Our days can be really hectic, and we often find ourselves running from one place to another for meetings, job requirements, or family activities. Deadlines are all around us, waiting to be met. Or not.
When it comes to your renovation project, setting the end date and the steps that need to be taken to make sure you meet your target will help keep things on track. Many contractors can be a bit misleading when it comes to their estimates concerning how long a job will take. After all, they are trying to get and keep your business. Knowing what a realistic timeline for your renovation project should include will go a long way towards keeping you aware and in the loop.
Here are some tips to help you:
BE PROACTIVE. Don’t start demolition until all the special order items have come in. That way, when it’s time to start putting everything back together, you won’t have to start doing last minute searches for your finish items.
CLEAR COMMUNICATION. Plan your timeline with your contractor and get a clear idea of what they will be doing. Are they a large outfit with several jobs going on at once? Will you have a personal project manager? Do you have unavoidable events upcoming that will determine when the job needs to be done? Let them know about these in advance, right away. Will you be responsible for any of the materials? If so, where and when do you get them?
KEEP LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO A MINIMUM. While you are building your timeline, make sure you leave some room for last minute changes, but keep those to a minimum. They will add costs and materials. Stick to the plan as much as possible. Anticipate surprises, as well. There will always be some.
START AND END DATES. Make sure your contract has clear start and end dates, and just know that you never want to enter into an agreement without an end date.
THREE MAIN FACTORS: There are three main factors that will determine the final outcome of your project: quality, speed, and price. Keep this in mind. If you focus on quantity and price, it will probably take more time than you would like to complete the job, but if you focus on speed and price, the quality will not be what you want, and you will be living with the results for a long time to come.
When it comes to your renovation projects, the Ascension General Contractors team is always here to help. Call us, and let’s get started!