How to Survive a Major Building Project
Get expert tips for improving your home... while preserving your sanity
A significant home-improvement project rates high on the list of life’s most stressful tasks. Horror stories abound, causing racing pulses at the mere thought of contractors taking over your home. But it has to be done! That kitchen extension, new loft or spruced up bathroom won’t come into being until you enter the fray. Forewarned is forearmed, so read this essential advice to accompany you on your journey.
Create a written agreement
A signed, written outline of the works to be done, the agreed period for completion and the agreed price is essential. The more detail you can include here the better, including products to be used and the standard of finish expected.
If working with a professional team, you should be signing a formal, legal contract with the contractor.
Read more about working with tradies
A signed, written outline of the works to be done, the agreed period for completion and the agreed price is essential. The more detail you can include here the better, including products to be used and the standard of finish expected.
If working with a professional team, you should be signing a formal, legal contract with the contractor.
Read more about working with tradies
Expect dust and dirt. Lots
It is shocking how quickly a habitable home reverts to a building site once building work of any scale begins. It seems like every particle of dust that ever settled in the furthest recess is shaken out in the process.
Major work may require that you move out for the duration. If you are staying put, keep the spread of dust to a minimum by sealing off those rooms where work is being done from those unaffected. Talk to the builders about dust management and ask them to put up dust protection sheets for you; they’ll almost certainly do it better than you’ll be able to, and protect any built-in or fixed furniture in the vicinity of the work that cannot be removed.
Make a careful plan in advance, too, of how you’ll live around the project – do you need to turn the spare room and a bathroom into a station for microwave dinners and washing up? If space is tight and your options are stressing you out, talk to your builder about any temporary measures they might be able to help with – moving the electric oven or installing a temporary sink.
It is shocking how quickly a habitable home reverts to a building site once building work of any scale begins. It seems like every particle of dust that ever settled in the furthest recess is shaken out in the process.
Major work may require that you move out for the duration. If you are staying put, keep the spread of dust to a minimum by sealing off those rooms where work is being done from those unaffected. Talk to the builders about dust management and ask them to put up dust protection sheets for you; they’ll almost certainly do it better than you’ll be able to, and protect any built-in or fixed furniture in the vicinity of the work that cannot be removed.
Make a careful plan in advance, too, of how you’ll live around the project – do you need to turn the spare room and a bathroom into a station for microwave dinners and washing up? If space is tight and your options are stressing you out, talk to your builder about any temporary measures they might be able to help with – moving the electric oven or installing a temporary sink.
Monitor progress
Visit or inspect the site being renovated regularly to keep abreast of what’s being done, and to make sure you are happy with the quality of work. The best time to do this is before or after the day’s work – a noisy, busy, building site is not conducive to focused attention.
Arrange a regular, formal meeting or catch-up on site with key participants to review progress, discuss challenges that have emerged and to map out decisions that need to be made. These are usually undertaken on a weekly basis and should be documented, with the details circulated to all parties.
Visit or inspect the site being renovated regularly to keep abreast of what’s being done, and to make sure you are happy with the quality of work. The best time to do this is before or after the day’s work – a noisy, busy, building site is not conducive to focused attention.
Arrange a regular, formal meeting or catch-up on site with key participants to review progress, discuss challenges that have emerged and to map out decisions that need to be made. These are usually undertaken on a weekly basis and should be documented, with the details circulated to all parties.
Agree lines of communication
In order to avoid misunderstandings between you and your contractors, it is essential that there is a clear line of communication between you and them. If you are embarking on work along with a spouse or partner, agree in advance which of you will be responsible for dealing with the contractors.
If you are employing an architect or other professional, all instructions and requests to the builder should be channelled exclusively through your professional.
Keep and circulate a written record of all your dealings, in paper or digital form.
Relationships and Renovating – Do They Mix?
In order to avoid misunderstandings between you and your contractors, it is essential that there is a clear line of communication between you and them. If you are embarking on work along with a spouse or partner, agree in advance which of you will be responsible for dealing with the contractors.
If you are employing an architect or other professional, all instructions and requests to the builder should be channelled exclusively through your professional.
Keep and circulate a written record of all your dealings, in paper or digital form.
Relationships and Renovating – Do They Mix?
Avoid changes
This is where your homework and advance research will pay off. Even minor changes can lead to cost over-runs and time delays, which can quickly spiral out of control and be difficult to monitor.
The more decisions you make in advance, the quicker materials can be ordered and work will progress.
You will still be bombarded with a plethora of detailed decisions to be made along the way, all of which, of course, will be flagged as urgent. Dealing with these will hopefully be made easier in the context of the clear vision that you have formed for your home.
This is where your homework and advance research will pay off. Even minor changes can lead to cost over-runs and time delays, which can quickly spiral out of control and be difficult to monitor.
The more decisions you make in advance, the quicker materials can be ordered and work will progress.
You will still be bombarded with a plethora of detailed decisions to be made along the way, all of which, of course, will be flagged as urgent. Dealing with these will hopefully be made easier in the context of the clear vision that you have formed for your home.
Stay calm, keep focused
Building work tends to be all-consuming with a unique, frantic pace of its own. Those urgent decisions seem endless.
This means it’s a good time to sign up for a yoga course or to schedule in some definite, relaxing down-time over the course of the work. This will help you maintain perspective and the energy levels needed to bring the project to fruition.
Find Your Inner Zen, No Matter Where You Live
Building work tends to be all-consuming with a unique, frantic pace of its own. Those urgent decisions seem endless.
This means it’s a good time to sign up for a yoga course or to schedule in some definite, relaxing down-time over the course of the work. This will help you maintain perspective and the energy levels needed to bring the project to fruition.
Find Your Inner Zen, No Matter Where You Live
Recoup
You will get there! The project may run over time and over budget, and you may have your own battle stories to add to the anthology, but your enjoyment of a beautiful home crafted to suit your every need will make it all worthwhile.
Tell us
Share your reno tips and experiences in the Comments below. And if you found this story helpful, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below.
More
Find a design and construction professional in your area
You will get there! The project may run over time and over budget, and you may have your own battle stories to add to the anthology, but your enjoyment of a beautiful home crafted to suit your every need will make it all worthwhile.
Tell us
Share your reno tips and experiences in the Comments below. And if you found this story helpful, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below.
More
Find a design and construction professional in your area
It’s study time. The more time and effort you invest in the run-up to your project, the better.
Sketch out clearly the scope of the work envisaged. Online resources such as Houzz will help you build up a clear picture of exactly the look you want. Visit showrooms and suppliers to see real samples of products and finishes and go to view houses for sale in your area for inspiration on what you may realistically expect to achieve.
Establish at an early stage whether you need assistance from any other professionals. Architects, engineers, interior designers and surveyors each bring expertise, which may be essential to a successful outcome for your project.
The right builder is the holy grail, and you’ll find lots of advice elsewhere on how to find the best one. While you should aim to get three competitive quotes, the best advice is, quite simply, to choose the best builder you can. You will actually save both time and money in the process.