September 19th, 2019
Choosing a Great Contractor
Sometimes when you decide to remodel your home there will be some type of work involved that will require the use of a contractor. This is especially true when you decide to remodel and redecorate every room in your home. Finding a contractor who can work within your budget and is going to provide the great service you need is sometimes very challenging. It is important to remember that if you select a contractor using a bid process, without checking references or finding out about the person, you will be taking a big chance which may impact negatively on your project. When selecting a contractor to assist with your project be sure that they specialize in the area you need to have work done. For instance, a contractor may be great at adding rooms to homes, but not be adept at expanding and remodeling bathrooms. For the most part, you are going to need a contractor who can give you advice on the best way to enlarge a small bathroom so that it will be able to accommodate a larger vanity, bath area, and linen area. On average, guest bathrooms at best have a shower, toilet, and small vanity with little room for anything else. So, it will be necessary to move a wall or two to put in the equipment that will make this a real bathroom for the person who will be using it. By having your decorator and the contractor work together you will be able to achieve your redecorating vision in a single project instead of needing to make more structural changes later. A contractor will also be able to give you advice and help if there are special needs. Perhaps the bathroom will need to accommodate a wheelchair. In that case, the type of shower and the space needed will be very different than the small stall area that is normally in these bathrooms. A bathroom designed to meet special needs also often requires that the cabinetry and mirrors be at a lower level than standard cabinetry and mirrors. When interviewing a contractor ask about what types of issues may hold up the project. Sometimes if the bathroom has been built on an outside wall a contractor will need to get special permits and there will be a requirement to enlist the aid of a plumber who can move or install pipes. This can hold up a project significantly if the contractor has not already planned on that issue. Be sure that the contractor has a strong network of individuals who specialize in the different aspects of remodeling. For a bathroom, it will be necessary to have a tile installer, a plumber, a cabinet maker or installer, and other professionals who, working as a team, can get the project done correctly. It is important that once you have selected the contractor that is perfect for you, you trust them to do the job you have hired them to do. A great contractor will keep you updated on the progress of the project and what they are doing and will be happy to answer any questions or address any concerns that you may have. But, you do not want to be put in the position that you are second-guessing their tile guy or plumber. This will slow down your project considerably and is extremely frustrating for a contractor who already has his team together. It is also important to remember that if you use your decorator from the start of the project, they are very familiar with the contractor you have selected and, even though the contractor may not “look” like you expect a contractor to look, they are the best in their field. Excellent contractors often do not fit the stereotypical look that is expected of contractors because they are specialists in their field and may have a very unique persona. This is when you want to depend on the wisdom and knowledge of your decorator. Once the remodeling project is completed, your decorator will be able to bring your vision to life. The decorator will decorate the room to fit not only the specific needs of the main person who will be using the bathroom but also the needs of guests who may also use it in the future.
