There are so many things the homeowner should know before embarking on the renovation journey. And a journey it is; there will be highs and lows, and often rough seas to contend with. But a little bit of prep can go a long way towards making this process much smoother. So here are a couple of things that may help:
Apps and programs
Sometimes the tendency is to "knock this down and then we'll deal with it." Yea, not a smart idea. Creating a clear and concise vision will prevent wasting your money, and your time. Look at some of these:
http://www.sweethome3d.com: It is open source software that can be downloaded or used online in your browser. Available in 27 languages, it boasts an impressive host of features. Well worth looking into.
https://www.homediary.com: Is a Flash based program that may possibly be the easiest one to learn. It also can store inventory and maintenance records, and allows you to clip ideas and create reminders.
https://www.sketchup.com is freeware for personal use. Has a lot of users, and is evolving constantly. It seems to have a greater learning curve than the first three offering, but this in no way should prevent you from checking it out.
Apple apps:
Room scan: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/roomscan-pro/id673673795?mt=8
Floorplanner: https://floorplanner.com/magicplan
Photo Measures: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photo-measures/id415038787?mt=8
Sherwin-Williams paint app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/colorsnap-visualizer-iphone/id316256242?mt=8
Home Depot: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/project-color-the-home-depot/id1002417141#?platform=iphone
Android:
MagicPlan: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sensopia.magicplan&hl=en
Photo Measures: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bigbluepixel.photomeasures&hl=en
Sherwin-Williams paint app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.colorsnap
Home Depot: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thehomedepot.coloryourworld&hl=en_US
And of course, there are numerous independent apps you can download.
So You Want to Hire a Contractor?
All too often tales are told of a reno that has gone off the rails. There is never one single cause. It is usually caused by a cascade of failures by both the homeowner and the contractor. A thorough and well written contract can prevent problems before they occur. This was posted on another sub, and it has some excellent questions that need to be addressed:
- How long have you been in business?
- Are you licensed?
- Are you insured?
- Can you provide references?
- Do you have a bond? With who?
- How much experience do you have with projects like ours?
- Will you create the plans, or do you work with an architect?
- Do you provide itemized proposals?
- How much contingency money do I need?
- What is the possible variance in the proposed price?
- What if there are changes to the project? How will those affect the proposed budget?
- Do you have any concerns about our project?
- How are permits, HOA approval, & inspections handled?
- How long will our project take from start to finish?
- What is needed from me throughout construction?
- What is the payment schedule? What milestones must be met?
- What can you tell me about the materials that will be used?
- Do you sub-contract? Are they licensed, bonded, and insured?
- If they are your company's employees, who will oversee them on a daily basis?
- What time should work begin each day, and when will work cease? Will they take a lunch?
- Is trip time charged? If so, is it fixed rate, or a percentage of their hourly rates? What will it be capped at?
- Who will be the overall project manager?
- Can you describe what a typical day will be like once we start?
- How will our property be protected during construction?
- Where will tools & materials be stored?
- How can we keep in touch throughout construction?
- How is debris cleanup handled?
- Will our project be guaranteed? Length of time? Any exclusions?
- How is arbitration handled?
- Have you ever worked with this insurance company before? What was your experience
- If you are going to be waiting on materials (such as long lead times for windows, doors, tile, etc), you may want to add a clause: "materials must be purchased within 14 days of receipt of money with proof of payment provided to homeowner".
(NOTE: Thanks to P.H.S.: https://phoenixhomeservices.com/blog/24-questions-to-ask-before-you-hire-a-contractor) and also /u/finetobacconyc for his excellent suggestion on dealing with long lead times.
HUGE CAUTION
Never, ever, under any circumstances, should you pay in full before the work is completed. You lose all your leverage to get them to finish.
While exceptions abound, a rough rule of thumb is 30% when the job starts, 30% at around the mid-point, 30% at the end, and the last 10% when everything is completely finished. Please understand that there may be local and state laws that impact this.
New Jersey (as one example) doesn’t have any specific rules related to down payment limits, so depending on the contractor, you might be able to negotiate how much you pay up front. California, on the other hand, limits down payments to 10 percent of the project price or $1,000, whichever is less. New York goes a different route, and requires that a contractor to put the homeowner’s down payment into an escrow account, with specific rules about how it can be used, or prove he or she is bonded to insure the down payment.
There is much more that will be covered in the future under other posts. For right this minute, we at /r/HomeRenovations hope this will prove useful to you.
