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Remodeling - 7 Rules of
Survival
Reams have been
written about the glamorous part of remodeling — the architect's (often
incomprehensible) commentary; the client's bubbling enthusiasm; the glossy
magazine spreads. A lot less is said about the bumpy road most remodelers travel
to arrive at a great project.
Problems and
surprises are endemic to the remodeling process, but they can be minimized by
careful planning and a healthy dose of pragmatism. Herewith are seven rules of
survival:
Educate
yourself.
Discover remodeling pitfalls the painless way — by taking a class or seminar
— not by living through a disastrous project. Learning from a pro is easier and
a lot less expensive than enrolling in the school of hard knocks. Look for
homeowner education organizations in your area, or check the architecture
department of your local junior college; many have a wide variety of classes on
design and remodeling topics.
Set a
realistic budget.
The days of $35 per square foot construction costs are just a distant memory
now; realistically, you should allow from $200 to $300 per square foot,
depending on the size, complexity, and quality of your remodel. Extensive
kitchen or bath remodels will cost even more. If you plan to hire an architect,
add an additional 12-15 percent fee to the total.
Know where to save and where to spend.
It's easy to be seduced by trendy design, but high-fashion items
are notoriously bad investments. Spend your money where it counts:
on top-quality doors, windows, roofing, and exterior finishes. The
frou-frou can be easily upgraded later.
Do as much of the work yourself as you can, but be realistic about
how much you can do and how well you can do it.
Finish work, especially, is
not the place for on-the-job training — novice work can ruin an
otherwise first-rate job. And be forewarned: Many contractors
dislike sharing construction responsibilities with owners, since any
tardiness on owner's part can raise havoc with the contractor's
schedule. If you're confident of your time and abilities, fine;
otherwise, forget it.
Choose a contractor (or an architect) by what he builds, not by what
he says.
Always ask for references, and then follow up on them. Most
contractors and architects are dedicated, competent and take great
pride in their work — and they'll be glad to let their references
prove it.
Be prepared for more of everything…
…more expense, more time, more disruption, and more problems
than you planned on. Surprises of one kind or another are endemic to
working with existing buildings — expect them.
If you need design help, get it.
That 12-15 percent architect's fee may sound like a waste of
money until you find yourself spending $30,000 to correct errors or
add items you've forgotten. If I do say so myself, investing in a
professional's experience will usually repay itself many times over.
In any case, a well-detailed set of plans is an absolute must if you
plan to bid the job out, since vague plans will invite many costly
"extras" later on.
All
of the above point to two fundamentals of remodeling: Being
informed, and expecting the unexpected. A little mental preparation
will go a long way toward smoothing out the road to a remodel.
By: Arrol Gellner
December 28, 2001 Copyright 2001 Arrol Gellner, Distributed by Inman
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