Ten Things to Expect when you Remodel

Courtesy of Greenfield Building

1. Dust. Even with elaborate dust walls, a fine layer of dust can gather in parts of your home far

from construction. There are a few ways to control it. If you can, close off the construction area from

the rest of your house with a compression-fit temporary wall. Completely block the warm-air and

cold-air returns in the construction area. If you don’t, you’ll just be pulling dust from that section of

the house into the part where you’re living. The low point is often when the drywall is installed and

sanded. That fine white dust seems to get everywhere.

2. Noise. It will be incessant. Whining saws, scratching sanders and thumping nail guns followed by

bellowing compressors: in short, little peace or quiet. Find another place to nap and don’t count on

working from home unless your home office is far away from the construction zone. If you’re sure it

couldn’t possibly be that bad, visit someone else’s home under construction and you’ll see.

3. Triumphant highs. For you it may be the demolition of the ugly vinyl floors in your kitchen. For

others it may be the installation of the carefully selected backsplash tile. Others still may feel elated

only when they see Sheetrock go in or get to relax when their project is completely done.

4. Multiple sighs. It may be that you just want to be done, or that you’re tired of answering so many

questions and writing so many checks. Or you may just be tired of having so many people in your

house. Hang in there — remodeling fatigue will be short lived when you get to move back into your

newly remodeled space.

5. The unexpected. If you expect anything, expect this. Asbestos, irregular framing, jerry-rigged

wiring, plumbing pipes in odd places, and more unexpected surprises are bound to arise. No, you

won’t be laughing, and neither will your contractor. Count on finding something no one could have

anticipated in your budget and your time frame, and you will be well prepared when it happens.

6. Change orders. The unexpected is often accompanied by the change order, by which any new

and changed work is documented, along with added or reduced cost. Change orders can also be used

to resolve allowances, which are placeholders in the budget for particular items. But most often

change orders occur because of things that clients decide to add or change. When you absolutely

positively have to have that Italian tile, you can bet a change order is on the way.

7. Cash concerns. Even if your project is right on budget, the sheer amount of money you are

spending may cause a bit of a freakout. If you’re not used to writing big checks, you can easily be

writing checks with two or more zeros during a large remodel. If costs are increasing, along with

change orders, it could increase your anxiety. Having cash on hand that's a bare minimum of 10

percent above contract for contingencies will help alleviate that stress. Have 20 percent if you want

to worry less.

8. Delays. You and your contractor will likely be working from a schedule that assumes the world is

a perfect place. But is is not. Sometimes the faucets take 10 weeks instead of two to arrive.

Materials arrive damaged and have to be replaced. Workers get sick or have to take their kids to the

Dentist, subcontractors get held up on another job. The Contractor is constantly juggling his

schedule to respond to reality, and knowing that will allow you to be resilient when your schedule

shifts a bit.

9. Decisions. Where should that outlet be? How high do you want the showerhead? Where do you

want the cabinet hardware mounted? Oil-rubbed bronze or chrome or brushed nickel or satin nickel?

Is your head spinning yet? Count on hundreds of questions that you'll need to answer as your project

proceeds, or select your architect as your proxy. Try to make as many of these decisions as you can

before the dust starts to fly. Many seemingly minor decisions, like changing the flooring thickness,

can have major consequences. Just know that your selection of a contractor is the first of many you

will make.

10. Outliers. At the end of your project, expect one or two punch-list items that will take longer to

resolve than anything else. It may be a light fixture that arrives broken or the very last two pieces of

tile that were back-ordered. The important thing is to be patient with getting the final details right,

even if they take a little longer.

11. A party! Yes, this is number 11 and I know we said 10 things to expect, but don’t skip this one!

Expect that you will want to show off your newly remodeled kitchen, living room or addition. Throw

a party and invite friends, along with the Contractor and other trade partners. It’s gratifying for

everyone to see a beautifully finished home filled with people and realize it was all worth it in the

end.

If you have more questions about the remodeling process, please feel free to call at
510-816-4473
Christopher D’Andrea
Greenfield Building
Berkeley, California