Planning Construction
Scenario 3: You’re installing tile in a space with high foot traffic. The best pick: Porcelain Both ceramic and porcelain excel in high-traffic areas in comparison with other flooring types (such as hardwood, laminate and carpet). But porcelain is a denser tile, and as a result it offers better long-term resistance to scuffs and scratches. Through-body porcelain, where the color on top of the tile goes all the way throughout the tile’s body, is especially scratch resistant. Living rooms and hallways are two of the perfect places to install porcelain. Households with children and pets will appreciate porcelain’s durability.
Enjoy. It will take longer than you plan, and you’ll invest more than you expect. But in the end you’ll have a home that will fit you and yours like no other. You’ll revel in the touch and feel of everything, and you won’t be able to wait to be home to enjoy how the light falls across a wall or how that little extra storage space has made all the difference. You’ll have a place that you won’t feel the need to change, to expand, to redecorate, to remodel for many years to come, if ever.
Hire a professional. Just as there are benefits to hiring independent counsel rather than representing yourself in court or going to a doctor to diagnose and treat an ailment, you’ll likely benefit from hiring a professional. Be it an architect, a kitchen designer, an interior designer or another trained — and ideally licensed — person, a professional can help you in countless ways, including: •Helping you get to know yourself and what you want •Guiding you to the best solutions for your particular issues •Asking you things that you never would have thought about Make sure to hire the right professional for you, though. Doing your homework to find that person will be well worth your time. And don’t think that all architects and designers are equal. A professional who listens to you and whom you can work with will save you time, money and grief throughout the project.
Know thyself. Who are you? What do you like? What do you hate? What is your ideal living arrangement? What is your favorite season? What do you enjoy doing? These are some of the many questions you’ll have to answer to create the perfect home. You see, we simply don’t live in a space bounded by four walls, a ceiling and a floor. While we all share a lot of common traits, each of us is unique. So yes, start with a room count and a square footage and a style, but then take that to the next level by tailoring the plan to you and yours.
The U-factor needs to be really high in northern regions, because homeowners need more protection against the harsh outdoor climate. In southern states, like Texas and Florida, the SHGC is more important. “If you’ve ever sat next to a window with 35-year-old glass on a sunny day in the South, you’re just cooking,” Markham says. Given the variables associated with each region and the different efficiency factors, working with a window professional can make sense. A pro can assess what works best for your region and even your home’s position. It might save you money to have higher-efficiency windows on a west-facing side of your house, where the sun is more intense, and less efficient ones elsewhere to help save you money on overall window cost.
Spend on systems that are built to last. These homeowners splurged on radiant heat throughout their home, a system that saves energy and increases quality of life. Just imagine stepping onto warm floors in winter! Aside from the benefits, a system like this makes a lot of sense to do sooner rather than later — it would be a major hassle to install underfloor heating once you’ve settled into your home. Save on features that can be easily replaced. Of course, what “easily replaced” means is a matter of perspective. For the homeowners splurging on radiant heat, it made sense to save on less expensive kitchen cabinets, knowing they could replace them down the road.
9. An incomplete plan. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Work with a designer and a contractor to come up with a plan that is thorough, affordable and buildable. If you plan to fill in the blanks once you start work, you may find that some of those blanks end up being a lot more expensive than you expected. 10. A portfolio plan. Sometimes a set of blueprints comes across my desk that is complete down to every last detail, and every one of those details will be expensive. These projects are exciting when the homeowner has set a realistic budget for the work. Ideally, a contractor is consulted early on in the process of developing the plan, advising on ballpark costs and the feasibility of the proposed ideas so that a realistic scope and budget emerge. If this doesn't happen, you can end up with a portfolio plan: a design full of the latest, hippest, most expensive details.
5. Water damage. What looks like just a brown spot on the ceiling might turn out to be rotted rafters and a moldy roof and wall sheathing. Suddenly, what you thought was a ceiling repair job turns into an environmental hazard (mold, like asbestos, should be remediated by a contractor trained in this work) that requires new sheathing, a new roof and maybe new siding. 6. Termites. Where there is water, especially when it's close to the ground, termites are soon to follow. If you live in an area with termites, the water that infiltrates your walls brings termites into the walls and floor joists. Correcting this problem in a finished space can mean completely remodeling that part of the house. The termite inspection that was done when you bought your house should not be the last. Catching a problem early can mean the difference between hundreds and tens of thousands of dollars.
