You have undoubtedly heard of nightmarish home renovation disaster horror stories before. This could have come from your family or friends recapping their first renovation experience with you. Or perhaps from something you read online. They always tend to start the same; a grand vision of a dream the homeowner wants to make a reality, but then something happens and it turns into an unlivable disaster with the contractor nowhere to be found to fix it. This, unfortunately, is a scenario that happens all too often to unsuspecting homeowners who just want a respectable renovation. This is why our team here at Orange Contracting has come up with 5 tips to help you avoid a disastrous renovation.
Hire Professionals
Finding the right professional contractor can be hard, considering there are so many of them around. It’s important to find a reputable, reliable contractor to complete your renovation project. To avoid unreliable contractors, make sure to notice these red flags before hiring them:
-only wanting you to pay in cash and not providing a receipt
-demanding large deposits before they begin working
-make sure they are licensed, insured, and ask for references and check them
You don’t want to hire an unreliable and bad contractor. You are making a major investment and should only have the highest level of professionalism and quality work for your home renovation.
Communication is Key
Proper communication has to have two people talking with each other. It does not involve only one person doing all the talking. It’s important to understand your contractor and also for them to understand what you want. The best way to do this is to get everything in writing. Unless you tell your contractor exactly what you want, they aren’t going to know. Never assume that everything is understood initially, get a written confirmation of all the details and work you want completed. Sometimes, plans are going to need to be changed for different reasons. It’s important to understand these reasons and why they are happening. Contractors can also make suggestions on how to improve or customize your home renovations, make sure to listen to these recommendations from the experts. When looking for a contractor, make sure that they listen to what you want.
Proper Approvals & Permits
You always need proper approvals and permits for any major renovation you do to your home. These usually include some kind of building permit from your local municipality that you need to acquire before anything starts. Make sure to stay away from any contractor who tells you they don’t need a permit or zoning approval. When you don’t have proper permits, you can become susceptible to things like hefty fines, a stop-work order, and potentially having to completely remove your whole renovating if you are found guilty of zoning infractions. Don’t cut corners when it comes to approvals and permits, do it properly the first time and save yourself unnecessary headaches and problems.
Expect The Unexpected
Even when you try your hardest to have everything in line; with all the appropriate research, financing, and reliable contractors secured with your designs finalized, you might think that everything is completely taken care of. But just like everything else, there are always unexpected things that will happen. This is why it is important to plan for an extra 10% budget in case of any unforeseen expenses that come up. This is particularly true for older homes when being renovated. Once things begin to come down, and the renovation is underway, hidden items start being found that you hadn’t previously planned for. If you brace yourself and plan for unexpected things to happen, you will be prepared. This can include things like finding mold, DIY specials from previous owners, or past projects that don’t actually meet Ontario Building Code standards.
Keep The Positivity
Most times during a home renovation, there are going to be numerous people simultaneously working around your house and this can be overwhelming. Just keep in mind that they are here to help make your renovation a reality and they want their work to be something you like. Even though some renovations can feel like they are going on and on forever, just remember that there is an end and it will come soon enough. Home transformations don’t happen overnight, they take time and the people helping to make it happen are working hard. If you are having trouble with all the chaos, dedicate one room to help you stay focused.
How Our Renovation Experts Can Help
We have been in the renovation business for almost a decade and with our professional experts here at Orange Contracting, we can help you create the perfect home renovation in Newmarket! We work with you in order to properly understand your vision and execute it. Every step of the way, we work with you to make your dream a reality. Contact us today at (416) 817-2590!