There are all kinds of handbooks to prepare you for a variety of major life events you may run into during the course of your lifetime. From how to deal with pregnancy, to child rearing for dummies, to how to start a business, and so on and so on. But, do you really know what to expect during a remodel?
When you think about it, remodeling your home is a major life event. If you’ve ever lived through one, you’ll agree. It takes thought, preparation, time, patience and money. Those requirements are the same things you’ll need when deciding to expand your family (granted, not all of the time, but most of the time). Your home is part of your family, or a large part of the family dynamics and after all the hard work, a huge reward that will make the process worth it. This is why we consider it a major life event.
At Sams Brothers, we will do everything we can to make the renovation/remodel process as easy as possible for you. However, there are some things you should expect to encounter during the process. So, what should you expect when remodeling? Here are a few things to be aware of:
1.
It’s dirty! Be prepared for dust in places you never thought dust could collect. Even with plastic walls sealing off the area being remodeled, dust will escape and move throughout your house. Your contractor will do everything they can to control it and keep it to an absolute minimum, but be aware; it will spread beyond the construction zone.
2.
It’s noisy! Construction requires tools. Some tools are extremely loud and use air compressors (which are also loud), like nail guns, sanders, saws. Some are just annoyingly loud, like the banging from a regular hammer. If you need to work from home, you may be able to get away with it if your office space is far away from the construction space, but if it is close by, consider working somewhere else during construction. If you work nights and want to sleep during the day, you may consider going somewhere else, or getting some really great ear plugs.
3.
Expect the unexpected. Things like weather and supplies on backorder can happen. Let’s not forget that once you get behind the walls there is no telling what you’ll find, especially in older homes. Anything from asbestos to termites to faulty wiring can be lurking behind your walls and until they are ripped down, you really have no way of knowing. Be prepared for this with your budget and remember, your contractor can't always control unexpected things (like the weather) and doesn’t like breaking this bad news to you.
4.
Changes. Every single remodel has changes. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Why? Because of the unexpected, because once the old is ripped out you see so much potential that you feel inspired and decide to upgrade. Or, the opposite. Once the unexpected occurs, you find you don’t have enough in your budget for the heated tile floors and decide to go with hardwood instead. Maybe the new window creates a different light and you decide the paint color should change. There are lots of reasons for changes to occur and they will. It’s important to be flexible and realistic with your budget and expectations.
5.
Delays. From the unexpected and the changes you can expect delays. The contractor doesn’t like this anymore than you, but they are a fact of life when it comes to construction. Knowing and expecting this from the beginning can help you to be prepared when it happens.
6.
Frustration. From the dust to the delays to having all those people in your house, a remodel can be frustrating and tiring. Again, knowing what to expect from the beginning can help you be prepared. So, take a deep breath, focus on the end result and spend as much time away as possible.
7.
JUBILATION!! When the project is over it will have been worth every single minute! It will be worth it all. Your home will be fabulous; your life will be more organized and functional. Your home will be your new and improved soft spot to land, your safe haven that you enjoy going to at the end of the day. You will want to throw a party so everyone can come see, so do it! Enjoy! And, invite your contractor.
To make sure your next home improvement project goes as smoothly as possible,
contact the professionals at Sams Brothers, Inc.
