Don’t Paint Stucco!!

July 10th, 2009

People often call me with the same problem. They tell me they have mold on their walls, behind their bed, for example. I ask a few probing questions, eventually coming to the same conclusion. At some point in time, their stucco has been painted.

It is very common in our region to find painted stucco. This does not make it right. Stucco is a porous product. It is made of sand and cement and is meant to stay porous. When you paint your stucco it can no longer breathe.

The black paper behind the stucco is designed to keep water out of your house. As the water migrates through the stucco it hits this paper. Water then runs down the paper and back out through the stucco towards the bottom of the wall. If the stucco has been painted, any water that enters the wall will be trapped in the bottom and begin to mold, eventually rotting the paper and stucco. Remember that water always travels in the easiest direction. In most cases that is inside your house.

In the mid ‘70s, the Federal Housing Authority invented a screed (metal trim) to go along the bottom of the house. This screed allows any water in the wall to escape. Most Clairemont houses don’t have this screed. The stucco goes right down into the dirt. The moisture in the dirt wicks up into the wall. If your stucco has been painted, it stops the stucco from drying out. It then decomposes. I call it stucco cancer.

Look around your own home to see if you are experiencing any of the same problems. Many Clairemont homes need to be re- stuccoed. The correct method is to sandblast and re-stucco. This removes all the paint from the stucco. Then it can breathe again. This is also important when we re-stucco. It makes the stucco even more porous and helps get much better adhesion. The new color coat attaches to the old effectively.

The top layer of stucco is called “the color coat”. It is approximately 1/8″ thick. This surface should last for up to 30 years. (As long as you don’t paint it!). If you find that your stucco has not been painted, you can water blast then re-color coat. The new color coat will last a long time if the preparation is done properly. A common technique is to put an acrylic bonder (glue) on the wall first and in the mix.

Fresh stucco is an elegant look on a home. We prefer a Spanish lace texture as this hides some of the imperfections on the surface of an old house. The smoother the finish the harder it is to conceal the problems. There are many colors to choose from. It is a good idea to re-paint any wood or metal trim before re-stuccoing. We suggest sandblast, paint, then re-stucco.

One thing to think about before you re-stucco is replacing your windows. Wait, that’s another story….

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Posted in Exterior Remodeling | 5 Comments »

Remodel or Move?

July 10th, 2009

Many of the folks whose remodeling projects I have worked on thought about moving before they decided to remodel. Their motives varied from an expanding family to a desire for an upgraded interior. Naturally I am biased on this question–I wish everyone would remodel their home!–but here some of the things to think about when you are deciding whether to remodel or move.

The first is the old maxim about what is important in real estate: location, location, location. One thing that would be tough to get in a new home would be an equivalent neighborhood (unless you buy the house across the street!). Whether you are “best friends” with all your neighbors, see them once a year at a block party or only know them well enough to wave, there is something to be said for the fact that you know the character of your neighborhood.

Now maybe your neighborhood isn’t all you want it to be. Maybe there aren’t enough kids for your children to play with, or maybe the nearest grocery store is inconvenient. Maybe your commute is a headache. If the neighborhood isn’t meeting your needs, no amount of remodeling will fix the problem.

Let’s say the neighborhood is fine, but your house isn’t. If your family is expanding, more bedrooms (and likely bathrooms) will be needed. If you are planning to work from home, space may be needed for an office. Sometimes the kitchen and dining area isn’t adequate for the family’s entertaining needs. All these are reasons you might be thinking about moving, and all of these are problems that can be remedied by remodeling.

Adding a bedroom and bathroom to the ground floor of your home is a relatively easy project with a tremendous upside. Aside from accommodating that new family member or office, increasing the size of your home will increase its value at resale time as well. Depending on how long you intend to live in the home, and what the real estate market does, you could recoup all of the remodeling investment in a relatively short period of time. Patio Top Clairemont

If you have been looking at new homes you might be attracted by faetures like the “great rooms” or large combination family/dining rooms many of them offer. Chances are if you are living in central San Diego, your home was built before these rooms came into fashion, so your floor plan doesn’t include a large open room like this, just a standard size living room. You might think your property isn’t large enough to add a room like this to your home. While you could be right about adding to the “footprint” of your home, have you thought about adding a second story and rearranging the ground floor rooms to accommodate a “great room”?

