Make sure you do your homework regarding your contractor and recent projects they have completed.
check contractor license & reference
One of the best ways to make sure your project is successful is to communicate with the contractor. The reason why your project will be successful with us is that we simply communicate, creating a wonderful atmosphere of creativity.
You will get the best possible outcome if you communicate with contractor and visit job site often as possible; also be respectful of the work space and time of contractors.
The most obvious is to select the “right contractor.” Yes, this is simple advice, but it is the most effective. Beyond the selection process, it is crucial to be involved in your project and install/ develop great communications among all parties. Don’t try to be the GC—that’s why you’ve hired the Contractor. Additionally, don’t be unrealistic—ensure the GC understands you are going to hold them accountable, but will be realistic too!
The bottom-line, every project is different but approaching your job as a TEAM ENDEAVOR will minimize stress!
NVS Kitchen and Bath strives to make every project and experience a success. We want you to be as happy with the experience as we are. Sitting down with one of our skillful in-house designers will give us and you a clear path to what your needs and wants are. Knowing WHY you want to remodel your home is the first step you as a homeowner can take to making sure that your project is successful.
Discuss your needs with your General Contractor; allowing him/her to provide their expert opinions and options for all your remodeling needs. Be clear on what your budget is for your projects.
Do your due diligence and research the contractor and/or companies in question. First and foremost - make sure they have up-to-date license and insurance. This information can be easily obtained online from your local government. Second - ask for a list of references and get in touch with the most recent of them. If the project is fairly recent the person is likely to be more open to talking about specifics and details regarding it. Last but not least - look up their online reviews. This should give you an idea regarding the overall reputation of this particular contractor. Hope this helps and good luck!
Work closely with your contractor. Ask questions that are pertinent to the job. As the contractor how long it will take?
Get a good contractor be very specific in what you want done and the end result to be. Have a sense that the cheapest prices isn’t always the best.
Only hire a licensed professional and communicate clearly with the contractor to ensure both parties understand the scope of work.
Be very specfic with your needs vs. wants. Come up with a reasonable budget from the onset. Understand that it will need to be adjusted IF hidden conditions arise.
One of the best things you can do is to have a vision for what you are looking to do. Knowing what you like and don’t like from the outset and being able to communicate that with your contractor will facilitate a smooth process as you begin your project.
Communicate openly.
Exercise Patience.
Hire a professional interior designer and architect. Sit down and figure out what type of materials you are looking for. Interview Contractors to find a perfect match. Check portfolio pictures before and after
Be open to a having a personal meeting with your contractor to go over the project. Some thing that can be discussed is what material will be supplied and what will need to be bought and go over the plans and scheduling. Overall, availability and pre-planning is key to success.
Have a visualization of how you want your building to look and colors as well as other aesthetics.
- Be very open and honest with your contractor. About expectations, time frames, budgets.
- Communicate with the right person. Find out who your point of contact is and make sure ALL communication goes through that person.
- Do not try to manage your own project. Keep a list of anything that you have questions or concerns on and review them regularly with your point of contact.
- Understand that remodeling is a process. During construction things may not look finished, and that is because they aren’t. Find out what your contractor’s processes are if/when there is a hiccup - do you want to know or do you want him/her to just handle it?
You, as the homeowner need to make sure you do your homework. Make sure you see real samples of your potential contractors work, sometimes even speaking with a past client or two of theirs can give you an immediate idea of if you’d like to enter a home renovation relationship with them. When planning for a larger remodel that involves the major components of what makes your house a home, such as bathrooms, kitchens and living areas, you need to evaluate your contractor on many levels. These range from trustworthiness of them and their employees, cleanliness and level of craftsmanship all the way to credibility and capability to complete a job of this magnitude. This is where you as the homeowner need to develop a plan to ask the correct questions to weed out the contractors that display these signs of weakness. ANY good contractor that cares about what they do, has the credibility and capability to bid, take on and complete a large scale project while maintaining a budget will want to give you references to prove it. Make your contractor prove themselves and the answer will be clear, LOW bids usually equate to LOW involvement, LOW skill and LOW material investment by the contractor.
Determining the scope, budget and timing of the home remodeling project directly affects the outcome. As a client it is important to pick the right professionals who can expertly consult and plan the project out.