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 Living With Your Remodeling
Project
Remodeling your home is uniquely
different from building a new home. With remodeling, your home becomes
the worksite. You live side-by-side with the project from start to
finish. Once construction begins, you'll probably long for simple
pleasures like a dust-free home or a fully functioning kitchen or
bath. But the end result will be well worth these inconveniences.
Communication
Consistent and open communication between you and your
remodeler will enhance your understanding of the project, provide an
opportunity to exchange ideas, and ultimately help to make the
experience a positive one for everyone involved. To facilitate this
process, you need to:
- Determine who you and your remodeler
should contact for daily decisions or an after-hours emergency. For
example, your contact may be the lead carpenter for the job, while
the remodeler's contact could be your spouse.
- Designate a backup for each contact
person to assure continuity in anyone's absence.
- Create a place in your house where
the contact persons can leave messages for each other (a securely
anchored notebook is a good idea since it is less likely to
disappear).
- Speak up. If you are uncertain about
any aspect of the project, be sure to let the contact person know.
The Pre-Construction Meeting
One way to ensure the success of your project is to plan for
and actively participate in a pre-construction meeting. This allows
your remodeler to clarify procedures and explain how the job will
progress. It also offers both you and your remodeler an opportunity to
prepare for those issues that may arise later. You should think of
this meeting as a forum for all participants to define their
expectations and agree on the anticipated outcome.
Some of the issues you may wish to
cover at this meeting include:
- Will you allow your remodeler to
place a company sign on your property? Remember that, in addition to
being a marketing tool, signs help contractors and suppliers locate
your home.
- What areas of your home will be off
limits to workers?
- Does your house have an alarm
system? Will workers need a key or will someone always be there?
- How will you ensure that your
children and pets stay out of the work space?
- How will trash removal be handled?
Where will the remodeler locate the dumpster on your property?
- Does the remodeler anticipate any
interruptions of utilities during the project? If so, when and for
how long? At certain stages of construction, the project may affect
basic household necessities like water and electricity. Will you
need to vacate the house at any time?
- What are your expectations regarding
clean up? Will sweeping be sufficient for a daily cleaning, or will
you need a more thorough cleaning in order to use the space?
- You should also use the
pre-construction meeting to establish guidelines for the remodeling
crew working on the project:
- Determine who you and your remodeler
should contact for daily decisions or an after-hours emergency. For
example, your contact may be the lead carpenter for the job, while
the remodeler's contact could be your spouse.
- What times will workers begin and
end work at your home? Be sure to consider the neighbors as well as
household members.
- Where can workers park near the
jobsite?
- Will you allow workers to use your
phone for local business calls?
- Will bathroom facilities in your
home be available to workers?
- What is the remodeler's policy on
smoking on the jobsite?
- What is the remodeler's policy on
the use of profanity? If you are especially sensitive to this issue,
you should let your remodeler know.
- Will you allow workers to play their
radios at a reasonable volume? Are there any stations or programs
that you do not want played?
Preventing Remodeling Fever
The train-station atmosphere of a remodeling project can lead
to remodeling fever. The main symptom of this temporary affliction is
feeling a loss of control that results from disrupted routines and the
impact on your personal space. The best way to prevent this fever is
to prepare well, remember that "this too shall pass," and focus on the
progress being made. A few other suggestions from remodeling pros:
- Prepare for inconvenience. A
remodeling project can turn your home and -- on some days -- your
life upside down. A kitchen remodel will, of course, affect meal
planning. But a little ingenuity and some culinary shortcuts can
lessen the impact. Set up a temporary cooking quarters by moving the
refrigerator, toaster oven, and microwave to another room. Arrange a
dishwashing station in your laundry room. If the weather is warm,
fire up the grill and dine alfresco.
- Designate a safe haven in your home
where you can escape from the chaos and commotion.
- Guard against dust. During a
remodeling project, dust has the unfortunate tendency to appear
everywhere from lampshades to plates stacked inside your kitchen
cabinets. To keep out as much dust as possible: 1) Seal off doorways
and stairs; 2) Turn off central air or heat when workers are sanding
and stock up on extra filters so that you can change them often; 3)
Have deliveries made though a designated entrance; 4) Use doormats
and temporary floor coverings where appropriate; 5) Remove anything
that might get damaged by the dust or at least cover it with plastic
drop cloths that are taped shut.
- Maintain a sense of humor, Remember
that certain things are out of your control and it's best to laugh
rather than upset yourself about things like the weather or delayed
delivery of materials.
- See the remodeling process as an
adventure. Tell the kids that you are "camping in" and transform
inconvenience into fun. Along the way, celebrate as different stages
of the project are completed.
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