By Patricia L. Caulfield, AKBD
For most homeowners, the reason they decide to be their own general contractors for a home improvement project is to save money. Unfortunately, those savings often come at a cost. When the hardwood guy is sanding the floors while the painter is stepping over him to finish the walls for the cabinet installer who is impatiently waiting, many homeowners realize they are in way over their heads, and just managing the process turns into the carnival game, “Whack-a-Mole.”
In the game participants whack the moles back into their holes with a mallet. So pretend that each phase of a project is a “mole.” In a perfect world, we would know which mole was going to pop out of which hole and when—that would make it easy to manage the process.
Unfortunately, home improvement projects are full of uncertainty. In what condition are the existing electrical wires behind those walls? Is their water damage to the floor beneath the dishwasher? As unforeseen issues such as these present themselves to average homeowners acting as their own general contractors, the organized project is quickly thrown off course, leaving the unprepared chasing after each mole as it pops out of its hole.
The short answer? Not much. Of course, there are ways to combat the challenges. First, do your homework using the Internet to research your project—just be careful not to talk yourself into a major malaise just by having too much information. Second, narrow your product selections down to three and begin creating a “must have, can’t live without” list. Next, consider existing space constraints like antiquated plumbing, gas lines that should be moved, and load bearing walls that can’t be moved.
The National Kitchen and Bath Association guidelines are practical, functional and available for review on the NKBA website (nkba.org). They are in place to assist you in creating a space that will stand the test of time. Your home is not only a monetary investment, but an investment in your quality of life. Refer to these guidelines as you work through your kitchen or bath project, or consult a professional designer that uses them—a CKD (Certified Kitchen Designer) or CBD (Certified Bath Designer).
If you are tackling this project yourself, scheduling is the key to success. Knowing the sequence of scheduling and the timeframe for completion can make or break your project, not to mention your sanity. It takes time to tear out, rebuild and install. Break it down step by step: structural changes, wall prep, flooring, selecting and ordering your cabinets, plumbing disconnect and hook ups, and complete electrical upgrades all need to happen.
Countertops need to be templated, fabricated, and installed. All of your plumbing fixtures, hardware selections, surface edge profiles, tile patterns, and stain color for your hardwood flooring need to be finalized. Changes midstream often create problems that cost time, money, or both. Trust your instincts. Trust your first choice. You are usually right and second-guessing is just that.
Think about how you will live through your project. There is dust. A lot of it. There is debris. A lot of it. Unforeseen circumstances like rainy days can hold up the progress. Setting realistic expectations for both timeframe and budget for your project should be centermost in your planning process. It takes a lot of homework, coordination, and time invested to oversee that each phase is completed to your standards.
Do-It-Yourself Tips
1. Do your homework using the Internet to research your project—just be careful not to talk yourself into a major malaise just by having too much information.
2. Narrow your product selections down to three and begin creating a “must have, can’t live without” list.
3. Consider existing space constraints like antiquated plumbing, gas lines that should be moved, and load bearing walls that can’t be moved.
4. Know the sequence of scheduling and the timeframe for completion can make or break your project, not to mention your sanity.
5. Think about how you will live through your project.
6. If overwhelmed, bring in a licensed professional.
If this at all smacks of overwhelming (and it can be) and you decide to bring in the pros, be sure to hire a licensed and insured professional. Work only with quality suppliers that deliver on dates that are promised. Background checks and referrals are essential and help to weed out the “moles.”
In the long run, the decision to hire a professional should not be confused with your inability to run the project yourself. For many homeowners, working with a pro is the smartest way to manage time, money, and the project itself. If you want your job to be completed to your 100 percent satisfaction, and to be able to hold someone else accountable if it is not, hire a professional.
I have no doubt you can do it yourself, but with all the headaches, and stress that can occur during your project, be prepared to be involved every step of the way, every waking moment, and even in those wide eyed moments in the middle of the night. Put a mallet under your pillow and prepare to swing away. You could be counting moles instead of sheep.
Patricia L. Caulfield, AKBD is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Keener Kitchen. She has 16 years in the kitchen renovation and design business and has seen many residential projects present “unforeseen circumstances.”
Contact:
Keener Kitchen: keenerkitchen.com or 410-560-0288
