The Home Work Controversy and 5 Tips for Home Renovation
When you're looking for tips for home renovation projects, a likely source for renovation and remodelling know-how are the home renovation shows found on TV. The formula is intriguing: professional or semi-professional designers help homeowners create their dream homes in just a few weeks, with a bit of budget drama and renovation obstacles thrown in to make it entertaining.
And most times, the drama behind the scenes doesn't make it to air.
Why Home Renovation Projects Go Wrong
If you follow design influencers on Instagram, no doubt you caught wind of the
controversy this past week surrounding the home renovation show Home Work hosted by
Andy and Candis Meredith on the new Magnolia Network.
Here's a
good synopsis of the situation
but to summarize, several homeowners who appeared on the show came forward
with accusations of poor workmanship, financial mismanagement, and broken
promises from the Merediths. In response, Magnolia Network pulled
Home Work from its platforms (but has since returned it to the lineup).
You can see the homeowners' posts
here,
here
and
here and the Meredith's response
here.
There's a lot that went wrong on these renovation projects and I don't think
any one party is entirely to blame. From reading the homeowners' stories, it might seem near impossible, but you can achieve a successful home renovation or remodeling
project.
Did the homeowners have unrealistic expectations about what could be done on a
tight budget? Did the Merediths take on too much, overpromise, and not convey
clearly what compromises needed to happen in order to meet those budgets? Yes
and yes.
Did the homeowners move in blind faith, accepted some things they should have
questioned, and failed to speak up during the renovation process, perhaps
because they were friends or fans of the couple? Yes. Did the Merediths lack
project management experience, fail to monitor the quality of the work being
done, and lack in communication? Also yes.
Throw in an extremely short made-for-TV production schedule, Covid delays, and
multiple projects being completed at the same time and it's not difficult to
see how so many problems could happen.
But - as someone who has hired contractors and trades and lived through
several home renovations - I can say that none of this is unexpected.
Tips for Home Renovations
That so many poorly executed renovations happened in a short amount of time
with one team at the helm is noteworthy, but generally, you can expect every
renovation to go over budget and off schedule.
Whether you're doing a DIY renovation or bringing the professionals, renovations and home remodels can be a major undertaking and shouldn't be approached lightly.
Ideally, the extra money you spend on home improvement projects will
increase the value of your home in the long run. Hiring a high quality
renovation team is a great way to improve your living areas and and take a
lot of stress off your hands.
But even with professional help, there are simply unforeseen circumstances
that cannot be anticipated before you open up the walls. Even with extensive
prep work, there's surprises, unexpected costs, delays, and things that need
to be redone, changed, or Plan B'd. Good planning upfront and and strong management during the renovation can help minimize some of
these potential problems.
But what can you, the homeowner, do to ensure a home renovation project runs
smoothly? A lot!!
Here's 5 things homeowners should keep in mind when using a general contractor
for their next home renovation:
1. Do Your Research
Many of us hire tradespeople based on the recommendations of friends and
family. But renovations can be costly, and you shouldn't base a significant
financial decision solely on the fact that your Uncle Bob had a good
experience with a particular contractor six years ago.
The best way to assess a contractor is to do your own research. Don't just pick the one that had the lower price on their free estimate. Get multiple
quotes and check references. Consider everything, from how long it takes them
to respond to your initial outreach, to the level of detail provided in their
quote, to how knowledgeably they can answer your questions.
Look at the contractor's qualifications and not just their after photos. Do they hold the
right license, certification, and insurance? Are they experienced in the type
of renovation you want to do? Are they doing the work or are they
subcontracting it out? Know who is coming into your home.
2. Your Contractor/Designer Is Not Your Friend
Renovations can be long and filled with emotion - you're bringing someone into
your most intimate spaces. You're giving them a lot of money. You're trusting
them with your dreams!
And yes, it's nice to have a friendly relationship with the people you entrust
to build your dream home but don't assume that they are your friends. This is
a business transaction to the contractors, trades, and designers you hire. You
are paying them for a service and it's up to you to ensure they meet your
expectations.
