04/16/2021
How to get ready for a renovation project!
Renovation projects are both exciting and demanding. In all cases, the preparation is key for setting yourself (and our contractor/workers) for success.
How much preparation should we have?
Of course the ideal response is: ”As much as you can”.
Could you be too prepared for your project? I would say, yes and no. Yes, it is possible to spend too much time on the preparation, especially knowing that details will likely change throughout the process. But in reality, you are more likely to get under prepared than over prepared.
A mentor of mine used to say that the time needed for being fully prepared should be closed to time expected for the renovation to be accomplished (ex.: 3 months project, about 3 months preparation). It will vary, of course, but that gives an idea.
The preparation phase can also be called pre-construction. We can break it out in a few phases:
1- Brainstorming on what needs to be done, what you would like to add to that to improve your house, make it more functional, more pleasant, your dreams, and then identifying your budget (reality has to be back in sight at some point :-/)
2- Verifying the feasibility in terms of regulations, code and city requirements
3- Verifying the feasibility according to your budget
4- Deciding if you want to GC your project or hire a General Contractor
5- Vetting potential contractors/workers
6- Getting quotes, studying them, comparing them (reading between the lines)
7- Committing to a contractor
Of course, there’s a lot of items in each of those phases. These are just the big lines.
All of those phases can be entirely done by you. You could also put the lead in an architect or a general contractor's hands. Depending on your budget, availability and trust in them, I would add a third option.
You can work closely with a renovation consultant (like myself) that will give you advice and tools to take on this role. If you need them a lot, they will be there, if you are comfortable tackling some specific tasks, it’s in your hands and you don’t have to pay for somebody else’s help.
The “by hours” help can be very helpful for people that need to keep a certain control over the process and the costs. It is more likely to provide exactly what you need, when you need it.
My suggestion is to go with what you feel comfortable with at the beginning and adjust if needs be at some point. The tricky thing is when there’s financial commitment at the beginning, like with an architect or a design built contractor… That is why, unless you fully trust a specific architect or GC, I suggest starting your pre-construction with a renovation consultant, that can even bring you to a step of potential floor plan to help you visualise your project. This is clearly an affordable way to get your project to a level of clarity that would help you along the way, save you time (and money) in whatever direction you decide to go.
I would be pleased to have a conversation with you about your renovation needs/dreams, and see if I can help you get started.
Let me know when would be best to have a first zoom conversation together.
