Common Roadblocks of Home Remodeling

August 1, 2021/in Remodeling General Contractors, Room Additions /by Renaissance Remodeling

Common Roadblocks of Home Remodeling

All kinds of challenges can arise during a home remodel. We’ve selected four of the most common but sometimes unexpected challenges that homeowners can face with any renovation. We hope these tips on The Four P’s of home remodeling can help you feel a bit more prepared for whatever might come your way.

Permits

Doing your home remodel right means obtaining all the needed permits before beginning construction. While a building permit is a standard and expected requirement, additional permits might also be needed. For example, if you live in one of Boise’s beautiful historic districts, you’ll need to go through a review process and acquire an approved Certificate of Appropriateness signed off by the city as a prerequisite to obtaining a building permit. One of the benefits of working with a Design Build company is having the permit process taken care of for you by an expert in the field who knows what the needed permits are for your project and can obtain them as quickly as possible to avoid delays or any issues down the road.

Plumbing

If you want to completely reconfigure the layout of your kitchen or bathroom, be ready for the plumbing expenses. Plumbing can be tricky, and unless you unearth a hidden treasure chest of expensive jewels on demo day, nobody likes surprises during a home remodel. It’s important to keep in mind the likelihood of your plumbing not being up to code if you live in an older house, or that unknown water damage and mold could be present once we start tearing down the walls and flooring and can see what’s hidden underneath. It’s better to find out now that your plumbing needs major updates, instead of finding out with a pipe bursting or other unseen plumbing issues that might be further damaging your home. Although nobody wants to hear that their plumbing expenses are going to be higher than what they had initially hoped, it usually ends up being a blessing in disguise that will save you money and bigger headaches in the long run.

Power

In the last year there has been an influx of requests for home additions and accessory dwelling units in the Boise area. Adding to your home means using more power. When planning a remodel, it’s easy to focus on the more obvious expenses like cabinets, appliances, light fixtures, tile, paint, countertops, oh my! With already so much to consider when making decisions for your project, it’s the behind-the-scenes expenses that can sneak up during renovation. Especially if you live in an older neighborhood like Boise’s North End, or Warm Springs Avenue, a home remodel also comes with considering how much power you need. Replacing electrical panels, poles, or even transformers are expenses that can vastly change the cost of your remodel. It’s important to go with a contractor who has experience with power challenges and addresses them at the beginning of a project instead of leaving room for surprises.

Procrastination

One of the biggest roadblocks in a home remodel can be procrastination. The price of certain materials can go up in as little as a month (hello lumber shortages), and the availability of project start dates can change in an even shorter amount of time. Dragging out your material selections, postponing appointments, or putting off any other design decisions can dramatically alter your project’s expected start date. Once your project begins, making change orders to your remodel’s scope of work can also push out the expected date of completion. We know that remodeling your home comes with big decisions, and changing your mind about some things is inevitable! Working with a contractor that understands your vision and helps you stays on track can make a world of difference.

Should You Move or Remodel?

July 1, 2021/in Remodeling General Contractors /by Renaissance Remodeling

If your current home is where you plan to raise a family, retire with your partner, or any other long-term goals that make a place a forever home, then remodeling can be incredibly rewarding.

Managing Scope Creep on Your Project

April 1, 2021/in Remodeling General Contractors /by Renaissance Remodeling

Managing Scope Creep on Your Project

Every month, we hope to bring our readers helpful tips and interesting content that inspires, educates, and empowers homeowners. This month, we’re shedding some light on a common, and somewhat notorious, concept in the home remodeling industry: Scope Creep.

There are many components to the Design Build remodel process. The initial meeting, measurements, concept design, defining the scope of work, finalizing the design plan, obtaining permits, ordering materials, moving into production, communicating with subcontractors, and checking off every item on the final punch list to ensure the client has a new living space that is exactly what they dreamed of.

Properly defining the scope of work takes a genuine understanding of the customer’s wants and needs, and mindful attention to the details. The scope of work helps establish a budget and time frame and keeps the client and contractor on the same page about what the remodel project will entail. Once the scope of work is agreed upon, we move to the design retainer phase. In this creative phase, the project designer works closely with the client to select colors, fixtures, and materials.

Along the way, a phenomenon known as scope creep can sneak up on homeowners at one point or another if they’re not prepared. Scope creep happens when, after the scope of work has been established, a client later decides they want to add another window, change a material selection, go with a different appliance, or any of the other changes that a client might decide they want to make as the project moves along. Wants and needs can evolve in the excitement of a remodel project, and change orders exist for a reason, but a result to keep in mind is the likelihood that these changes will affect both the cost and timeline of the project depending on the specific changes being requested.

To avoid surprises, it is helpful for homeowners to be cognizant of scope creep from the start of the project. You will thank yourself later for being mindful in your selections and confident in your project’s defined scope of work! For example, deciding you want to go with a different front door after seeing a design you liked on Pinterest might seem like a simple change, but your new selection could alter your project’s scope of work depending on product availability, shipping speed, installation, and price.

A major benefit of hiring a Design Build company for your project is that the design team and build team communicate with each other, and the client, throughout the entire remodel process for a more streamlined experience. Renovations can be overwhelming for any homeowner, and change is inevitable in life, so choosing an experienced contractor who you can trust to keep you informed and take on challenges will ensure you get the most out of your investment.