For some people, the idea of experiencing a remodeling project is so scary that moving looks easier. Their fear might be that they will be ripped off by the contractor, that the job will drag on for years, and/or cost many thousands more than expected. These fears aren’t entirely without some foundation in reality. If you think you have heard a lot of construction horror stories from friends and neighbors, imagine how many I hear!

What I tell people is this: contractors are like mechanics, or doctors, or any other professional. There are good ones and bad, honest ones and crooks. Your job as a consumer is to do your homework before committing to hiring someone. If you do nothing else, check references! Call as many customers of the company you are considering as you can, and check the contractor out with the California State License Board and with the Better Business Bureau (both have helpful website; our “Links” page has access to both). If you can, go look at the work the contractor has done. Make sure the contract you are asked to sign includes all the elements required by law, and that you do not pay a larger down payment than is allowed.

Moving can be just as big a nightmare as a remodeling job gone bad. Items get lost and damaged in transit, the new house can have problems you didn’t find in the inspection, and you may end up with a neighbor you can’t stand. In addition, your kids may be unhappy at having to leave friends and schools behind–and since I am a parent, I can testify as to just how unpleasant it can be to have an unhappy kid around the house!

The best way I know to make a decision like this is to do the research, make the list of pros and cons for each course of action, and talk it over with your family. Personally, I hope you will decide to remodel–either the house you are in now, or the one you move to!

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Posted in When To Remodel | 2 Comments »

Frequently Asked Remodeling Questions

July 10th, 2009

DaveSometimes it happens in a store, sometimes at the gas station. It happens once in a while when I’m picking my daughter up at school. It always happens at parties. As soon as someone finds out that I am a contractor I get asked. It usually goes like this: “So you do home remodeling, what would it cost to remodel my home?”

 

My favorite answer is actually a question of my own: “What does it cost to eat dinner in a restaurant?”

The answer, to both questions, is “It depends.” If we are talking about dinner, it could be $3.99 at Roberto’s or $399.00 at the Hotel Del. It depends on the food, the environment, and a million other details. If we are talking about remodeling, it depends on whether you want a simple extension of your family room, or an entire second story master suite complete with fireplace and luxurious bathroom. The bottom line is that what it costs depends on what you want.

The next question is usually some variation on “How long would it take to remodel my home?” Again, this is like asking how long it takes to cook dinner–and the answer is the same: “It depends.”

The actual construction time varies according to the size of the project-of course remodeling a bathroom is going to take less time than building a whole new second story. Sometimes simply getting to the start point seems to take forever.

Most remodeling projects require City approval in the form of a permit, and this process can be very lengthy. In the beach areas, you may also have to get approval from the Coastal Commission, or if your home is on a canyon, you may have restrictions because of endangered species living there. Researching and resolving these issues must be done before anything is built. This adds time to the job, and we have little control over how much.

Usually when I start explaining the permit process and zoning regulations the question becomes “Why can’t I do what I want with my own home?”. In terms of permits, I use the restaurant analogy: the Building Department issues permits for building like the Health Department issues permits for food service. The City wants to insure that structures are safe to occupy and resistant to hazards common in the area (e.g., earthquakes, floods, etc.). I’m sure you want that too- after all you wouldn’t want your neighbor’s house to burn up (and possibly cause yours to burn too) because the electrical system was installed improperly.

In regard to zoning, I can only say that the planning groups that determine zoning regulations and review any exemption requests are made up of civic-minded folks that want the best for our City. You may not agree with all their decisions-I don’t always agree with them either-but you must agree that it’s a difficult job to accommodate everyone’s needs and desires for their community.

When I meet someone who has already done a remodeling project, their question is more likely to be “Why did my project cost more than I thought or was told?” Of course, I can’t say specifically why their project cost more, unless I did the job.

In most cases though, what the homeowner has forgotten was all the little upgrades they made along the way. For example, when we are first discussing the project, the homeowner is looking for ways to save money, so when I ask if they want a Jacuzzi tub instead of a plain one, many people will say no. Then once we get into the job and they can see how nice their new bathroom will be, they change their minds and decide to spend the money for the tub with whirlpool jets. It’s not unusual for a job to have several change orders, each one representing a “little” thing that increases the price of the overall project.

My favorite question is this; “Could you come out and give me a proposal for remodeling my house?” . Although you might think the answer to this one is always “yes!”, I sometimes have to decline the opportunity. Why? I have found the best way for a contractor to go broke and leave homeowners with half-finished projects is to say “yes” to any and every job that comes along.

