Surprise!
Any home project where you are opening up into spaces that haven’t seen the light-of-day in who knows how long will have ‘surprises’. Sometimes these surprises are only slight inconveniences and sometimes they add time and cost to your project. Here are a few tips for dealing with these unwelcome interruptions in your project!
Don't be surprised by surprises.
Renovation projects will always have surprises. They could be big: replacing a support beam in the ceiling, or small: replacing a section of pipe that had an unexpected leak. It helps to understand that this is the nature of the beast. What is underneath the walls, floors, or ceiling, can’t be seen until demolition has been done. Surprises aren’t unsurmountable, but they do come with delays and, sometimes, cost increases. Acknowledging from the start that there is a high possibility you’ll encounter a surprise in your project will help you deal with it when it happens.
No project is ever perfectly on time.
Renovation projects have so many moving pieces, with lots of variables and people involved, delays are part of the experience. This doesn’t mean that you should just wait around forever if you’re having a difficult time with your contractor or one of the sub-contractors. It does mean that this is another situation you’ve just got to know is out there.
Feel comfortable communicating with your contractor.
Your contractor will likely be the person to tell you the bad news when you encounter a surprise or a delay. Trusting their expertise is very important. It’s also incredibly important to talk through the options, their projected costs, and the tradeoffs associated with each one. Honesty, trust, and clear communication are incredibly important to the project of investing in your home to make it your space.
Know your budget. Know your wiggle room.
As mentioned in #1, surprises often come with added out-of-pocket costs. Be familiar with your budget; understand what give there is in your bottom line, and be able to figure out what’s affordable. Understanding this clearly will help you communicate with your contractor to come up with solutions that aren’t going to blow your budget.