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TEN TIPS FOR REMODELING
1. DO THE RIGHT PROJECT
 Remodeling is a major investment. Whether or not
to do a project, and which one to do is a big decision.
Even before buying a particular home, most people have a
list of remodeling projects that they are considering. In
deciding which project to do, weigh your wants. Make a list
of Must Dos. vs. Want to Dos. Cut out pictures from remodeling
magazines to see what kinds of projects other people do,
and the solutions they have to problems similar to yours.
If you live in a neighborhood where a common builder built
the homes, check to see what type of remodeling projects
your neighbors have chosen to do.
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2. HAVE A MASTER PLAN FOR YOUR HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
 By having a master plan, there will be less of the
"one step forward, two steps back" activity.
Look at the big picture. Make sure that you consider the
total scenario ... not only for now, but for the future
... include broader or unexpected needs that may not be
obvious to you on first glance. Do you really need a screened
porch, or do you need a guest bedroom and some interior
rearrangement? Are you having more children? How will your
housing need change as your children grow, or later as the
nest is emptied? Will you need a space for a nanny? A home
office? Will you want to later expand your kitchen into
that space that you are now considering for a sunroom? If
you want to redo your kitchen in three years, is it worth
replacing the counters now?
Often a phased plan is appropriate, in which you plan to
implement projects over several years. Rather than doing
a whole house remodel now, portions of the total project
can be spaced out over time (for example, this year do the
bath, then when the children grow, add a playroom, then
a couple years later, add on a breakfast room and redo the
kitchen).
Thinking ahead like this minimizes the chance that projects
that you do now will need to be later undone. It also reduces
the likelihood that you will discover that you did the "wrong"
project first, precluding another project later on.
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3. KEEP THE REMODELING INVESTMENT APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD
 How should you decide what makes sense in terms of an investment?
It's important to be aware of the financial implications
of your remodeling choices. Check the Cost vs. Value report
on this web site to see what the estimated rate of return
is for the type of project that you are thinking of doing.
Have your home appraised in relation to other ones in your
neighborhood to determine what makes sense in terms of an
investment for improvements. Talk to your local realtor,
and avoid creating the "jewel" of the neighborhood. It may
be hard to sell. If your project is large, you should consider
if it makes more sense to move.
Often people say that resale isn't an issue - but in this
day and age you shouldn't count on that. Resale should always
be a consideration. Therefore, even if you plan to stay
for a long time, add something special - a hook for potential
home buyer. This may be a warm welcoming kitchen, or a spacious master bedroom suite; something that someone looking
to purchase your house can't live without, once they see
it.
Take care not to do something that negatively impacts the
market value of your home. The interior arrangement should
reflect the size of the house and the typical living patterns,
not only of your family but also of families that might
later live in your house ... Decreasing the number of bedrooms
should not be done without serious thought, as it may seriously
affect the value of your home.
It is often possible, with good forethought, to recover
the full value or even more than what you put into a remodeling
project. Go with neutral colors; white and beige are popular.
Avoid trendy colors for tile and fixtures as you may tire
of them and they are expensive to replace. Better to ramp
up with color in your curtains, towels, art, throw rugs,
upholstery and accessories. Put in color that you can take
with you.
Use common sense to find the line between sensible investment
and over-improving your home. Obviously, your decision to
remodel may not be a purely "numbers " analysis. Many projects
are self-indulgent. It is a personal decision as to what
price tag is appropriate for enjoyment and self-indulgence.
Swimming pools are said to be a poor investment in terms
of payback, but if it gives your family years of pleasure,
it's worth it. If you've always dreamed of a colorful Rojo Alicante
bathroom with black fixtures, and you're in a financial
position to do so, splurge!
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4. KEEP PROJECT WITHIN BUDGET
 Whether your budget is large or small, figure out what it
is. Have an understanding also for your budget's flexibility
(or lack thereof!). Having a budget can be a benefit as
well as a limitation because it forces each decision to
be considered with an eye to its effect on the overall job.