I know that in order to build a quality product and have a happy homeowner, our projects need to be supervised effectively. My superintendents can’t do a very good job of that if they spend half their time traveling from one job to the next. That’s why we sometimes have to say no to a job that is in an area far from other projects currently underway.

Do you have remodeling questions I didn’t answer here? Call me at 858-274-0005 or e mail me at dave@kcoconstrcution.com and I will do my best to answer them.

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Posted in Construction Questions | 6 Comments »

Permit Process

June 16th, 2009

There aren’t many remodeling projects in San Diego that don’t require permits. In this article I will attempt to shed some light on this process.

Potential customers ask me regularly if certain projects require permits. The answer is probably yes, because most projects do. Some people will proceed without one anyway. This is a risky proposition. If you get caught half way through, the Building Department can make you stop, take down whatever you have done and charge you double the original permit fees as a fine.

There are some small projects that can be built without permits. A good example is a patio top of less than 300 square feet. These may be constructed without permits but must be built according to building codes. Some seemingly simple projects may have code problems a novice is unaware of. An example is a patio cover that is attached to the fascia. Tests have shown this may pull the fascia off during a seismic event. Even though a permit is not required, you can be made to take it down if your patio top doesn’t comply with the code.

Permits fall into two main categories. The first is called a no plan permit. This is for simple projects and may be obtained without blueprints being submitted. A few examples are hot water heater, main electrical panel, and furnace replacements. Simple permits like these may be acquired over the Internet, at the Building Department or at any community service center.

More complex projects require that blueprints be submitted to the City. There are no requirements that a licensed architect draw these. Anyone can draw these as long as they are drawn in the standard format and have all the information the City requires. Some projects such as a second story addition require you to supply a report from a structural engineer. Other reports may be needed such as soils and thermal efficiency (Title 24).

Once you have your blueprints you must submit them to the City Building Department. In the past this could be done over the counter, meaning you might get corrections or a permit the same day. In recent years the complexity of these blueprints makes it rare to get a permit so quickly. Once your plans are submitted they are routed through all the departments (plumbing, electrical, mechanical, structural, zoning etc.). Each department comes up with questions or corrections you must respond to. This first cycle takes from 2- 4 weeks to complete.

Plans are then picked up and the person that submitted them makes corrections. Once corrections are made and incorporated in the new blueprints they are submitted for re-check. After routing through each department that had a comment a permit can be issued. The second cycle takes 1-2 weeks.

Please bear in mind that many things can affect these time frames, I am giving you average times. There are services that will take blueprints through the City for you. This can save you a lot of time and money.

The City and other agencies assess permit fees. I have a hard time guessing these fees. An average 600-foot room addition will cost approximately $1,200 in permit fees. Any addition over 500 square feet must also pay a fee of $2.50 per square foot to the school district.

The City has set up a “Homeowner Night” on Thursday. I suggest calling first. You can go down and ask questions and submit your blueprints. You can ask about set backs and other guidelines. I have heard reports of the City being less demanding on these nights.

This whole process is very complicated even for people like us that deal with it all the time. The most frustrating thing is getting different answers from City officials for the same question. Many rules are open to interpretation– yours, theirs and mine.

For more information contact the City of San Diego Building Department by phone at 858-492-5070 or on the web at www.ci.san-diego.ca.us/development-services

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Posted in Permit Process | 3 Comments »

Tips When Remodeling

June 16th, 2009

Hello, I’m Ruby Konstantin. Dave K, who usually writes these articles, is my husband. I’ve been working with Dave in our family remodeling company for quite a few years now, so I thought I knew everything about the business-well, except for the things that require the use of power tools!-but I recently learned what remodeling is like from our customers’ perspective. I thought I’d use that experience to pass on a few tips to those of you planning a remodeling project.

You might think that since we are in the remodeling business that we would be doing remodeling at home but I have been waiting 10 years to remodel our kitchen. The ugly yellow countertop, the old vinyl floor that never got sparkly clean anymore, the cabinets with their old-fashioned doors and knobs– all of it just had to go. Clairemont Kitchen

The first step in our project was the demolition of the existing kitchen. Everything right down to the walls had to come out. That meant moving the refrigerator into the dining room, the stove onto the patio and everything from all the cabinets to wherever we could find a spot.

