Managing the stress of a home renovation is possible when you have the right tools! While we can’t promise that the process will be stress-free, we do have some tips on how to combat the stress head-on so that you can enjoy the home improvement process.

F I N D A D E P E N D A B L E D E S I G N B U I L D T E A M

The best thing you can do to set yourself up for success is to find yourself a dependable design build team. The right contractor will ensure that you do everything on this list and then some. Not all contractors are bad! We often advise that you hire an interior designer first as we work with contractors on a continual basis and know the good ones from the ones you hear about in horror stories. Many interior designers work together with contractors to form a design build team for the client. In fact, we have a short list on contractors we like to work with and are on our preferred contractors’ short lists for reputable designers as well.

Trust us, you don’t want to manage your own construction project. Many homeowners feel that they’ll have a good handle on the construction process simply because they saw one or two play out on TV. Unbeknownst to them, the renovations seen on TV only show the highlights, both good and bad, for ratings, and not the thousands of details that go on behind the scenes. By hiring a contractor and interior designer you have people advocating on your behalf throughout your renovation, ensuring that your design plan comes to fruition and that all of the details throughout the process are handled with care.

*BUNGALOW INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT DOUGLAS PARK*

P L A N, P L A N, P L A N

When you hire a design build team of interior designer and contractor they will create some key components for you, including construction drawings, a construction timeline, and helping you create a reasonable budget for your wishlist. Setting a reasonable budget from the beginning, with a built-in contingency plan, will help keep things running smoothly throughout construction. Before anyone even swings a sledgehammer, you should have a reasonable indication of how much your renovation will cost. We say a reasonable indication because unforeseen costs almost always come up in a renovation. Whether it’s asbestos testing and abatement, additional materials, or otherwise, having a contingency plan in place helps when issues arise and eliminates the need to scramble for more money.

Detailed construction documents are key to a renovation project’s success as they inform the contractor and tradespeople of the locations, measurements, materials, details, and much more included in the project. Your design build team will also create a GANTT chart for your project showing project management timelines, tradesperson tasks, start and end dates for each stage and trade, as well as much more, depending on the contractor. Read more about the importance of construction drawings here.

M O V E O U T

Living in the middle of a home renovation can sometimes be the most stressful part of the whole endeavour. Our clients often tell us that living through the renovation won’t be a big deal and that they’ll be fine. Fast forward to eight weeks later and they often feel differently. The mental strain of sharing your home with strangers making noise and dust, five to seven days a week, for weeks on end, can be very taxing.

If you are renovating the only bathroom in your house or are doing a large scale renovation we always suggest that you move out for a portion of the construction. Most people are unable to live in a home with no bathroom. If you’re doing a kitchen renovation you may be able to cook up a supply of freezer meals, relocate your appliances elsewhere in your home, or order take out, but even these things will wear on you after awhile. For the majority of your project, your space won’t be functional (ie. a toilet or a kitchen sink) as the old fixtures are taken out at the beginning during demolition, and the new fixtures aren’t installed until closer to the end of the project.

If you can’t move out, try to plan a vacation during your home renovation. Your build team will thank you for the extra space and the work will probably be done quicker without you there. Plus, you will avoid having to live in a home without operable fixtures. If this is not possible, try spending more time outdoors. Having barbecues is a great way to cook when you don’t have an operable kitchen.

*BUNGALOW INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT GROSVENOR*

P L A N A H E A D

Prepare your home before your construction start date so that you’re not scrambling at the last minute to get things ready. Empty the renovation space of all personal items including the contents of the cupboards, items on countertops, shelves, tables, etc., and store them in boxes elsewhere in your home. Move couches, bookshelves, appliances or any other large items to an area of the home not under renovation. If you do not wish to do this yourself, talk to your design build team about coordinating a third-party service well in advance of your start date. If flooring removal is part of the demolition, ensure that you’ve protected personal belongings in the level below as debris from demolition will filter through even the smallest gaps in the subfloor.

For smaller projects, it’s helpful to have an adjacent room available for trades to store tools and smaller materials. This room may also be used for the cutting of materials should weather not permit outdoor preparation. For larger projects this is usually not required as the tools and materials can be stored within the area being renovated. If space in the garage is also available this is helpful as it allows the contractor to get your materials delivered as soon as possible, avoiding the possibility of delays in not having materials when needed.

Make sure you have an extra key to your home handy as most contractors will place a lockbox on your property for tradespeople to be able to access your home if you’re not there. If you have a home alarm, set up a temporary code for the duration of your project and add the contractor’s contact info to your alarm monitoring system in case of emergency.

Finally, have a plan for keeping kids and pets out of the construction zone. While many contractors and tradespeople are good about cleaning up after themselves there’s always the chance that something might be missed. No one wants little feet and paws to get hurt!

*BUNGALOW INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT OCEAN RIDGE*

S E T R E A L I S T I C E X P E C T A T I O N S

Don’t expect your home renovation to mirror those seen on HGTV. Renovations are expensive, dusty, and don’t happen overnight. When things don’t go the way we expect, it’s natural to be disappointed and even frustrated. As homeowners, you’re spending a large amount of money on a renovation and therefore feel that you deserve a high level of service and quality. This is not unreasonable, however it’s imperative to consider the challenges that may be faced by the contractor.

While the contractor will set a project timeline, it is more or less a guideline on how the best case scenario will play out. Delays happen, and it’s best to be understanding and flexible when this happens. No one contractor will be able to control every detail all the time and may have to deal with workers not showing up, truck breakdowns, traffic delays, material delays, material quality issues, subcontractor problems, equipment malfunctions, mistakes, injuries, and much more. The more understanding you are the more likely it is that your contractor will bend over backwards to keep you happy.

Communication is key when it comes to managing expectations. Make sure you communicate your expectations to your design build team both before and during your home renovation; a reputable contractor will do the same.