Inevitably, many a homeowner will want to make additions to their home. This might be out of necessity or simply desire. Additions to a home are often necessary when there are additions to a family, and other times homeowners simply want to expand their dream home. Whichever homeowner bucket you fall in, read on for some handy tips that will help you avoid delays and disruptions next time you want to expand your home.
Make plans… extensive plans.
Delays in additions to a home are most often due to only a few factors, and a key one is poor or a lack of planning. If your contractor is unsure exactly what you want done for your home, there will be delays. The contractor is there to execute on your desires and won’t do what they ‘think’ you want. No contractor expects to have major decisions deferred to him or her. They will of course offer suggestions and outline logistics and potential budgetary hurdles, but ultimately they are doing what they are told. If the plans delivered to them are vague, confusing or just plain missing, then there will be countless delays in your home’s addition because your contractor constantly had to seek clarification on what to do.
Another reminder is that changing your plans halfway through a job will create significant delays, plus there will be budgetary concerns. Which leads to the next tip…
Budget accordingly… and then some.
Going into a home addition project obviously requires money, and the more money the better! Money tends to ‘speed up’ the timeline for completion and helps cover any hiccups along the way. Ensuring a little extra money is available, should something come up is an important tip to remember.
Make sure you budget for the best materials, the best contractor and as many workers as you can. This will ensure your timeline is adhered to and the quality of work meets your expectations.
Have all the permits.
This is an important tip to remember, as it will largely have an effect on the start of your home addition project. Ensure that before any walls are broken down or a nail gets hammered you have all the necessary permits with your city, area, zone… whatever it’s called where you live!
If you don’t have all the necessary permits and a city employee shows up (and they will) it could be a huge mess for you. Not only will the project be halted, but you can expect hefty fines. So it’s best to have all your permits organized before anything starts. Likely, your contractor won’t even begin until the proper permits have been filed anyway!
Pick your contractor carefully.
It’s important to find the contractor that’s right for you. Consider the size and scope of project you want completed on your home and your budget. These will help to narrow the field for you.
Read reviews and speak to various local contractors. Choosing a local contractor will likely help when it comes to knowledge of permits too. Reviews are available online for many contractors, but you might also consider speaking to friends and acquaintances to see what their experiences were like.