There are gross measures, such as cost per sq. ft., that
you can use to determine whether your expectations are in
the ballpark or not. Depending on the type of project you
are doing this figure can range between $100 - $300 per
sq. ft. Often people spend the same amount on remodeling
a bathroom as they spent on their last car. Kitchens tend
to be anywhere up to 10% of the value of the house. Many
people have reported that projects cost one and a half to
two times what they expected before starting into the process.
Doing this upfront investigative work helps to reduce the
chance for sticker shock when you get back estimates from
your contractor. Prospective contractors can give you ball
park information to help you pre-qualify your project. Even
if the initial figures seem high, don't be discouraged -
it's often possible to work with your contractor to make
value based decisions that wiII bring your budget and your
dreams closer into line with each other. Once you arrive
at a mutually agreeable budget, it is possible to keep your
design within that range.
When figuring your budget, you should plan to set aside
10 -15% for extra unplanned costs, such as those due to
concealed obstacles and/or substandard existing construction which are not identified
until after construction starts.
Expect some "while you're at it" costs. Your enthusiasm
can cause you to expand the scope of a project on which
you're involved, or to want to change the room adjacent
to the one you're working on. "While you're at it" costs
can add twenty percent or more to a project.
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5. CHOOSE A REPUTABLE CONTRACTOR
 The contractor is the person to whom you will delegate
the responsibility of ensuring that the on-going job matches
your expectations. You need a good manager. There is no
business where teamwork is more important. It's imporant
that they can pull together people/resources to get this
work done for you in a timely fashion.
Seek out a contractor who cares about you and your home,
one who is excited to be in the business, who is courteous,
who attempts to provide the least disruption in your life.
Each day of a remodeling project should not be a challenging
test of your adaptability and tolerance. Be wary of the
ones who say they are perfect. On remodeling projects, things
often go wrong, problems come up. One of the differences
between contractors is how they address the problems as
they arise.
Look for a contractor with traditional skills of empathy
and careful listening, one who will keep you informed -
a good communicator. Choose someone who is steady and even-tempered.
Look at his portfolio. Talk to his references. Choose one
who will be around tomorrow to service their work.
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6. DESIGN WELL
 Look for a design team who has design talent as well
as understanding of project costs and technical expertise
to excel at the type of project you are considering doing.
Find one that is design-oriented but budget-driven. The
focus of that type of team allows them to design your project
for a mutually agreeable budget. This ensures that the design
does not run away from the budget.
Spend enough time up front, with your designer working
through conceptual plans. Explore several alternative designs
before settling on one. A designer will lead you through
the process of considering and evaluating project options
carefully. You will work together with the existing space
and conditions to optimize use and function, giving you
the most for your budget. YOU will weigh the options presented
to you until a satisfactory blend of cost and value is reached.
Think about how you will use the space, to make sure that
the flow works sensibly for you. You may want to mark up
the floor with masking tape to reflect the new configuration.
This time, wisely spent, more than pays for itself in the
finished product.
Work through as many of the problems as possible at this
stage. If you are redoing a kitchen, think about where you
will store food, dishes, pots and pans, etc.
Once you have a conceptual plan you will be ready to nail
down all the finishing details. Your designer's knowledge
of current design trends allows him/her to be a good source
for color and material recommendations. Together you can
select interior features which harmonize.
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7. PLAN YOUR PROJECT THOROUGHLY: GET DETAILED SPECS
In order to establish clear unambiguous expectations, all
construction details need to be thought out and specified.
These can either be indicated on the working drawings, on
the contract or a combination of the two. EVERYTHING should
be specified including make and models, so that there are
no surprises once construction gets underway, down to the
hardware for the cabinet doors and the paint color selections.
A good-set of working drawings will include a site plan,
an as-is drawing of your home, floor plans, elevations/
foundation plan, electrical and mechanical schematics, a
cross section, and any unusual construction details.
Make sure that you understand all of the drawing details.
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8. MAKE CHANGES BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
It can be very costly, both in dollars and in terms
of the project's duration, to make changes after construction
starts. Try to make all changes up front! Design on the
fly has a ripple effect on costs, regardless of whether
you add or delete something. It is time consuming for the
contractor to change materials, specs and worker schedules
while work is underway, in addition to the down time that
results while everyone stands around waiting for late decisions
and changes from the customer.