9. Don't do everything now. Stage or downscale the project. Before budget becomes a driving factor, we often get carried away and want to change everything. If there are parts of the project you could do another time without added cost, wait on those. Staging different parts of the project will allow you to save up more money beforehand. 10. Do some of the work yourself. If you want to bring up this option with your contractor, be careful to stay out of his way while doing your own work. Maybe you can install the floating cork floor after the room is built but before the finish carpenters and painters come in — you could even do it on a weekend so there's no disruption to the contractor's schedule. Not everyone will be open to this type of arrangement, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
7. Focus on what you need. Do you really need that cutting-edge pot filler or superexpensive backsplash tile? Scale back and cut out the fluff when you can — with a little extra work, it's possible to find less-expensive but still high-quality products. 8. Barter. If you have a valuable skill or a vacation home, you may be able to barter for some of the cost of your remodel. Your contractor will still have to pay taxes on payment delivered this way, but it means less out-of-pocket cash for both of you. I have bartered my services for art and pottery before, and it worked out great.
4. Schedule work for the winter. Contractors are generally very busy in the summer but might be willing to give you a discount if you schedule work for the winter — at least here, in Philadelphia. It may be different in a warm city like San Diego. Ask your contractor when work is generally slow and ask for a discount if you postpone the work until then. 5. Be nice. If you treat your contractor and the staff respectfully, he will remember this when the opportunity arises to go the extra mile for you. 6. Be 'good pay.' A client who is "good pay" is one who pays when the contract stipulates, without needing to be reminded or convinced. This works similar to the previous tip: If the contractor feels that you are not the type to try to stiff him, he will be more comfortable going out on a limb for you.
3. Use eBay and Craigslist. I know, I know — I told you not to buy your own materials. But certain deals are hard to pass up. If you can get the farmhouse sink you want for half price because someone else has to unload it, go for it. Just get it before the cabinet design is finalized and have it onsite before you plan around it.
1. Finish the plan. The more time you spend working out and finalizing the plan with your architect and contractor, the more time you'll have to find cost savings and prevent expensive change orders down the road 2. Find a contractor willing to value engineer your project. Value engineering is when the design team, you and the contractor discuss creative ways to achieve the design intent for less. Be honest about your budget from the beginning — if you find a builder you want to work with and he knows you are serious about working with him and not shopping around for a bunch of quotes, he will be more likely to put in the time to get creative with your budget.
10. Buy early. Stopping work to wait for materials to arrive is costly. Double the lead time you were told and you'll usually be safe. Delays happen all the time. If the materials are onsite, the contractor can check measurements and answer questions that the spec sheet doesn't address. If you don't want to expose items to theft, store the materials offsite where your general contractor can get to them, but don't try to time material deliveries for the moment they're needed.
9. Have someone else check your work. Before you approve a special order, especially for windows and doors, have someone else familiar with the job look over the order. You can't send a custom door back because you didn't notice they got the door swing wrong or because the window is designed for 2-by-4 walls, not 2-by-6.
8. Buy extra. "Waste" is the term we use for extra materials ordered, because the cutoffs usually end up as just that (unless they're recycled). The best way to figure out how much waste to order is by following a manufacturer's or installer's recommendations. In the absence of those, use these tips. If you are confident about your measurements and the method of installation, you could get away with ordering 10 percent more of items like flooring or wall coverings, but 15 percent waste is a safer bet. If the item is special order, 15 percent is the minimum, and 20 percent may make sense depending on the situation. Store leftovers of items, like tile and grout, in labeled containers in the basement in case repairs
7. Buy salvaged. You can often get better-quality building materials with more character for less money by buying salvaged. You will pay more in labor, but once again, this is an opportunity to support your community. Sinks and tubs are good if the finish isn't damaged, but avoid faucets unless the seller can show you they work without leaks. Doors, hardware and masonry are all great items, and stone, wood and glass are great materials, to buy salvaged. With light fixtures, keep in mind that they may need to be rewired, but this is a way to keep a great period fixture out of the Dumpster.
6. Buy local. There are many reasons to buy local and support your region's economy, but two big ones have to do with shipping. Make sure to factor in the cost of shipping when pricing out materials. A local vendor will usually not charge extra for shipping, and you can schedule the delivery. Shipments of online purchases can result in headaches if no one is around when a big, heavy delivery shows up. If you are concerned about the environment, the distance a product ships should always be a concern. Bamboo flooring is made from grasses that are rapidly renewable, but if it's coming to you from across the world, a flooring product made close to home might be a greener choice.
