I always expend a little extra dialog with my prospective remodel clients to try to get a good feel for whether they are truly prepared for the endeavor which they are about to undertake. Over the years I’ve seen some pretty dramatic reactions by people who thought they were ready and when the work began they were completely overwhelmed and unprepared.
Sometimes I think people expect us to come to their homes and very quietly wave a magic wand and presto, the job is complete.
The invasion of sub contractors in the early morning hours while they prepare for work and get their kids ready for school is often more than they can handle. Not to mention the noise, dust, and inconvenience of having your kitchen or bathroom completely demolished while you try to live a normal life. Sometimes these conditions can last for months on major remodels.
Here are some things to consider when preparing for a remodel;

• No matter how much care is taken to contain dust and debris there will be some dust to deal with during your renovation.
• If it is a major remodel like a complete renovation of your only bathroom, or having to deal with a demolished kitchen for extended periods, it would be worth considering moving out or planning a vacation at least during the major part of the work.
• More than likely if you are able to move out during construction your contractor will be willing to discount the bottom line.
• Of course it’s not always possible to predict what might be hidden behind walls, under floors, and in ceilings therefor adjustments often need to be made to accommodate the unexpected. Sometimes this means extra expense. It’s a good idea to factor in a small percentage above and beyond the contract price to cover the unexpected.
• Any decent contractor is going to make every effort to keep the jobsite clean at all times. This means a good cleanup at the end of each work day. There are times when things might be a little behind schedule where your contractor may choose to forego the daily thorough cleaning for a day here and there and spend the extra hour to get more done.
• Be prepared to make material selections early on. This will avoid unnecessary delays in jobs when work is forced to a halt until products are purchased.
• Often when walls are opened up, subs are on sight, opportunities arise for options and additions above and beyond your original scope of work that you might consider taking advantage of. For example you might find after removing sheetrock from an exterior wall that there is no insulation. Obviously this would be a good opportunity to add insulation before the wall is sealed up. This is why it’s always a good idea to have some reserves for change orders that might be much more costly if put off till later. Other examples can be- adding computer network cables while walls are open, dimmer switches, recessed can lighting that wasn’t in the original scope of work, etc.
• If at all possible hire a Designer to help with selections like tile, flooring, counter tops, appliances, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and colors. Even though a lot of folks have great taste it can be quite a challenge making multiple product selections that will all co-exist in harmony.

It would be a good idea to have a family meeting before the project begins and make sure everyone understands that there will be some hardships to endure for a period of time but in the end it will all be worth it. Just keep that visual picture of the completed project in mind.