Congratulations! You have arrived at the decision to begin preparing for success about your next home building up or remodeling project. In reading through some of our helpful remodeling tips you should find yourself better saved and better positioned to deal with many by the issues that arise on the home remodeling process. As with starting any new project I’ve found that it is always better to just…

START SMART:

Make sure your architectural plan is right!

You had better review and understand completely with your Architect what your established goals are and have at least one conversation about the concept of building Green. Get advice on what environmental considerations might be right for you and your project.

Once your program requirements are established and your creative ideas are developed and put to paper, your final architectural documents are prepared. These plans and specifications should have all the measurements needed to construct your new home or addition. Information on the plan should include all specific State & Local code demands that apply to your job.

There should be a list of design specifications noting quality standards for your project. Another plans as may be needed would include both electrical and structural drawings. If you start a large renovation project without a complete set of these detailed plans, you will see costly delays and unplanned for charges to your budget.

THE TOWN:

Each Town varies with their own specific requirements. If you are considering an addition or renovation, make sure you are within your own Town requirements before you spend time developing plans that might not be feasible. You need to know before hand if your planned addition might need some type of variance prior to approval. Town regulations for front, side & rear yard setbacks as well as wetlands requirements and certain zoning ordinances are simply ways in which your Town can protect and maintain quality in your neighborhood environment. Make sure that you become informed about those restrictions before you start the design process. It may be costly otherwise.

PREPARE:

Get a reasonable preconstruction budget, scope of work and schedule put together. When your list of requirements is defined you will be more in control of what you are trying to build or accomplish. Don’t leave these important details up to the contractors bidding on your job because each one (qualified or not), will interpret your plans differently. Ideally you should have a clear and defined scope of work prepared before you bid out your project, or you won’t get exactly what you want when you want it. Do this early and be knowledgeable of the specific goals you want to achieve.

PROTECT YOURSELF:

With the housing market off and the construction market a bit uncertain, there is no better time then NOW to protect yourself from unqualified or unlicensed contractors.

Make sure that your contractor has General Liability and Workers Compensation Insurance and that you are named as additionally insured on their policy. Obtain a copy in case of an accident. Also make sure that an Indemnification contract agreement is signed additionally holding you harmless in case of an injury. Be sure that each trade-contractor on your project has this same protective coverage in place so that you are not held liable should an accident take place on your property.

MAKE YOUR SELECTIONS:

You’re going to need to get working on selections for tiles, fixtures, accessories, flooring, cabinetry, lighting, etc. as soon as possible. We are fortunate that there are several great design showrooms in our area with knowledgeable staff ready to assist you with the latest in home fashion and design. Help yourself by being prepared;

Bring room sizes, tile or floor material quantities and any sketch design layouts with you. This should make your initial visit more productive. Also, try to have an established budget for each item in your project. This spending plan will help you focus on specific areas where you need control. (Maybe you don’t need to spend $1,300.00 for a shower head in the guest bath?)

Remember, the final product is only as good as the materials selected. Get help putting the design pieces and selections together so that the look is just what you’re dreaming of when it all comes together. Also remember that the contractor or construction manager’s job is to facilitate the installation of what you select, so select carefully and select early. Non-stocked products have obviously longer lead times for delivery then stocked items. Selections made early should be part of the bid specification package which will allow the project to be bid correctly. Early selections should also allow for material ordering to be done in a timely manner and according to schedule. It can be a lot of work on your own so if you can, get some help.

KNOW THE SCHEDULE, JOB CONDITIONS & KEEP IT CLEAN:

Make sure you have a construction schedule that works with your time frame and one that your contractor can adhere to. Your schedule should be detailed trade by trade with necessary dates required for material selections and procurements identified. Scheduling should be part of the General Conditions in your contract including hours of operation. Certain Towns and Villages have restrictions on when work can start and cease on Holidays and weekends. If there is a question, you can contact your local police department for specifics.

Also with regard to time, you may or may not want your contractor in your house past normal business hours finishing work. To avoid any unpleasant surprises it is important to define his/her hours of operation up front. General Conditions should also include simple but important items like cleaning and general protection of your home. Make sure you have in writing who will do what and when. You won’t know how really important this is until you start living with dust and debris throughout your house! Make sure your contractor or Construction Manager has planned to protect your existing home and furnishings prior to the start of any work.

KNOW YOUR CONTRACT:

- Make sure that your approved contract references complete plans and specifications including the Architects name, plan dates and plan page numbers.

- Make sure that there is referenced and attached a detailed scope of work that includes all specific notes, qualifications and exclusions or conditions to the contract. If there is an alternate add or deduct price, make sure that you clearly understand the details.

