Remodeling center

With remodeling, your home becomes the worksite. You live side-by-side with the project from start to finish. Patience and understanding are important factors in making any remodeling project go smoothly. Adapting your home into a work site is a major adjustment you will likely be forced to make.

Key to the remodeling process is finding a reputable contractor to perform your work. Click here to access PBA's guide on finding a reputable contractor.

Communication is key

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 make for the easiest communication, consider having one contact person for both you and your remodeler to discuss daily decisions or after-hours emergencies. A centralized message center in the home (a whiteboard, notebook, table, etc.) is another good way of keeping communication efficient and constant.

One way to ensure the success of your project is to actively participate in pre-construction meetings. 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.

Some issues you may wish to cover at this meeting include:

• How will workers, construction equipment, and vehicles get to the job site without damaging outside structures, plants, and flower beds?
• What areas of your home will be off limits to workers?
• Do you have a place on site to store building materials for your project?
• Who is responsible for removing your belongings and later returning them to the newly remodeled space?
• 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, such as daily work times, where they can park, are your homes bathrooms available for use, and if smoking is prohibited anywhere on your property.