Remodeling your home to enhance functionality and increase its value can be an exciting undertaking. Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, you want to ensure you get it right the first time. If not done properly, you’ll end up spending a lot more money than you originally budgeted for. Here are the most common mistakes to avoid when remodeling your home to save yourself time, energy, and money:
1. Going with the lowest bid
One of the biggest mistakes we see is homeowners going with the lowest bid they receive simply because it allows them to save some money. We can’t tell you the number of times we have been called in to take over a project because the previous contractor was cutting corners and producing work of poor quality. Save yourself the time, hassle, and money, and do your due diligence.
Collect estimates from several reputable construction companies. Develop a list of questions to ask each construction company you meet with and be sure to take notes. Once you have received several quotes and have your questions answered, don’t give in to the temptation of going with the lowest bid. Too good to be true pricing is often exactly that!
So, how do you decide which quote to go with? Look for the common number amongst all your quotes. If there is one extremely low estimate, one extremely high, and three similar sitting in the middle, those three are likely to be true to cost. So, how exactly do you single one out? Outside of cost, consider things like:
- Level of trust based on prior reviews and testimonials;
- How comfortable you feel with the construction team based on how well they addressed all your questions and concerns;
- Does the construction company share your same vision for how the remodel should look and feel?;
- Do they listen to you and provide constructive feedback, suggestions, and ideas?
2. Not checking reviews or testimonials before hiring a construction company to work on your project
Client testimonials are the lifeblood of any business and are crucial when choosing someone to remodel your home. Knowing how to remodel a home is one thing, but doing it well is another. Testimonials will allow you to see if a company has provided exceptional quality and service to its previous clients. Before even asking this question, you can do some digging yourself. Check out online reviews from trustworthy sources like Houzz, Angi, and Google Reviews.
Ask to see examples of their work, too! A company that delivers stellar end results should be proud to show them off. Do they have photo galleries available to preview on their website, Facebook page, or Instagram account? Have their clients shared before and after photos on any review sites?
3. Selecting and purchasing cheap materials
One of the biggest mistakes to avoid when remodeling your home! Everyone has heard of the saying “you get what you pay for”. Yes, you may save yourself some money upfront. But over time, the cost of having to replace the cheaper materials will defeat your money-saving purpose. Select durable, high-quality materials from the get go. They will last longer, look better, and you won’t have to worry about replacing them in a few years time.
4. Using existing fixtures
Similar to our previous point, do not try to save money by using existing fixtures from before the completion of your remodel. While they may have looked decent with what you had before, chances are they will not fit the look and feel of your updated kitchen, bathroom etc. Spend that little bit extra and update your fixtures to add that finishing touch to your new space. These products add value to your home and they will last for years to come!
5. Going with the quickest timeline
If two similarly priced bids provide two different timelines, don’t just assume quicker is best because that’s more convenient to you. Perhaps one contractor can complete the job in 4 weeks, and the other, 5. If this is the case, be sure to pinpoint the exact reasoning for this. For example, if paint work needs to be done, it’s not unusual for a contractor to come in with a paint color and get all the painting done in a single day. This is the easy option. When in fact, your contractor should be checking if any plaster work needs to get done, sanding, priming, and then painting. Painting is a process and shouldn’t be condensed into a single day.