PhD Contracting Corner

The World of Home Building & Remodeling Simplified

When planning a remodel project, homeowners should be aware that efforts to save money on their project sometimes make the project more expensive and challenging.

Frequently people think that buying construction material themselves will save them money. This is false. As a general contractor, we get trade pricing, so the majority of the time we will save you money just in our preferred pricing. When a home owner buys material, like tile, we lose part of the management control of the project and often have added costs to an order. We have relationships with our vendors so that we can coordinate shipment times and quantities. The coordination of a project is vital. If materials are incorrect, then it throws off the entire project. Most importantly, we will warranty all labor and material if we purchase the products.

One other issue that we encounter on major remodels is when our clients want to continue to live in their home while remodeling. Living in a construction area is not fun; it is dirty, noisy, and extremely disruptive to a homeowner’s daily routine. As a contractor, it is more work for us when someone continues to live in their home. Scheduling around a homeowner’s family can be challenging,  and at the end of each day everything needs to be put back together into a livable home. Many of our homeowners chose to move into a short term rental, to avoid the stress of construction and to help us be more efficient.

What I love about residential home remodeling is every project is unique. I always have a detailed plan, and that is why it is so important to be aware of all the details from the beginning to the end.