Remodeling a room or two in your house is exciting. Not only does it boost your resale value, it increases your enjoyment and comfort of the space. But the process can be quite stressful if it’s difficult to communicate with your contractor. It’s frustrating not knowing a timeline, final cost or even what’s happening day to day when the lines of communication are not open.
The project could turn out differently than you expected, leading to wasted money and disappointment. On the other hand, with open lines of communication and a receptive Boston contractor who takes the time to explain everything, your remodeling job can be a wonderful experience.
Here are some tips for communicating with your contractor.
1. Explain What You Want
It’s not enough to tell your contractor “I want an extra room added to the back of the house.” You should always share its intended usage with your contractor so they can properly plan for and price out such an addition. A room that will be used as a home office will have different needs than one that will be used for a home movie theater or sunroom.
Likewise, if you plan to remodel your kitchen, be specific about your family’s lifestyle. Let your contractor know that you enjoy cooking every night, have a big family that needs plenty of seating, and enjoy entertaining on the weekends. This will help them plan a layout that is conducive to large gatherings, with expansive countertop space and plenty of seating options.
If it’s just you and your significant other and you rarely entertain, your kitchen renovation needs will be much different.
2. Draw Pictures
You may not be an artist, but you can still sketch out crude drawings of what you want the space to look like. Take pen to paper and draw a diagram of the layout you want for your bathroom, including where you need extra storage, how much sink space you need, and whether you want a traditional bath tub or a walk-in shower. Include clips of examples from magazines or links to home improvement sites for reference.
Putting your goals in writing and documenting it with supporting images or diagrams can be very helpful to your contracting team.
3. Keep a Journal
Create a project journal to maintain a record of communication between you and your contractor. Write down agreed-upon timelines and materials, rate the progress, jot down ideas or questions you want to ask, and record all delivery dates.
4. Be Clear About Budget
All too often, homeowners are vague about what they can afford. They may hesitate to be up front with a concrete number because they think the contractor will increase the cost of the quoted job accordingly. But in the end, it will always benefit you to be clear about your budget. Once your contractor is aware of what you’re willing to spend, he or she will stick to that without spending money on materials or services that are not in the budget.
Just be sure to keep some padding in your budget, as delays, overages and extra costs are common in this industry.
Contact AD Construction
Communicating with our Boston contractors is easy. We keep you in the loop and make sure you understand every step of the process. To inquire about remodeling your Beacon Hill home, contact us today at 877-345-BUILD.
