That means writing down how your home does not meet your current needs. Don’t concern yourself with the physical design. That will come later. Just write down the problems you are trying to solve. Things such as:

• I want a bigger kitchen with an eating area for the whole family.
• We’re tired of going to the basement to do the laundry.
• I want to update my 1980′s bathroom and add a more light.

It is the solution to these problems that will ensure that you will be happy with your project. Professionals can help with the actual design once you have stated your needs.

This may be the least fun but the most important part of the process. Budgets give you an idea of how much you plan to spend. They also give the remodeler a starting point to provide a more accurate estimate. Everyone is different in how they go about creating their budget.

Once preliminary plans and budgets have been established, there is often a tendency to want to rush into the construction phase. This can actually slow the process down in the long run. Make sure your contractor takes the time to specify and get firm delivery dates on all items before they begin construction wherever possible. At Attention to Detail, we take the time to plan and prepare so that the actual work can be done quickly. We also stay in communication with you throughout the entire process.

Even the smallest remodeling project is complex and involves a great many people – city and county inspectors and officials, tradesmen, craftsmen, vendors of all types, not to mention a bewildering array of materials, colors, and textures. Putting all of this together in a timely manner takes skill and management. Horror stories abound about contractors who took forever to finish a project because they were “good craftsmen” but “terrible managers”. The choice does not have to be between the two. At Attention to Detail, we pride ourselves on putting together a team of good craftsmen and good managers to ensure that your job will be done the way you want it – on time, within your budget, and with quality throughout. We also have Certifed Lead Carpenters and Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodelers on staff so expertise and solid management are certain.

 

Remodeling projects seem to have some common high and low points for many owners. If you are a seasoned remodeling veteran, you may already know what to expect and may not need to read this article. If you have not lived through a remodeling project before; however, you are probably approaching your project with some degree of both anxiety and excitement. The purpose of this article is not to cast a shadow of doubt on your project before it starts, but rather to simply point out some of these high and low points that naturally occur in the course of most remodeling projects. This way, you will have a realistic idea of what to expect. Every remodeling job creates some degree of disorder, dust, uncertainty, and inconvenience. People will be tearing apart your house and putting it back together again. We understand that this can be an unsettling experience, and, accordingly, we expect our crews and subcontractors to respect the fact that this is your home they are working in and not a vacant warehouse. We want to know immediately if you have any problems in this area so that we can take immediate steps to correct them. Remodeling proceeds in stages. One of the most difficult stages is working through the plan and permit process. Hopefully, by the time you receive this article, you are finished with this process and are well into the stage of having your ideas turned into working construction drawings. The next big stage is the demolition phase. You will see new faces in and around your home on a regular basis. The insides of your house will be exposed. Electrical, heating, or plumbing services may be intermittently interrupted during this time. Dust, dirt, debris piles, and dumpsters will be visible in and around the work area. All of this can be rather stressful. However, don’t worry – the demolition phase goes quickly, and will be cleaned up just as rapidly. Once the framing nears completion, people usually feel very optimistic and start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. After the framing is completed and the plumbing, electrical, and mechanical work are under way, the project can appear to slow down because the progress is not as dramatic and visible as in the framing process. However, a lot of detail work is done at this time. For instance, there are many required inspections by building officials. It’s critical that the work be done thoroughly at this point prior to insulating and closing the walls with drywall. Next comes the drywall stage which is exciting. When the walls are covered with drywall, suddenly the rooms take on their true proportions and people start to imagine what it will be like to move back in. For many, the final phase of all the work, after the drywall, can seem to take a long time. The finishing work requires a fair amount of time and the efforts of many subcontractors. Keep in mind that this phase includes many working parts and steps, including but not limited to: interior and exterior painting; installation of all interior doors and finishing the woodwork; installation of cabinets, tile, and floor coverings; installation of plumbing and electrical fixtures; installation of shelving, closet poles, mirrors, glass shower doors, hardware, appliances, etc. Nevertheless, thanks to a well-planned and coordinated scheduling effort by a remodeler such as Attention to Detail, the day arrives when your project is completed. Finally, your house is once again your private residence, free of the constant construction activity that has transformed your ideas and plans into the new spaces that we hope you will enjoy. Attention to Detail Home Remodeling believes that 90% of the work comes in the planning stages. The remainder will flow smoothly with minimal surprises the more the work has been planned upfront in design. So although you may feel the ups and downs with your remodel, you can be assured your project has been thoroughly thought out and your new kitchen or bathroom will be ready on time, on budget and right the first time. Please let us know if you have any questions about this process or any suggestions about how we can minimize the disruption of your daily routine. Thank you.

 

Certifications designate that our remodeler or carpenter has satisfied all the requirements of the Certification Board of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). Search terms: kitchen, bathroom, - Bathroom Remodeling, Kitchen remodeling, certification, CKBR, remodeling, lead carpenter, remodeler, NARI, home improvement, continuing education, examination, construction, best practices, qualification