Here’s my tip number one: as soon as you know you will be remodeling start cleaning out the rooms you’ll be working on. I didn’t start soon enough so I found myself still pulling pots and pans out of the back of my kitchen cabinets late the night before they were to start.

When I got home from work the next day my kitchen was gone. If you have never lived in a home without a kitchen, let me tell you it’s pretty weird. You don’t realize how often you are in there in the course of a day. Naturally, at dinnertime it meant we just had to go out to eat. Normally, I love that, but after a week or so, it gets old. Plus, the perishable food in the fridge that I would have been using to make dinner-veggies, salad stuff, etc.-ended up in the trash. Tip number two for kitchen remodels: start purging the fridge a week before you start. Face it, you aren’t going to be cooking dinner, so why waste the food.

On my day off, there were workers in the house all day, so I could forget having a relaxing day at home. Here’s another tip: try to plan your days off so that you aren’t home all day when they are working there.

I hope you haven’t gotten the idea that this was all just a hassle. There are fun parts too, like picking out the materials and colors for the project. For me, it was kitchen cabinets, countertops, and flooring. There were so many choices in so many price ranges and each material–Corian, marble, granite–had its pluses and minuses. I love to shop, so I was in heaven.

Here’s a tip on picking out materials-educate yourself about the qualities of the materials you are looking at. It’s not only about the way it looks; you should also consider factors such as your lifestyle when selecting materials. For example, we have a pool and people often come in from the pool through the kitchen, so I needed a floor material that water wouldn’t damage.

In terms of things like the cabinets, think about what worked and didn’t work in your old kitchen, and incorporate solutions in the new layout. For example, we had a spacious pantry cabinet which was great except things on the back of the shelves tended to get forgotten about-in fact when I cleaned that cabinet out I found we had 8 cans of tomato paste back there (I’m not sure but I vaguely remember some recipe those were meant for).

In our new pantry cabinet, which is the same size and location as the old one, we have slide out shelves so everything is easily visible all the time. Yes, it cost a little more for that feature, but the convenience is worth it to me.

I also decided to go with a style that doesn’t require knobs on the cabinet doors since on our old cabinets I always disliked how grubby the knobs could get and how hard they were to clean.

My final tip to those of you planning to remodel is to take the time to think about these things before you start. I spent a fair amount of time in my kitchen just looking at what was there and thinking about how I wished it was before we did anything. I also looked at my friends’ kitchens, photos in magazines, and displays at home improvement stores. If you do that, you are much more likely to end up with the kitchen (or bath or room addition) of your dreams.

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Posted in Construction Questions | 3 Comments »

Fast, Good, Cheap: Pick Any Two

June 16th, 2009

We have a saying at K-CO:

You can get your remodeling job done fast, good, or cheap; pick any two. Although we say it in a joking way, like many jokes there is an element of truth in it.

If getting the job done fast is important (say, a room addition for a baby on the way) there are a number of ways to speed up a remodeling job. For example, you could have a 7-days-a-week work schedule, which would speed up the pace substantially. Of course, the more hours worked in a week, the higher the cost, particularly if overtime is involved (so there goes “cheap”). One could also make an argument that people working that many hours would be tired and perhaps more prone to taking shortcuts and making mistakes (and there goes “good”).Bay Park Bathroom

Perhaps high-quality craftsmanship is the most important consideration. Naturally, a person capable of that level of performance isn’t making minimum wage, so hiring that person won’t be cheap. They also prefer to use high-quality materials, which also won’t be cheap. In addition, craftspeople who take pride in their work do not rush through it, so this isn’t going to be fast either.

What about cheap? If the cost is the major consideration, there are any number of ways to save money on a remodeling project. Unfortunately, some of them can lead to trouble. A prime example of that is hiring an unlicensed contractor because they offer a lower price. While they might be fully capable of doing the work, there are potential risks to you that would outweigh any benefits gained by the decreased cost.

Those risks can include financial liability if the worker is injured, property damage if something goes wrong and the risk of the job being left unfinished, not to mention responsibility for bills from the contractor’s unpaid suppliers. Generally, a contractor’s license is a good indication that the company is serious about its business and, assuming that the required bond and insurance is in place, provides the homeowner with needed protection. Of course, a license is no guarantee that a job will be performed in a professional and workmanlike manner, but if it isn’t, you at least have the Contractor’s State License Board complaint procedure to assist you in rectifying any problems.

