Contracting Your Own Renovation

Contracting Your Own Renovation

We all want to be our own bosses and we all want to save money. Those are two of the many reasons many of us chose to self-contract our own home renovations, especially the larger ones. For most of us, of course, a renovation that involves a bathroom, a home office, or even a kitchen, doesn’t present such a large challenge that we would need a professional to manage the job. We can hire a tile setter or have new cabinets made and installed or even find a trusted dry-waller or painter ourselves. When the reno becomes so big though that we must go to city hall and file plans and get permits then things can get more scary and complicated.

I have been in the business in one way or another for many years but I’m not certain that I would take on a large task such as managing a major renovation myself. First I’ll talk about why it may not be a good idea and then I’ll go over some tips to help if you decide to go ahead anyway. Contracting your own project can be tough for these reasons:

If you are working at a full-time job you simply may not have the time.
You may not be suited emotionally or socially for such an undertaking.
The sheer amount of paperwork, rules, details and codes are daunting.
Your understanding of the terms “deadline”, “budget”, and “I promise” will be seriously strained.
If you are a “hands-on” kind of person you will find conflicts at every turn.
Your general knowledge of construction and house design may be lacking.

Now there are many reasons not to do this but, for those of you who feel confident, organized and committed to detail, there are ways to make doing it a little more positive:

Homework. Do your homework. Plan, organize, sort your ideas, get lots of advice, build up a repertoire of pictures, articles, and notes about what you want and how you want it to look. Then prioritize it in a neat, orderly fashion.
Budget. Determine what you can afford, how much you want to borrow, or a combination of both and then take 10 per cent off the top. Forget about that portion because you will need it when something goes wrong or you find a detail you just have to have added later. Then stick to that budget.
Agree. This is probably the most important tip for couples tackling this together, agree and disagree, and then agree again until you are done with the plans. Put the agreed stuff in writing and sign it, both of you. You will need to refer to that list later in court….just kidding.
Forget. Forget the big lofty ideas that you know are impossible and unreachable. Just because you saw it in a magazine or on a TV show or during the Street of Dreams tour last year you can’t have it. Accept it.
Be professional. Be professional by using professionals. Don’t assume a trades-man is a pro just because he told you he was or he looks like he is. Get referrals, check them out, and go to see his or her work in other homes.
Be annoying. Yes, in some ways you should be annoying. If the framer says he knows what size to frame the window openings, tell him to check with the supplier to make sure or give him a list with the measurements directly from the window company. Believe me that little bit of annoying behavior can help avoid major problems later.
Be firm. You must be firm with the people working with you but you must also be firm with yourself, don’t wallow in self-pity if things go wrong because they will. Accept delays and surprises as they happen especially when they are out your control. Be firm with payments, make sure the work is done right and that it’s done before you pay any final contract out.
Homework. Yes, homework again. Before you spend a penny, sign a contract, or put a shovel in the ground, do your planning and homework first, no matter how long it takes. Don’t rush, get advice, talk to as many people as you can until you feel ready. Then plan, organize, remove that 10 percent and then renovate. Take a deep breath and run with your dream.

It all sounds so awful doesn’t it? Its not really because you will end up with a beautiful addition to your home and for your family and you’ll still be married, yahoo! Let me know what you think about contracting your own renovation or tell me your renovation stories, I’d love to hear them.

From my Maple Ridge NEWS Column – October 11, 2003