5. Let someone else be the guinea pig. I have tested materials and products on my own house over the years so I can vouch for them in my work. If you are not in the business, you should be buying products that have been well regarded for many years. Even if you are trying to remodel your home using environmentally friendly materials, you don't have to use products that haven't stood the test of time. True linoleum flooring (not vinyl, which people often call linoleum), like in this photo, has been around for more than a century and is a hypoallergenic natural material, for example.
4. Sometimes you don't get what you thought you were paying for. In my experience, some brands spend more on advertising than on making quality products. Do your research and make sure the product you're buying is current. The situation is always changing, but make sure you know what you're getting and who you'll call if it turns out to be a dud.
3. Just because it looks like a duck ... A lot of houses are still piped with copper, so repairs and remodeling will generally be done in copper as well. Half-inch copper pipe is 5/8 inch in diameter, but the thickness of the copper depends on the type. Many stores sell type M and L. Type M is cheaper because it's thinner — but saving money in materials now could mean tearing open walls later to find a pinhole leak that has sprung. Whether you are paying someone else or doing work yourself, labor is expensive. Buy quality materials so you don't have to do the work twice.
1. Know the pitfalls of buying off the shelf. Check the box. Does it look like it has been opened or returned? Don't buy it. Returned items may have damage and missing parts. You can get some great deals on good products at your local home store, but you have to know what you're looking for. For instance, plumbing fixtures should be made of brass, not metallic-looking plastic. And cheaper paint often requires more coats and fades more quickly. 2. Get recommendations for showrooms and lumberyards. A good builder should have established relationships with reps he or she trusts, so use the recommended suppliers if you can. If you're a DIYer, try asking around for some good suggestions. When all else fails, add 30 percent to any delivery time frame you're told and build a healthy contingency fund into your budget, just in case.
10. Don't work without a design. Some projects require an architect, some an interior designer, and sometimes a talented builder will get your aesthetic and help you come up with a good plan. Whatever you do, don’t start a remodel without a detailed floor plan. A lot of elements interact in a space — put them all on paper and you’ll catch problems before they are built. You may be able to build a functional space without a plan, but if you want a functional and beautiful space, hire a designer.
8. Don't be a distraction. It may sound harsh, but every minute someone working on your house spends talking to you, they are not working on your house. Is the conversation important and one that will have an impact on the job? That's one thing, but the electrician on the job isn't getting paid any more to spend 30 minutes talking about your vacation plans. 9. Don't ignore what the house wants. Though some people can pull off wearing a pair of high-top sneakers with a tuxedo, it can also go horribly wrong. Houses are the same way. Can an ultramodern kitchen in a Victorian brownstone work? Absolutely, but make sure you can pull it off. This is not to say a house can’t evolve with the times. There are no hard and fast rules — just get to know your house, live in it and do your research before you pull out the sledgehammer.
6. Don't let kids and pets get in the way. Though the people working in your home will often try to accommodate your pets and kids, they shouldn’t have to — it's just not safe to have children or animals around construction. 7. Don't live in the home. Most people ignore this rule, and for good reason. Remodeling is expensive, and moving out just adds to the cost. If you can’t move out for the whole job, try to schedule some time away and set up a clean, comfortable place to retreat to when you can’t handle coming home to a messy and stressful construction site.
4. Don't put lipstick on a pig. Though a builder will rarely come right out and say this, some houses should be knocked down rather than have money put into them to fix them up. Though this is a rare situation, it’s common for people to put money into fancy cabinets for a house with a sagging foundation, or into a high-efficiency furnace in a house with no insulation. Listen to the professionals who come to look at your job. Be open to their suggestions. 5. Don't work without a contingency fund. If you find out that the work you wanted to do costs more than you expected or budgeted, you’re in good company. It’s almost unheard of that a person sets a realistic budget for a project. But don’t eat into your contingency to stretch the budget. If you follow rule number one and make every decision ahead of time, you can probably get away with a 5 percent contingency if you have a good general contractor.
2. Don't change your mind (too much). Even though it's inevitable that you'll change your mind about something on your project, know this: Every time you change your mind, it'll result in a change order. Although the change may seem minor, there are always added costs — even if it's only the time spent discussing the change. Scheduling can be affected too. Everyone working on the job needs to be informed of the change so no one's working on the old plan. Everyone makes changes, and that's OK — just be aware of the potential to disrupt and delay the job. 3. Don't buy your own materials. It seems like an obvious way to save money — a builder is going to mark up the cost of materials and pass that added cost on to you. That’s true, but the builder may get a better price than you to begin with, meaning that even after markup, you'll pay the same price.
