Project Managing a Home Renovation

Whenever you decide to do a home renovation project, it is critical that you do plenty of planning up front. If you have never managed a project before, then managing your own home renovation will be good experience. If you have managed a project in the past, then you can use your experience to make sure that everything gets done on time and under budget.

Scheduling To Accommodate Your Life

Do you really want contractors hammering inside your house while you and your family are eating dinner? Sometimes, it does make sense to allow contractors access to your house at all hours because it will get the project done faster. But if you do not have another place for you and your family to go during the renovation, then scheduling the work becomes critical.

Remember that you are scheduling the renovation work around your work schedule and your home schedule. How much do you want the contractors to do when you are not there? If you have the vacation time to take from work and the project is only scheduled to go for a week, then taking the time off from work would be a good idea. If you do not have the time, then you can make your way back to your home on your lunch hours to check on the contractor's progress.

Choosing the Contractor

Cable television programs tend to make home renovation projects look a lot easier than they really are. Unless you are planning a project in which you have some kind of experience, your best bet is to hire a contractor to have the work done right.

Hire a contractor that offers a free written estimate, and a written guarantee on their work. Be sure to look for personal referrals from friends and family members, or use a reliable online referral service to find a contractor you can trust.

It is extremely important to bring the contractor into the project at the beginning so that you can discuss budget details and work out a schedule. If you try to create a budget and schedule without the contractor, then you may have a hard time finding a contractor who can fit all of your needs.

Budget

A big part of managing a home renovation project is to create a realistic budget. Work with your contractor to develop a budget and then secure the funds before the work begins. It is always a good idea to get at least 15 percent more money that you have budgeted for, just in case you run into problems when the project begins.

Permits

Never assume that the contractor is going to get your building permits. When you interview contractors, always ask if the contractor will secure the permits. If you do not ask, then your contractor may show up expecting you to have the permits and then your job is already behind on time and money.

It is best to work with a contractor who can get the permits for you because securing the proper paperwork can be complicated. An experience contractor will know what permits to get and how to get them.

Completion

You have spent months planning your renovation project and it seems to have gone off without a hitch. Your planning allowed the project to run smoothly and got you the results that you wanted. But never assume that the project is done just because the contractor says it is. Always go through a final check of the project before you sign off on it with the contractor.

Walk through the project with the contractor and the project checklist and make sure that everything is done. If you see loose ends that need to be taken care of, then write them down. If those loose ends were part of the agreement with the contractor, then make sure they are taken care of before you sign off on the job and agree to pay the contractor.

A home renovation project can cause upheaval to your life and make things difficult for a while. The important thing to remember is that the project is temporary, but the results are permanent. Take the time to put together a reliable team to get the job done, and stay involved as the project manager to make sure that you get the results that you were looking for.

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