Your job can be brought to a complete standstill by changes
made during production. The contractor schedules workers
well in advance and may not be able to instantly reshuffle
the worker's schedules.
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9. SERIOUSLY CONSIDER NOT DOING IT YOURSELF
 Often potential clients proclaim that they are considering
being their own general contractor. This is usually followed
by an assertion that they feel that they can save a percentage
of the construction costs and thus build the project for
less. This may be a short-sighted misconception that can
be a recipe for disaster: a case of penny-wise and pound-foolish.
It can result in compromising decisions on the part of the
owner that can corrupt the original design intentions and
seriously hamper the quality of the finished product. In
the case of one addition contracted by a homeowner, improper
flashing at windows, foundations and roofs caused serious
leaking, foundation geometry was not laid out correctly
making it so that the walls above did not line up with the
foundation below. Additionally, paint did not adhere to
the siding, most likely a result of a missing vapor barrier.
Such problems are not easily correctable after the fact,
and are avoidable if someone who knows what they are doing
manages the project.
Qualified remodelers bring expertise to a project in four
different areas: technical expertise, control over subcontractors,
critical path scheduling of tasks and procurement, and dealing
effectively with public authorities.
Their technical expertise involves more than just knowing
how to read plans and specifications. They have extensive
knowledge of different material and methods such as masonry,
carpentry, cabinet making, roofing, electrical and plumbing
work. The contractor will make sure that the footings are
placed correctly, the foundation walls are sound, with appropriate
footing drains, properly waterproofed and so on. A homeowner
cannot be expected to know all of this if their expertise
is in some other field such as medicine, accounting, or
law.
Secondly, since the contractor regularly and repeatedly
uses the services of his subcontractors, he will be able
to exercise control over them. The average homeowner will
only add to a house once or twice in a lifetime, whereas
the contractor may be overseeing five different projects
at once. It is obvious why a plumber will respond sooner
to a call from the contractor, a repeat client, than to
a homeowner that he may never see again, who does not understand
what he does, and who might not appreciate the quality of
his work, and who may not pay him easily or quickly. These
facts give the contractor leverage over the subs that a
homeowner cannot possibly have.
Thirdly, the sequencing of tasks is of the utmost importance
to having a job completed successfully in a timely manner.
Knowing the right time to get your subcontractors in, when
to order the windows and doors and even the right time to
call the designer for a clarification or critical inspection
takes skill and expertise. There are few fields where scheduling
is more critical than in construction. Everything needs
to happen with forethought, often with multiple trades working
simultaneously, or the project may take twice as long as
it should. If the carpenter does not stay ahead of the plumber
and the electrician, then the electrician may walk off the
job. If the plumber and the electrician don't finish their
work, the carpenter cannot move on. This causes the job to
come to a screeching halt. Tensions rise on the job when
the subs lose money due to excess idle time. Juggling between
subs stepping on each other, idle time and project duration
is something that the contractor controls and manages.
Fourth, the contractor can effectively deal with public
authorities such as the building inspector. Since they work
with them on a regular basis, the contactor's staff is able
to develop a professional relationship with the various
building officials. These relationships translate into a
job being completed faster and better. Knowing when to request
input from the authorities is a critical component of scheduling.
As a do-it-yourself homeowner, the last thing you want to
hear is that you need to remove all the sheetrock you just
installed because you neglected to request a building
inspection.
As a do-it-yourself contractor you may be risking large
amounts of money by assuming responsibility for something
that you cannot possibly understand in all of its complexity.
It is easy to conclude that because we have lived in houses
and seen construction sites, we can easily be remodelers.
This conclusion may lull you into a false sense of security.
In the long run you may be best off relying on the expertise
of a Professional Remodeler.
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10. ENJOY IT!
Remodeling may be costly but it's less expensive than moving,
and less wrenching. You can have what you want rather than
buying someone else's taste and living with it.
It's a chance to have someone make your dreams come true.
If you're having major kitchen work, it's a chance to try
all those new restaurants you've been meaning to try but
haven't had the time!
Relish in the self-indulgence. Keep your sense of humor!
When the going gets tough, keep in mind the beautiful finished
end product at the journey's end.
Good luck!
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