Building or renovating a new home can be thrilling, but there are still things that need to be locked down before the ground is broken or that first wall is taken out to enlarge the kitchen. Here are 10 things to talk about with your contractor before the work begins:
1. Time Schedule
The homeowner needs to know the building team’s working hours, especially if the homeowner and their family hope to stay in the house during a renovation. Some homeowners would like a respite from the hubbub in the evenings and on weekends.
2. Pay Schedule
Most of the time, the builder is paid as each step of the construction or renovation is completed. The builder and homeowner should agree on the amount and make allowances for the unforeseen but inevitable overages.
3. Parking
The homeowner and builder need to decide where equipment is going to placed. Some contractors bring a dumpster to the site to collect trash, but some municipalities require a permit for this and other heavy equipment. The parties should find out what permits are required before work begins.
If the neighborhood has regular garbage collection, the builder may want to move the heavy equipment out of the way so not to impede the garbage trucks. Another option is to start work after the sanitation workers have come and gone.
4. Access
The builder will need to have access to the home when the family isn’t there. They should be told where the keys are, and if there’s a security system, the homeowner can set a temporary code that the builder can use.
5. Contact Information
The builder and the homeowner should be able to contact each other at all times in case of emergency, and set up a system where the company can let the customer know how the job is progressing. This can be text messaging, e-mail, a meeting or some other method. The builder and customer should meet regularly, whether on a certain day of the week or after a certain phase of the project has been completed.
6. Site Protection
The site needs to be protected either with temporary walls, planks or tarps. The homeowner can let the builder know what they want protected and where the company can put the Port-a-Potty and the dumpster. If the home is being renovated, a builder such as Alair Homes Forest Hill should let the customer know if they’ll need to protect fragile objects during the project.
7. Tell the Neighbors
The homeowner should let their neighbors know that their house is going to be renovated or built and that it’s going to be noisy for a while. They should also tell the builder which neighbors may be especially bothered by the noise so the building crew can be as quiet as practicable.
8. Show the Builder the Circuit Box
The contractor should be shown the circuit box and the main water and gas shut off valves in a house that’s being renovated.
9. Tell the Help to Take a Vacation
The services of maids, gardeners, and other help should be put on hold while the house is being remodeled.
10. Tell the Contractor About Pets
Tell the builder about pets if they are not being farmed out during the renovation. The best advice is to kennel a cat or dog while the work’s being done, for construction work, and an army of strange people can be very upsetting for some pets.
These tips can help a construction or renovation go as smoothly as you work with Alair Homes Forest Hills Toronto.