Remodeling - Working With Your Contractor

1. Start An Idea Book.
Even if it's a picture of something outrageous. It will give everyone a starting point for discussion. Pictures of things you don't want are as important as those you do: a specific shade of yellow or shape of a window, for example.

2. Have A Budget In Mind
Money is the hardest thing to talk about, but it's one of the most important parameters of any job. A good rule-of-thumb when it comes to estimating the dollar figure of an addition or remodeling a space is about $125 to $150 a square foot. Kitchen and bathrooms should be budgeted higher.

3. Be Open To Change
Remodeling projects - like true love - never run smoothly. Adjustments often need to be made, re-designs are sometime necessary, and some products may no longer be available. Being flexible will help bring about the best solutions to the problem.

4. Make A List Of Priorities
What must the space have? What's the most important? Determine this and share the information so that everyone will know what matters most. When and if corners have to be cut, no one will be surprised.

5. Do Your Homework
Know the terms professionals are using. A "whatchamacallit" is NOT a professional term. Learn what certain products can and cannot do, it'll save a lot of time and on-site discussion later. Conversely, don't be afraid to ask questions about things you don't know. Contractors are the professionals after all, and should be more than willing to explain construction methods or product choices to your satisfaction.

6. Consider Yourself Part Of The Team
Cooperation is the key to any successful venture - especially one that involves as many people as remodeling and renovation of a home.

7. Check On The Financial Sstability Of The Builder
Check with the local builders/contractors associations (National Association of the Remodeling Industry - NARI), the Better Business Bureau, or ask the builder himself. 95% of the builders/contractors go out of business during the first five years. Ask how long the contractor has been in business. More home building/remodeling contracting businesses go out of business than any other line of business, except restaurants. It pays to check ahead on the reputation of the builder.

8. Do Research Up Front
Be comfortable with the selections and choices before the project begins, then let the contractors do their work.

While starting your project with this contractor's wish list will not assure you of a problem free project, it will go a long way in building a strong relationship which will see the project through to completion.

Tool Talk For Women
Not every woman longs to speed-drill pilot holes or guide a powerful circular saw the length of a plywood panel. But when it comes to basic home maintenance and improvement projects more and more women are doing it themselves. Single women constitute the fastest-growing (21% of 2005 homebuyers) segment of the home-buying market, and like most homeowners, they know that being handy is a way to save money.
A recent survey by the Home Improvement Research Institute, a Tampa based research group, shows women are getting involved in do-it-yourself projects at a faster rate than men are; in fact, the number of do-it-yourself products purchased by men has declined over the last two years.
Here are some female-friendly basic tools that are finding their way into the handywoman’s well equipped toolbox:

Black & Decker Mouse Sander $60
This diminutive sander can tackle peeling paint on an old cupboard. Besides its cushioned handle, it's also a multi-tasker (sander / polisher), which manufacturers say is something women ask for.

Makita Cordless Power Drill $197
Bright blue isn't exactly the official color of the construction industry, but appearances can be deceiving: Unlike some wimpier home drills, this one has enough horsepower to bore into steel. It also comes with a valuable, and unfortunately unusual, accessory -- instructions that are more or less in plain English.

Porter-Cable Profile Sander $125
This small sander lets you adjust the speed by simply pressing a lever.

Porter Cable 12V Cordless Drill $140
Porter-Cable claims this drill's grip is a sweat buster, designed to keep your hands from slipping as you work. At only 4.5 pounds (and about the same firepower as the Makita), it's also pretty easy to carry.


We hope this months information is timely and informative.

Our Very Best To You

Cindy & Rich Hamman