1. Don't delay decisions. If you want your remodel to go well, the best thing to do is make every single decision before work starts. A good builder can talk you through the list of situations that might come up on your job, but decisions about situations aren't usually what cause delays. Instead, most of the issues are related to decisions about things like paint, trim and faucet selection. These may seem small, but when your faucet is two weeks late, plumbers have to be rescheduled and the medicine cabinet door hits the faucet when it's installed, you’ll see how something small can balloon into a week’s delay on a five-week project.
9. We are going to need to do some value engineering. You've got caviar dreams on a cheese and cracker budget. Value engineering is when the team thinks creatively about how to rework the project to do the same or similar scope for less, like by changing material selections. 10. Let's walk through and make a punch list. A contractor wants to know everything you need done to be satisfied with the work. Every trip to your job costs your contractor, so make an effort to come up with a complete punch list —a list of to-do items that need to be completed for the project to be considered complete — instead of sending it bit by bit over time.
7. The design needed some tweaking. Often, this means the plans were unbuildable. Sometimes what's drawn on paper just can't be built. A staircase you'd need to crawl on your knees to use, "existing" spaces that don't exist, a pocket door that would slide through a switch box and the shower valve — I've seen them all. 8. I don't think this is a good fit. If a contractor declines to quote a project it could be for a lot of reasons. Maybe he has concerns about the budget. You and your contractor will be talking a lot, so maybe he just didn't think you clicked. It could also be that he's too busy, and he won't be able to devote enough time to your project to do it right.
6. Sorry, I can't make a recommendation. Most contractors prefer that you work through them. If you ask your general contractor for their plumber's name and number and he gives it to you, thank them. By allowing you to work directly with a subcontractor your contractor takes a risk by giving up control of the situation. He also gives up the ability to mark up the cost of the work the plumber does, which is one of the ways contractors get paid.
5. I'll do my best. There is a good chance a contract will fall short of your expectations. If you hear this, listen to your gut. Are you asking for too much? Have you added work to the scope, but asked for the project to be completed by the same date? Are you expecting a brand new look from a remodel with existing elements? There are three elements to any project: The level of quality, the price and the time it takes to complete the project. Pick two of these that are most important to you. If you need everything perfect by a certain date, be prepared to pay more. If you have a fixed budget but want a certain look, give the contractor time to be creative and make it work.
3. I'll get started late next week. If your general contractor sets a start date, he should be able to keep it. But many times the tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, etc.) juggle several jobs at once and often have to deal with emergencies. You should expect them only to come close to their start and completion estimates. 4. The price is... Unless you're changing the scope of work, a contractor won't expect to negotiate a lump sum price quote. If you think the price is too high, get another quote for comparison. While prices vary because of differences in approaching the project or overhead costs, a contractor won't stay in business unless he prices competitively.
1. Nothing. If he doesn't call you back, he's just not that into you. You don't want to chase a contractor who's too busy to return your call, unless you've given him money. 2. Let's do it my way instead. Odds are, your contractor has more experience doing things a certain way, so he may want to recommend that process. It's usually best to go with it rather than having him try something for the first time on your job.
8. EPA lead safety certification. Contractors working on homes in the U.S. built before 1978 should be certified in lead-safe practices by the EPA. You can read more about the requirements here, but in a nutshell, it's all about minimizing and containing dust during work, which is vital for the safety of you and your family. 9. Payment schedule. While payment schedules can vary by the job, they should always be agreeable to both parties involved. In my opinion, payments tied to milestones in the project are better than those tied to percentages of completion. As long as you are confident that you're not paying for significantly more than what's been completed, you should be OK. 10. Warranty. The standard warranty for work is one year from substantial completion. If you've checked the contractor's physical address and gotten recommendations from people you trust, you'll know where to find him later if needed.
7. Exclusions. A good contract should include a list of exclusions. These might be related to areas that will not be visible until the walls are opened up after demolition, or the level of cleaning you should expect after the work is complete. Also, talk to your contractor about the likelihood of finding asbestos behind the walls. He won't be able to say for sure, but he can speak from experience and help you plan your contingency budget.
5. Scope of work. There are many details to get right in a renovation, so write everything down before work begins. This can be the best way to get everyone on the same page. If your designer has drawn up detailed plans, make sure the contract references the designer and the date on the plans so you have something to point to should the finish on your woodwork be different from what you requested. 6. Duration of work. Though projects often take longer than predicted for many legitimate reasons — some caused by the client and some outside the contractor's control — put the expected project duration in writing. The important thing is not that your contractor shows up every day, but that he finishes the project on time. Having a timeline will help calm your nerves if progress hits a slow spot.