There are other ways to keep the costs down that don’t pose such big problems. For example, choosing less expensive materials (tile for the kitchen counters instead of granite) or doing part of the work yourself (interior painting is a common choice). While these choices can help you achieve the goal of a less expensive project, it’s pretty safe to say that you are probably not as skilled a painter as the pro who does it all day everyday, so the quality of the work will not be as good. In addition, if you are planning to do some of the work yourself, you will likely be fitting it in at night and on the weekends, so you’ll be sacrificing “fast”.

In my experience, the most successful projects are those where there is a balance between these three considerations. If you have a realistic expectation about how long a well-done job will take, if you choose your contractors and materials wisely, and if you have a budget that will allow for those things, then I think you have a very good chance of being satisfied with the outcome of your remodeling project. 

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Posted in Fast Good Cheap: Pick Any Two | 3 Comments »

The New Granny Flat

June 16th, 2009

Multiple Generations, One House


You may have heard people talking about building a “granny flat”. What most people mean by that is a separate living unit located either above the garage or behind the house. It’s called a granny flat because the original purpose was to create a space for elderly parents to live in.

This unit, which the City of San Diego refers to as a “companion unit”, has a separate entrance and would include a place to sleep and sometimes a sitting area; a bathroom with tub or shower; and some kind of kitchen facility-often just a sink and microwave, although it could include a small-size range for cooking.

Unfortunately, the City isn’t a big fan of granny flat construction, essentially a second dwelling unit on a lot which is zoned for only one. Obtaining a permit to build one is difficult in the Clairemont area. While it is possible to get this permission, the restrictions involved discourage it. There are restrictions on the size of the unit, who may occupy it, what parking must be provided and more.

What many families are doing instead is creating a semi-separate living suite for the grandparents as an addition to, or reconfiguration of, the existing home. Most often, this new “granny suite” is created by adding a new second story with a master bedroom and bath suite, and sometimes bedrooms and a bath for the kids. The existing bedrooms downstairs are remodeled into a bedroom, bath and sitting room for the older generation. The whole family shares the kitchen and family room. This is common in Clairemont and we have built several over the last few years.

When designing a remodeling project of this type, don’t forget to make the “granny suite” handicap accessible. Even if the older folks don’t need the assistance now, it’s likely they will at some point. Installing some attractive grab bars, designing the doorways and halls to be wide enough to accommodate walking aids, and considering the eye level of someone in a wheelchair when placing windows are all examples of subtle ways to make the area comfortable for mobility-challenged occupants.

There are many benefits to creating a granny suite instead of a granny flat. Remodeling an existing building is most often less expensive than building a new one and it most certainly is easier to obtain a permit for. With careful planning, the granny suite can provide the privacy everyone wants without isolating anyone from the day-to-day family activities.

From a financial standpoint, building a granny suite can offer special benefit also. Typically both the older and younger generations already own homes, and by consolidating the real estate equity from two homes into one, are often able to pay for the remodeling without borrowing. A financial planner or real estate attorney should be consulted to see what, if any, changes should be made to the legal ownership of the jointly-occupied home as well.

A granny suite offers special benefits to the family outside of financial considerations. The peace of mind that comes from knowing your elderly parents are safe, the joy of grandparents getting to see the kids everyday, the lifelong memories the kids will have of those times with the whole family together-these are the benefits you can’t attach a monetary value to.

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Posted in Room Additions | 12 Comments »

How To Pay For Your Remodeling Project

June 16th, 2009

If you are getting serious about remodeling your home, then it’s time we had the talk about money. No, not the talk about how much it will cost. I want to get you thinking about where you will get the money.

I should say right up front that I am not a financial or tax advisor. I can’t tell you which of the ways to get money for a remodeling project is best for you. I just want to give you the basics to help you start the process of deciding for yourself.

Let’s start with one financing option you are bound to be familiar with-cash. Whether you got the remodeling cash the old-fashioned way (saved up for it) or won the lottery or had a big tax refund (what’s that like?), using your own money is cheaper than paying someone else for the use of theirs. Of course, if the cash you are thinking of using is your family’s emergency stash, then it’s not the best idea to sink it into a new kitchen.

Another option you’re no doubt familiar with is a credit card. Using your credit card(s) means less hassle, and no waiting for approvals to have the money. If your home improvement project is urgent (leaky roof in rainy season) a credit card might be the best bet. You will pay for that convenience, as credit card interest rates are way above the rates of other financing options. You may also find that your contractor doesn’t take credit cards, or prefers not to because of the 3%-5% service charge they pay on each transaction.

