Ok Ok, You've signed the contracts, you've made selections, your adrenaline is running its finally time. As the trucks back into the driveway and you wave to your neighbors to pardon the noise and energy that will be moving onto their street for the next few weeks, did you forget to tell them that the noise and traffic is nothing compared to the trash and eye soar you will create? Sure you get upgraded kitchen cabinets, travertine versailles flooring, and lighting to rival movie sets but what do your neighbors get, smashed kitchen cabinets, dirty carpet and padding piled high in the drive and enough water bottles and Taco Bell trash flying thru their front yards to fill a leaf bag! Wanna get the home of your dreams and keep your cul-de-sac besties?
~Here are few helpful hints to keep everyone happy.~
ASSUMING ( can't be spelled w/out an ass and u)
* Never assume that your contractor respects or appreciates your home and neighbors as much as you do.
* Always make it clear that you expect a clean job site from start to finish of you remodel project.
* If there will be a drop onsite dumpster or trash trailer make sure that your contractor has a short term and long term plan for quality control: such as weekly runs to the dump for an empty clean receptacle over the weekends or tarps secured over the debris.
* Does your contractor use outside trades and vendors through out your project and if so will he/she be closing the job site down daily to hold his /her vendors accountable for their cleanliness.
Communication Communication Communication
Remember you are paying for this service so it is neither rude nor inappropriate to let your contractor know what you expect. Although there are stages of your remodel that will be louder, dirtier and incomplete in the evenings or over the weekends you are not an idiot, you can tell if there is genuine awareness and effort in quality control.
Know Means Know
Yes- your paying lots of money for your reno
Yes- there have been days of rain, wrong materials bought and a broken lamp
Know- that what contractors do is usually back breaking, tiring, tedious, dirty, hot and can not be perfect so be kind. Be understanding and willing to compromise, talk to your neighbors to keep them in the loop.
Know- that you don't have to be the project manager but you need to be reasonable and fair with the one that you hired.
Having an overall good experience with the company you hire to work on your home is a two way street. Set expectations; communicate frustrations; and keep calm and renovate on.
Confucius says: No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationary.
