Because home remodeling and interior design have been such a huge part of my life for the past 25 years, my ears tend to perk up when I overhear someone sharing their home remodel experience with a friend.
The homeowner was telling their friend that she could not go on the family vacation because their home was getting remodeled, and her husband and kids would have to go without her.
What was the main reason given? The contractor was well behind schedule, and they feared he and his crews would not show up if they were out of town; the contractor would use it as an excuse to work on other projects instead of theirs. The secondary reason was they hadn't selected the tile for the shower yet, and she'd have to stay home to finalize that decision AND pick up and deliver the tile to the job site for the contractor.
I don't suppose this has ever happened to you, or you've heard a similar story from one of your friends? So how do you avoid the risk of missing the family trip to Disneyland because you're going through a kitchen remodeling project?
A remodeling contractor with a design-build process ensures all selections and decisions are made before starting any of the actual remodeling construction. What does this mean? It means the pressure is off you to make decisions during the project, and you can sit back and enjoy watching the construction happen.
A cloud-based project management system, such as BuilderTREND, is an important tool for a home remodel contractor to invest in. You, as the client, can have access to up-to-the-day scheduling of what's happening in your home. Having access to this information can help you make a decision to schedule a family vacation to escape major demolition or simply during a slow period on the schedule; while waiting for countertops to be fabricated, for example.
If you've already got a family vacation planned, and you don't want workers in your home while you're gone, open-up that line of communication with that home remodeling contractor. Allow him to fill that downtime from your project with another one. While this will add time to the construction schedule, it could be a win-win for both you and the design/build contractor; you get to enjoy a peaceful vacation, and the contractor has the opportunity to keep his crews busy on another project while you're gone. Have that discussion sooner rather than later.
Whether it's because they're a referral from a friend, or they have great contractor reviews, testimonials, and qualifications, or your decision-making process is based on 'gut feel,' you and your contractor should have mutual respect and trust for each other. You need to feel like you can trust the construction crews in your home while you're away, whether it's simply a trip to the grocery store or if it's a summer away to avoid the home renovation altogether.
If you're considering a home remodeling or room addition project, find out more information about what you can expect while working with our team. Find inspiration for your remodel project in our galleries of completed projects, then contact us when you're ready to get the ball rolling. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to hear how we've managed to work around homeowner vacation schedules, out of state homeowners, and special project scheduling considerations.