So if you don’t want to wait to save the money to pay cash, and you don’t want to use a credit card, how can you get the money for home improvements? If you own a home in most parts of San Diego, chances are you have the money you need in the form of equity in your house. There are several ways to tap this resource: a home equity line of credit, a second mortgage, or a cash-out refinance are some of the most common.

All of these options are similar because they all borrow against the equity in your home. Since your home is the security for each of these loans, if you aren’t able to make the payments, you could lose your home. You may also be able to write off some or all of the interest expense in loans of this type (please check with your tax expert on this one). However, there are differences between them.

A home equity line of credit is a revolving credit plan, like a credit card, with a specific credit limit based on the equity in your home. The funds are obtained by writing checks as you need them and payments are made only on the money you use. For example, if your line of credit is for $100,000 but you only use $60,000, the payments are based on the $60,000 and not the full $100,000.

A second mortgage is disbursed as a lump sum and is repaid over a fixed period of time under pre-set terms, just like your first mortgage. Since you receive the money all at once, your payments are based on the total amount, even if you don’t end up using all of it for your remodeling project.

A cash-out refinance is another way to use your home’s equity. If your home is worth significantly more than you owe on it you may be able to refinance your first mortgage for the appreciated value of the home. After paying off the original loan, the leftover money can be used to pay for remodeling.

Another idea is to look for a lender that offers construction or remodeling loans. This type of loan is based on the projected value of your home after the improvements are made. In some cases you can borrow up to 130% of the value of the existing home.

Before actually applying for a loan, talk to several lenders about all your options. Keep in mind, the lender will tend to focus on the options they carry. This is why many people like to start with an established mortgage broker as they usually carry many more types of loans. Besides helping you understand your options and the various trade-offs involved, the broker or lender can help you pre-qualify you for one or more loans.

Knowing how much you will have to spend will be a big help when you are meeting with a contractor (and I hope it’s K-CO!). Don’t be afraid to be up-front about your budget. That will help you separate the “need-to-have” features from the “nice-to-have” on your wish list. Together you can plan a project that gets you the home of your dreams that is within your financial means.

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Remodeling Your Home: The First Meeting

June 16th, 2009

So you finally did it-you called a contractor and made an appointment to talk about that room addition you’ve been considering. Great, you took the first step. So what’s next? What’s that first meeting going to be like and how can you make the most of it?

In some ways, that first meeting with a potential contractor is like a blind date. Neither of you knows a lot about the other, and you don’t know whether this will be your only meeting or the beginning of a long relationship. You’re probably even a little bit nervous about it-just like a blind date.

For you as the homeowner, preparing for this meeting will help you feel more comfortable and allow you to get the most from the time. The first thing you should do, even before you make that first call, is to do some research on the contractors you are calling.

Whether you got their name from a neighbor, friend or the phone book, your first stop should be the Contractor’s State License Board to verify that the company has the proper license and insurance coverage. Don’t listen to folks that tell you that the license isn’t important. Why hire someone who hasn’t made the minimum commitment to professionalism by getting the legally-required license? If they are willing to cut corners with their own reputation, then what makes you think they won’t cut corners when it comes to working on your home?

Once the appointment is made, you should be working on the remodeling dream list, which you will want to share with your contractor. For example, you may want to add a master suite to the back of the house, remodel the hall bathroom and re-do the kitchen. Realistically, your budget may only allow for some of this work to be done, so which is most important? You can always pull back and eliminate some things, but you may have enough in the budget to achieve your dreams.

And speaking of the budget, let’s be truthful here. You do have a budget, but you don’t want to tell the contractor what it is. Okay, I understand why you feel that way, but in my experience, this is a mistake. If I come to see you about a bathroom remodel that I know is going to cost no less than $10,000 and you don’t tell me that your budget is only $5,000, we will both be disappointed. Even if you only give me a range-say between $12,000 and $15,000-I can tell you quickly that this is either in the right range, or not, for the project on the table.

These issues, what to do and how much to spend, should also be discussed with your family-before you meet with anyone. Believe me, you do not want to be sitting there with a contractor when you find out that your spouse/significant other has a whole different idea of what’s important and how much to spend. That’s the very definition of uncomfortable, for everyone.

