduling a project most good contractors will allow for contingency days. This means if everything goes as planned, sometimes there will be days when nothing is happening on site. Those days are there in case a surprise comes up or a delay happens. Perhaps product is delayed in shipping, or trades are booked on other jobs. Progress might appear to be at a standstill but it doesn’ t necessarily mean things aren’ t happening behind the scenes. Usually the best contractors and subs have other jobs on the go at the same time as yours. If your job is running smooth, they may be spending a contingency day elsewhere. Scheduling multiple jobs simultaneously allows them to be more cost-effective for you. That said, you can help to alleviate some delays by booking renovations in off seasons. Summer is of course the ideal time to renovate but it’ s usually the busiest time in the construction world.
10. PETS Although it might seem nice that your electrician likes animals, if he’ s charging you by the hour; you are quite literally paying someone to play with your dog. Also, your home’ s entrance will likely spend a lot of time in the open position and people may not remember to watch for a pet. So it’ s always good to move them to a relative’ s or lock them in the basement.
Just remember, it will all be worth it in the end! You may talk to people who have had good and bad experiences renovating but few would tell you that they wouldn’ t do it all over again. You’ ve added great value to your home, made it easier to sell, and the new space can be truly life changing. Not to mention the neighbors are totally going to be jealous.
Pat Belding is an owner of Kitchen Fashions. Most of his day is spent making the business better and more enjoyable for our customers.
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