I know I can be swayed by someone who speaks to me in a friendly, reassuring
tone, but in a home remodel project, that can lead to problems being ignored or
minimized. Lots of homeowners are not experienced in home renovations so they
place their trust in their contractor to tell them when things go wrong.
While many contractors will do that, ultimately these professionals are
motivated by their own budgets and timelines. It's not in their best interest
to spend more time and effort on highlighting and fixing issues when they can
convince you things are "good enough". Ensure the work done is to your
standards.
3. Get Your Renovation Contract In Writing
It goes without saying that you should have a clear contract with the
contractor for your renovation project. The contract should include a thorough
description of the work to be done and the materials to be used. It should
also include a project schedule and payment schedule.
The contract should also list any warranties, who is obtaining permits if
required, and if there are any subtrades being used (and who is responsible
for paying those subtrades). Any changes to the scope of the work and
additional cost should also be in writing.
Tie payment schedules to the construction schedule.
One couple from Home Work stated that the Meredith's were paid
$50,000 before any of the work was ever completed. This should never happen and unfortunately is a common and very costly renovation mistake homeowners make.
A contractor may include a payment schedule in the proposed contract, but
you don't have to accept that as is. You can suggest your own. A good rule
to follow is to tie your payments to milestones in the renovation plan. For
instance:
- pay 10% deposit upon signing
- pay another 15% once materials are onsite
- pay another 40% once 50% of the work is complete
- pay another 25% once the job is complete
- pay the final 10% as a "holdback"
The 10% should only be paid after final inspection of the finished
renovation and about 45 days after the completion of your renovation. The
holdback achieves two things. First, it's an incentive for the contractor
to come back and fix any small repairs or deficiencies left outstanding.
Secondly, here in Ontario, it is put towards any construction liens that
may have been placed against your home by the contractor or
subcontractors.
4. Communication Is Your Responsibility Too
What's the role of the contractor? Is it the person that assembles the team,
creates and manages the schedule, oversees the work, organizes the
construction area and equipment, ensures the work is to code, and keeps you
informed? Yes to all those things.
But consider this: your home renovation is likely not the only project your
contractor is working on (especially now, when everyone wants to renovate
while stuck at home!). Your contractor may have multiple major renovations on
the go and could be managing more than one construction site and subtrades.
The implication of this is that your contractor devotes attention to your
project only 33% of the time (for example, if there were 3 simultaneous
projects). That means he is not on-site all the time, he's not there to check
the work being done, and things can fall through the cracks.
The flip side is that YOU are 100% devoted to your project. You have the
opportunity to be in the work area in real time to communicate to the
drywaller if the finish isn't as smooth as you'd like. You can tell the
electrician if he missed something that was on the scope of work.
Having a contractor doesn't mean that you forsake any responsibility or
oversight.
Even if you feel inexperienced or unqualified to ask about the things
happening during the home remodel, speak up if you have questions - you've paid
for the right to do so!
Is some of the work questionable? Do you feel like the materials on site
differ from the ones specified in the renovation budget? You shouldn't
feel afraid to ask 'dumb' questions. You might learn something along the way
and that can benefit your future renovations.
5. Know Your Renovation Plans
While you might hire professionals like an interior designer and architects to
draw your renovation plans, you need to have a good understanding of those plans as well.
Knowing what is to be delivered for your living space will help you ensure,
when you're on site, that you can spot any deviations.
Renovations are complex and can involve many people. Things can get overlooked
and it's not reasonable to expect that each trade has 100% understanding of
the entire plan. Often, they are only aware of their limited scope of work.
We had a situation occur when we renovated our old
basement bathroom. The plumber had come in and moved the plumbing through this empty cavity.
He was unaware that we were going to finish the area and install open shelves.
Because we knew the full plan, we were able to spot this mistake and have him
re-route the plumbing.
Knowing your plans, you can also make changes during construction. Would it be
better to have the electrician add extra potlights? Or move the location of
the switch so it doesn't interfere with the placement of artwork? Does the
width of the door need to be extended because you've bought larger appliances?
You can only make beneficial changes like this if you understand the plans and
what's to come.
Renovation work at any level, from a new home, kitchen remodel or entire
house, can be stressful. With proper planning and using best practices, you can
head into them confidently and ensure that your house will become the home
you dream of.
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