Self-Managing Home Renovation: Common Mistakes Done
A home remodeling or renovation project is not as simple as it may sound. Renovating a building is not just all about how it will look or function, but most importantly you have to consider what kind of materials are used during the renovation, how are you going to work with your suppliers and contractors, etc. These of course will be handled by the person who will supervise the project. Thus before a renovation project starts, one of the most vital decisions to be made is who will manage the project.
You can either engage a professional who will do the work or alternatively, you can manage the project yourself. If you opt to manage the work yourself, make sure that you have sufficient experience to deal with this. According to Gail La Grouw, the following are some frequent mistakes done by owners who have decided to take over the role of managing the renovation project themselves,
1. Poor Planning
Producing a good plan is a crucial part of your role as a project manager. The success of the project largely depend on this. Your plan must include as much detail as possible. You have to regard planning for contingencies as well.
2. Poor Materials Management
Buying of the appropriate materials at the right time is a huge job during renovation. Think about this task properly, as it can be the reason of delay to your schedule. You can also acquire extra cost if you do not have your materials at the needed time.
3. Poor Record Keeping
Lodge everything especially things that have to do with funds. Record keeping must be done everyday. You surely will miss something in your list if you do it in an inconsistent way. Record keeping will also let you know precisely where you are in terms of time and dollars against the plan specification.
4. Not Managing The Work Site
Most subcontractors are attempting to reduce cost by ignoring a number of regulations and workplace safety items. This is a bad thing of course. Make sure that there is a proper insurance for their area of work.
5. Poor Communication
As home owners are not that knowledgeable with terms being used for renovation, miscommunication can happen along the way. Make sure that when you do not understand things, clear it up, but never loose your authority in front of your contractors of course.
6. Poor Change Management Control
All changes made during the renovation process must be documented and sign off.
7. Not Keeping Check of the Budget
Watch your budget, as most projects will overrun the initial estimate, make sure to add some percentage of your budget for your contingency plans.
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