Professional Renovations

Tackling a minor home renovation to a bathroom or kitchen or a whole home transformation is not for the faint of heart. It can be a daunting task, in fact various studies have revealed some staggering statistics:

• 30 per cent of homeowners exceed their budget by more than 50 per cent
• 12 per cent of couples consider divorce after a major renovation
• Before you attempt a major do-it-yourself project, consider talking to a pro. Having professional and quality work may cost more, but it can save in the end. Many DIYers don’t factor in every aspect of material and project costs, and almost always end up costing themselves more in the end. What’s worse is they rob themselves of time with family and friends, and spend a lot of time stressing and worrying about finishing the job.

Things that can go wrong when taking it all on yourself:

• You may not properly calculate materials such as drywall, lumber, paint, flooring, baseboard and other materials required to do the project. This results in added expense and many trips back and forth to hardware stores.
• Plumbing mistakes. This is a biggie. Using certified trades means your work is covered. Plumbing leak? No problem if you’ve hired a pro. If not look out! I’ve seen simple, trickle-like leaks turn into tearing out floors and whole ceilings to rectify the situation. Talk about mounting costs! The same goes for buying an inexpensive faucet on sale. It can bite you later.
• No warranty. Investing any amount of money into your home is significant enough in my opinion, to forgo not having a warranty because you decided to tackle the work yourself. A pro will have a written warranty and licensed trades will back up their work and come back when something goes wrong.
• It takes forever to finish, and I mean forever. I have witnessed those who truly believe themselves to be handy, and fully capable of handling a home renovation, find out that taking time away from work and family is so much harder than they imagined. Their quick DIY project turned into a six- and even 12-month feat, adding significant stress onto their lives.

What you can expect from a true professional:

• An accurate price for the job. If you’re provided a quote and contract, you can know ahead of time what your investment will be.
• Peace of mind knowing that the people working in your home are insured, licensed and educated.
• Written warranty on material, product and workmanship. This means that you know how long you can expect your materials and products to last. Having a proper warranty can also aid in the resale of your home because potential buyers see quality work and goods as a plus. Consumers are educated and people can and will spot a quick DIY renovation.
• A timeline. A pro will give you a detailed schedule ahead of time and you’ll know when they plan to start. Whether you’re planning a simple deck, or a full-blown home renovation, having a timeline takes some major stress off of the situation.

A version of this article also appeared in the London Free Press.