Has your roof been sitting on for years waiting to
be remodeled but you just couldn’t quite get the perfect timing and resources
to get it started? A number of factors can get in your way in achieving your
remodeling ideas as planned.
Josh
Garskof, a self-professed serial remodeler who, along with
his wife, has been doing a series of trial-and-error remodeling quest for 8
years. He wrote a Money Magazine article on the 4 biggest tips he can give homeowners
contemplating on remodeling their patio or kitchen, repainting and re-roofing.
1. Go with a mom-and-pop shop
When it comes to tradesmen, from roofers to
painters, a pro who will do your job with his or her own hands is preferable to
one who'll send out hired guns. You tend to get better quality and reduce the
chance that details of the project will get lost or muddled as they get passed
from person to person. You may also pay 5% to 20% less because the company's
overhead costs are lower.
2. Buy it yourself
You can get a cheapie faucet for $25, or, if you're
tired of using your cash for fireplace kindling, buy a remote control model for
$3,000. And there's similar price variation for nearly every aesthetic element
of a project, so never let your contractor choose an item that involves
personal taste.
I guarantee he'd base his bid on something cheaper
than you want, and when it's time to install, say, the pendant lights over your
new island, you'll have to settle for the cheesy ones he picked or absorb the
upcharge for the lights you prefer.
3. Be a good customer
The homeowner-contractor rapport tends to start out
affable but can wind up somewhere between civil and surly. Remodeling is
stressful, and as in many business transactions, things can turn adversarial
when problems arise.
Still, it pays to pick your battles. While you
certainly want to hold a hard line on quality and price, be flexible about
timing when possible.
Yes, delays are a nuisance when you're living
without a kitchen or a place to shower, but the contractor is dealing with a
massive scheduling puzzle of different customers, tradesmen, materials
deliveries, and weather conditions. Better to get the job done right but late,
than on time but slapdash.
4. Plan for overspending
Big projects go over budget. Surprises like missing
beams and carpenter ants -- or in my case, a yard-long crack in a drainpipe --
may hide behind your walls. And you're probably going to fall in love with,
say, a spectacular stone countertop, despite having planned something easier on
the pocket.
So don't stretch for a project and tell yourself
that you're going to "Just say no" to costly changes as the work goes
on.
Before
you make the final payment
You know to hold back a few grand until you're
satisfied with every last renovation detail. Below, three things you may not
think to include:
Magnet sweep. A laborer should walk a giant wheeled
magnet around any exterior work (and dumpster) locations on your property to
pick up the hundreds of rusty old nails hiding in the grass and mulch.
Sample pieces. Ask for scrap pieces of any moldings
used and product specs for items like windows and floor stain so you can easily
match them on future projects, even if you hire someone else.
Certificate of occupancy. When you sell someday,
you'll need proof that the work is safe and up to code. Hold back payment until
you have this document -- usually called the certificate of occupancy -- in
hand.
Do you want to work with a Realtor who
never fails to provide his clients about home safety, remodeling tips and what-to-dos? Call me, MynorHerrera,
today for expert
help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize
in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the subdivisions of Rosemary
Hills,
Rock Creek
Forest, East Bethesda and Whitehall Condominium.
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