Ten Expectations to have Before you Renovate (Part 2)
Welcome to part two of our list of expectations to have before you renovate (read part 1 here). To recap part one, most of the issues we've encountered on a renovation were rooted in unmet, miscommunicated, or unrealistic expectations. With this in mind, we're tackling ten expectations you should have before you renovate. Conversely, having healthy expectations going into a project will minimize stress and improve your overall renovation experience. Here we go…
6. Problems will arise. They will get solved.
The premise of renovation work is, at its core, a problem. Your home isn't serving you the way it should. This being the case, you should expect problems to arise during the project. They could be discoveries once we open up the walls, they could be material issues, or they could be human error or unmet expectations. The reality is that there are too many moving parts not to have a bump or two along the way. If problems are inevitable, you should shift your focus from finding a contractor who promises no problems to a contractor who is good at solving them.
7. Your schedule may adjust, but that doesn't mean your project will take longer.
Your renovation project is like a pie. We've all watched enough British Bake-off by now to know that in making a pie, there are specific steps that must happen - make the crust, bake the crust, make the ingredients, bake the pie - but there is a level of flexibility within each of those steps to get a delicious pie still. In your renovation, a specific process must be followed at a high level, but there is some flexibility within the project to shift trades around to make it work. For example, suppose our plumber all of a sudden has availability to install the plumbing fixtures before the carpenters install the trim. In that case, we're more than happy to adjust the schedule to accommodate. Also, any contractor with any degree of experience won't put together a schedule with no flex or "catch-up" days in it. Per the previous expectation about problems, we can anticipate this in the schedule and absorb some problems and delays without sacrificing a completion date.
8. There will be a point where you'll just want us to go away. If you're living through it, it will happen sooner than if you’re not.
No matter how well the project is going, there will be a point where you'll want to be done. This typically happens at two-thirds to three-quarters of the project. The project has been going on for weeks or months, yet there is still a good amount of work to be done. The space is finally taking shape, and the end is in sight. To put it bluntly, all of this leads to a deep desire to be done. Any problems that may have rolled off you at the beginning of the project now cause deep frustration. A lack of construction presence on the job for a day that felt like a reprieve early on now causes your blood to boil. Change orders seem to push you over the edge no matter how needed.
This happens in every project without fail. We understand that when a project reaches this point, we need to be hyper-aware that:
This is going to happen.
We need to do everything in our power to avoid avoidable mistakes and most importantly…
People have other things going on in life besides this project.
As a contractor, it's easy to get frustrated when it seems like a client is making a mountain out of a molehill, but this is entirely unhelpful. One of the essential things a contractor can do when a project gets to this point (and throughout a project in general) is to place ourselves in the client's position. You've invested a lot of money to have your house torn apart and put back together. For many, you're living in a construction zone. You've made dozens, if not hundreds, of decisions. All those things would be enough to send even the most patient person over the edge, and that doesn't even take into account that the rest of life - work, family, kids, etc. - also has its ups and downs. We seek to lead with empathy, allow our clients the space to express how they're feeling, and then pursue a solution.
9. You'll be thrilled when it's done. And be thrilled to be done.
Projects are a spiral toward perfection, meaning that the last 5% simultaneously seems like there is a lot still to do, yet the space looks, for the most part, finished. We call this the "punch-list" (no idea where the term came from). We've worked hard to establish a process to both finish efficiently and finish well, and well, actually finish. Knobs, toilet paper holders, paint touch-ups, cabinet door adjustments, etc., can lead to a pretty overwhelming list, but keep in mind that, for the most part, these items can be completed in a day.
Once the punch list is wrapped up, we know you'll be thrilled with the space, but the predominant feeling will most likely be relief. Relief to be done, relief that it got done, relief to not have people in your house all day, every day. I think as a contractor; we're always hoping for the "Fixer Upper" style reveal, tearful hugs type scenario. While this is the dream, we acknowledge that it may take some time to recover from the project's emotional toll.
10. Perfection is a process. We’re in it with you.
No matter how good of a job we've done, you'll find things that need to be fixed. A spot of paint that you didn't see in the final walk-through. The towel holder that's loosened up a bit. The door that's sticking ever so slightly. It's impossible to catch all these items in the final walk-through, which is why you need to expect to see us again after the project is completed for warranty work. We acknowledge a stereotype in the construction industry that when the contractor walks off a job, they never come back, but this isn't us. In fact, we schedule several check-ins after project completion to make sure everything is still great in your renovated space and see if we need to schedule someone to come over to handle warranty work.
Conclusion:
A renovation is a massive undertaking. In our experience, the larger the endeavor, the higher the likelihood of experiencing unmet expectations. We believe that stepping into a project embracing these ten expectations leads to the best renovation experience you could possibly have.