Now just like on a blind date, you may find yourself in “love at first sight” with the contractor. And just like a blind date, you should not make any commitments just yet. In construction, that means don’t sign any contracts at that first meeting. Beware of sales reps that offer incentives that are only available if you sign up “right now”. There’s no reason not to take your time and think about any proposal before you commit, and a whole host of reasons against acting too quickly.

Although most contractors can quote you a rough price at the first meeting to help you know how close to your budget you are, I’d be really concerned about someone who can give you an exact enough price at the first meeting to have you sign a contract. In fact, it isn’t surprising to have the process of refining the scope of work take a couple of visits.

In conclusion, remember that you are talking about two big things here-your home and a lot of money. No ethical contractor will want you to do anything before you have carefully considered their proposal and checked their references. Start off on the right foot and you have a much better chance of your “blind date” ending up in a happy “marriage” with your contractor!

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Posted in Contractor Hiring Process | 4 Comments »

How To Get Your Money’s Worth When Remodeling

June 16th, 2009

Remodeling projects can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more-maybe the biggest amount you will ever spend at once, aside from your house itself. When you buy a house you can see it. When you remodel, you are buying a piece of paper. How can you be sure to get the most for your money?

Here are a few rules to lives by when you are remodeling your home:

Know what you want. I’m not talking about which faucet you want or what color the paint will be; I mean what the scope of the project will be, in broad terms. Make a “wish list” and prioritize it. For example, if you’re adding a master bathroom, think about what you consider that to be. Will it include a tub or a shower or both? You need to decide what you definitely want and what you can live without, so that you don’t start out over your head financially.

Don’t compromise on the people. Family Team

You need smart, honest, ethical people working on your job to get the most out of your investment. Remember when you are picking a contractor that price isn’t the whole story- the most expensive one isn’t necessarily the best. The best advice I can give you is this: get references and check them! Keep in mind that someone who is difficult to work with when they are trying to get your business–hard to reach, shows up late or doesn’t listen to you– isn’t going to get better as the project moves along. To sum it up, here’s one of my dad’s favorite sayings: “There is nothing more expensive than cheap work”.

Educate yourself about materials. There are many choices for countertops, cabinets and fixtures, and you should know a little bit about them before you decide. It’s not just about appearance; you need to think about whether the characteristics of the material will suit your lifestyle. Most contractors can give you the pros and cons of each material. For example, highly polished stone, like granite, looks great but can show every fingerprint or smudge-a poor choice if you have little kids and are fussy about having your kitchen countertops looking shiny clean. Tile is less expensive and offers many choices for color and finish, but some people hate the idea of having grout to clean. Knowing more about each material will help you make smart choices for your home.

Watch out for “creep”. This is what we call it when the customer expands the scope of work during the course of the project. It usually begins when you, the customer, decide to add something small to the project-let’s say a skylight in your new bathroom. That’s a few hundred dollars, seems like nothing much when the total project is in the tens of thousands. Then you decide to upgrade the tile, another couple hundred dollars. pretty soon you’ve added a few thousand to your project. I’m not saying you shouldn’t add those things; many times it’s well worth spending the money. Just be aware that a bunch of little things can add up. Like my grandpa used to say, “It might be small potatoes but get enough of them and they will fill a truck”.

Spend the money where it counts. Given the choice between a fabulous bathroom countertop or a fabulous garage door, I’d spend the money on the garage door. I’d do that because it’s not only the first thing I will see every night when I come home, it’s also the “face” of my house to the neighborhood. I can make up for not having the high end countertop by doing something interesting with paint or linens in that room. In a kitchen, I would be more likely to sacrifice high end appliances for high end countertops because for me, the brand of refrigerator isn’t as important as the look of the countertops. Of course, if I was a gourmet cook, I might choose a fancy stove instead of the countertop.

Don’t be stingy. Okay, this may sound like a contradiction with what I just said but think about this: Do you really think you’ll remember 5 years from now what you did with the $200 you saved by not upgrading your tile? Probably not, but as long as you live in that house I bet you will remember that you compromised on the tile and didn’t get exactly what you wanted. That’s one of those times to bite the bullet and spend the extra to get what you really want. You aren’t buying a t shirt that’s going to wear out in a year or less; you will likely be living with your decision for years. Over 5 years that extra $200 translates to $3.33 per month…less than a cup of fancy coffee.

Take your time. You are dealing with two big things in your life, your money and your home. There is no need to rush and many reasons to think things over carefully.

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