3. License. While in some cities getting a contractor's license may be more a matter of writing a check than verifying skill, check to see that your contractor lists a license required for the work being done. A license may mean that your contractor passed the required exams, or it may just mean the state knows where to find him to collect taxes. But it also means your contractor has done the paperwork and is playing by the rules. 4. Insurance. Injuries can occur on a construction site. If the location is your home and your contractor does not have the proper insurance, you may be held liable. Check with your locality for the proper amount of liability insurance, and if the contractor has employees, check to see whether he carries worker's compensation insurance.
1. The contract itself. A contract protects the parties involved. Just because you had a great conversation during the first meeting at the house, and even though the work is only supposed to take two days, you'll regret not having a contract when one of you forgets half of that great conversation and the work isn't completed after two weeks. 2. A physical address. Should you need to track down your contractor after work has begun, you won't find him or her at a P.O. box. Ask to drop off the deposit at the physical location listed on the contract.
6. Ready, set ... With the plan submitted for permits and material selections made, your contractor will be able to finish up pricing and write up a contract for construction. If the selected materials cost more than the budget allows, there may be a round of “value engineering,” which means changing scope of work or materials to reduce cost. By the time the contract is signed, your contractor will have identified the longer-lead items (like cabinets, windows, doors, tile and sometimes plumbing or electrical fixtures) and may even have them on order ahead of the start of construction, depending on the timing of your project. This could take 4 to 6 months.
5. Get your permits. Depending on the scope of your project and where it’s located, permitting can take a day, months or even years. You should have some idea ahead of filing for permits about the length of the process, which will allow you to identify a likely start date for your project. Permit fees can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on where you live and how big your project is.
4. Go shopping while others are engineering. Love to shop or hate to shop? This may determine whether you enlist a designer to help with your material selections. Even those who like to shop may be overwhelmed by all the options and want professional input. Do not underestimate the number of things that need to be selected, from doorknobs and windows to countertops and light fixtures. To really keep a handle on your project cost, it’s best to select every last thing ahead of construction. This will allow your contractor to tell you the prices for what you’d like and properly schedule material purchases based on lead times. Allow yourself one to two months to choose everything. While you are shopping for tile and hardwood floors, your architect or designer will finalize construction drawings, work with a structural engineer on how the project will be built and put in the details required for permitting. If it all goes well, you will work on this step and the previous one concurrently and finish at the same time.
3. Interview contractors. Contractors are frequently brought into the process once a final schematic design has been selected. Usually there is at least a general idea of how the home will look from the outside, a dimensioned floor plan and some preliminary material selections. With this much information, it’s possible to provide preliminary estimates of cost. Contractors are often asked to estimate the schematic design as part of the interview process. It may take a couple of weeks to set up the interviews and generally at least two to three weeks after interviews to receive the estimates. Altogether it could take four to six weeks to interview candidates and receive estimates. After that you may want to call references, visit jobsites or do additional research before making a decision about the contractor you will hire.
2. Create a plan. After choosing a design firm, it's time to start making a plan. There are usually at least two and sometimes three good ways to reach your design goals. The plans are called schematic designs; they usually involve a rough layout of the floor plan and some simple views of the exterior of the home if there is an addition. It takes time for the design professional to work these out, and then usually another week or two for the homeowners to consider them and make decisions. If the project is larger or the homeowners want additional changes made to the schematics, this initial design phase can take several months.
. Choose a design professional. To create a plan and detailed scope of work, most homeowners hire either an architect or interior designer, and sometimes both. Every company does things a little differently, and design licensing varies in each state. Many designers work on projects that don’t involve major structural work or additions, and also offer assistance with material and color selections. Architects may take on a wide range of work, or work only on floor plans and permits, and leave the details of the electrical plan, baths and kitchen to another designer. Selecting a design professional usually starts with an in-person meeting, which can take a few weeks depending on how many companies you are interviewing. This is your opportunity to understand the services that each firm offers and make sure they match up with what you are expecting. It’s also critical that you have a budget for your project in mind that you communicate clearly to the firm you hire, so the design can align with what you are planning to invest.
All together now. A well-trimmed room is something special. Its baseboard, casings and crown all relate to each other in their style, proportions, sizing and finish. In this example, the baseboard appears to follow the 7 percent guideline: The casings are about half the size of the baseboard, and the crown looks to be just slightly smaller than the baseboard. There's no doubt that the trim for this room was conceived as part of the overall design.
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