- Make sure that payment terms and conditions are clear and that you are comfortable with those terms. Make it your plan to only release initial down-payment funds, if any, predicated on your receipt of all insurance certificate’s and agreements. This insurance must be in place prior to the start of work or the work does not start, period. Do not let any contractor on your property without full and complete insurance.

- Remember that by consumer protection laws, you have a right of recession on your contract which allows you three days to cancel out of a signed home improvement contract for any reason. Don’t feel pressured, if something does not feel right, it probably isn’t! The point is to feel comfortable and think clearly about what you expect from your contractor and your working relationship and plan accordingly.

- There may be an infinite number of clauses you could enter into your own contract that would further help you control the contractor but remember, yours is a two way agreement and he/she is providing a valuable service for you, so be fair. All that being said, it is always advised to have your attorney review any contract you might consider signing especially if it is of significant value pertaining to your home.

- Your payment terms might want to include that final payment for the job will be released upon completion of the final project including all punch-list items. Each and every payment should be accompanied by a signed Waiver of Lien/ release on your property. These general terms could prove helpful with both the contractor and the homeowner understanding there respective obligations and concerns when it comes time for final payment.

FINISH SMART:

Remember to make sure that when the project is nearing completion:

- All warranties are packaged and presented to you for easy reference.

- If your utility’s were altered or worked on, (i.e. Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC) etc., make sure that those lines or plumbing valves are tagged.

- If the electrical panel was worked on make sure the contractor labeled it.

- And if your heating and cooling system was touched, make sure that you are comfortable with operational and maintenance directions.

- If major renovation work was performed then you should discuss with your contractor the need to check and clean all HVAC filters prior to completion of work. Sometimes these filters can get clogged during construction with dust and debris.

- Separate issues might arise at the end of your project if telecommunication is involved. Make sure you are clear on who will be contacting the phone or cable company for service as well as who will be paying for the hookup.

Finally as part of all these closeout procedures, don’t forget to generate that punch-list and give it to your contractor as soon as possible while they still have personnel on site.

YOU DON’T ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE…

Often after successfully completing a special project, you and your contractor or Construction Manager might not want to say goodbye. If he/she has performed all of the above work to your satisfaction and completed your punch-list responsively, then think of offering them your complete and honest recommendation. The construction business can be thankless. If your contractor or alternatively, your Construction Manager, excelled on your project show your appreciation by recommending them often. They will appreciate your gratitude and so will you if at some point six months down the road you need them back for an adjustment or miscellaneous repair.

Watching your dreams materialize before your eyes is even more thrilling when you know that you will love every inch of your home, from the faucets to the chimney, because you designed it yourself.

The first step in building your dream home is to find an architect who will be able to work with you and turn your dreams into reality. Don’t settle for the first one you meet with. It’s important to interview several architects so that you find one who is not just accomplished, but who will really listen to what you want. They should be willing to focus on drawing up plans that will result in the home you are anticipating.

Keep in mind that not everything you are hoping for may be possible. Some details you want to include might be architectural impossibilities, others may be outrageously expensive, and there may be zoning regulations to take into consideration. But the right architect will help you overcome these obstacles and work out solutions so that your dream home will be just that, the home of your dreams.

When designing your home, don’t forget about the garage. The garage is more than just a place where you park your car and store the lawnmower. It can be a great focal point and a beautiful addition to your home. If your vehicles are impressive, then shouldn’t your garage be impressive as well? The rich and famous have always built beautiful garages and carriage houses, and the possibilities for yours are truly exciting.

Consider Andrew Carnegie’s automobile house. It is an impressive three story garage he built to compliment his even more impressive home. The arched entrance way to his garage was graced with two carved wooden doors adorned with intricate ironwork and stained glass windows. Today, Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno’s garages are not just famous for their architecture but for the impressive collections that they house.

Of course, when designing your garage, the focal point will always be on the doors. You can have custom garage doors built in any style imaginable, from sleek and modern to traditional wooden carriage doors. The options are endless. Depending on how much you are willing or able to spend, you can have a garage built that will not just be the perfect compliment to your home, but will be a work of art all by itself.

As with any major project, quality is of the utmost importance. When you’re building a home, you want it to last a lifetime, so be willing to spend more for building materials that will last. You want to be able to spend your time enjoying your home, not dealing with endless things that don’t work. Therefore using high quality materials will keep you from having to deal with leaky roofs and garage door repair in the future.

Building your dream home and garage is both exciting and challenging. Working with the right architects and contractors will ensure that the home you get is the home that you dreamed of. Soon you will be moving into a home that is exactly the way you always dreamed it would be. But wait until you see the garage!