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April 26, 2002
Preparing for major renovations
The more you know about building practices, the better your decisions.
KAREN
GINSBERG SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
In our neck of the woods, it is neither the songs of the migratory
birds returning nor the appearance of daffodils and crocuses that
truly signals spring. What does is the arrival of myriad small trucks
associated with the building trades that start appearing all over
the neighborhood. Spring is renovation season in Canada.
So, whatever scale renovation project you are considering, here
are a few things to think about:
Know what your objectives are and keep them in focus. My
husband and I just completed a large-scale renovation to the exterior
of our home. In our case, our objectives were to fix structural
problems, build curb appeal for future sale and make the house easier
to maintain.
Work with the right professionals. Our first step was to
engage an independent engineering firm to do a "technical audit"
of the house. We received a detailed report on all of the structural
aspects of our home, allowing us to prioritize the work to be done.
The auditors provided us with estimates for what each element of
the work should cost. We then asked them to develop specifications
and manage a bidding process to find a contractor.
Depending of the scope of project, at this stage you may need to
find an architect/designer who can produce detailed plans. I found
our designer when I knocked on the door of a stranger whose renovation
job I had admired on my endless pre-project walks through the neighborhood.
Selecting a contractor. Getting the right contractor is key
to the success of your project. Ask friends and neighbors for referrals.
Check whether the contractor delivers on time and on budget. With
upturns in the construction industry, there are shortages of skilled
tradespeople. Check out how good a relationship your contractor
has with his subtrades.
Negotiating the contract. Your contract should stipulate
the scope of project, costs, materials, payment schedules, who gets
building permits and the basis for releasing hold-backs. Make sure
that your contractor can explain the breakdown of their costing
formulas. They are entitled to make a profit - you want to know
how that is factored into their cost.
If you are renovating an older home, there are inevitably unforeseen
problems. Contractors cannot tell in advance what is in the walls
or under the floors. You need to agree in advance how you will deal
with such matters. Our contractor told us clearly that if he uncovered
a problem where something was not "up to code," he would
be unwilling to leave it - we appreciated both his clarity and his
position.
Assessing the work in progress. We decided to further engage
the engineering company who conducted the technical audit to assess
the work in progress. While this added to our total bill, we know
that when we do sell our home, future buyers can legally rely on
the engineer's assessment of the quality of the foundation, roofing,
insulation and stucco work. Your contractor should be accepting
of such inspections by a qualified third party.
Inform yourself. The more you understand about building practices
and products, the more informed your decisions. Several of the large
building supplies companies offer three-hour seminars in a wide
range of building activities. They do not make you an expert but
they give some appreciation of what is involved and improve the
quality of questions you ask.
As our project planning advanced, I asked sales people to give me
a quick primer on everything I needed to know about exterior doors,
windows, insulation and stucco. These staff are often semi-retired
tradespeople who thoroughly enjoy the chance to share their knowledge.
Home and building shows are another excellent source of information.
Display booths allow you to get a better look at the product "in
action." The Internet is also a great resource. Look at the
sites of national building products associations as a starting point.
Be present. When your home and yard are in a complete state
of disarray, nothing could be more enticing than finding some other
place to be. The truth is someone needs to be around to manage the
project on a daily basis. No matter how well you have planned, there
are decisions to be made that will require your attention.
Your presence is a good incentive to a high calibre of work and
minimizes accidental breakage and theft.
General preparations:
• Make sure you inform your household insurance company that
work is under way. They may put on an additional policy to cover
temporary risks. They may ask for evidence of your contractor's
insurance to ensure that their company can cover losses or personal
injury.
• Your alarm system may have to be disconnected for some period
of time. Make sure you have thought through how to keep the premises
secure.
• If you are financing these renovations, your arrangements
need to be in place prior to start up.
• If you are trying to keep a family going in the midst of
a major renovation, fill your freezer and stock your cupboard in
advance and let your friends know that you would be grateful for
a dinner invitation - your day will consist of a hundred interruptions.
• If you are trying to keep a marriage going during a major
renovation, have a clear understanding about who is responsible
for what. In our project, my husband, who is an engineer, and I
drew on our different strengths: he worked with the engineer and
tracked costs, I worked with the designer and managed the daily
fray. It helps to occasionally praise each others' decisions/contributions.
Karen Ginsberg lives in Ottawa but grew up in Winnipeg's
North End, where people were very house-proud although they almost
never renovated.
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