To be successful, every home improvement project should be based on a sound plan. There are an abundance of books and other publications available, where you can get some great ideas. After you decide exactly what you want to do, try to estimate your costs as accurately as possible. Making a rough sketch can be helpful in working up your materials list.
Shop around for the best prices, and watch for sales. Try to visualize the stages of your project, and make sure you’ve listed every item, no matter how small. When you’re certain you haven’t forgotten anything, add 10 percent for wastage; and allow yourself double the time that you think you really need!
Home improvement magazines offer a wealth of materials knowledge; manufacturers’ brochures can also help you compare materials, and are readily available for free at building supply stores. Carefully weigh the differences between standard materials and pre-fabricated units. Products designed for installation by the home-owner can often be installed quicker and less expensively, but might not afford the same results as traditional materials. On the other hand, the do-it-yourself products are usually designed to be installed without a lot of specialized knowledge or tools, and could make the difference between getting the job done or not.
Financing your project: unless it’s a very small project, you could be arranging a loan – and you should shop around for a loan like you would for anything else. Compare the costs against the advantages of personal, home-equity and mortagage loans. You might be able to obtain a CMHC loan, and depending on your individual circumstances, part of the loan might even be “forgiveable”.
Do you need a contractor? Carefully consider your project, and unless you’re an accomplished renovator, you’ll find that contracting some of the work is easier (and sometimes even cheaper, in the long run) than doing it yourself.
Word of mouth is the best reference for a contractor. If you don’t know someone who’s had similar work completed by a contractor, then ask your bidders to provide you with references. Call their previous clients and ask them about their level of satisfaction, before you accept any bid. Ask about price, punctuality, workmanship and quality of materials.
Is your contractor licensed? Is he insured? Bonded? Does the Better Business Bureau have any record of complaints against him? How long has he been in business? (Most new contractors are out of business within the first three years.)
Ask for a detailed contract, including a full job description, material specifications, start and finish dates, permit numbers, clean-up, on-site behaviour, change-order clause and payment schedules.
Agree how disagreements will be handled before you begin the project. Planned arbitration will reduce the time, effort and energy spent on disputes.
I suggest that you observe the work regularly to minimize errors, ommissions and miscommunications. A healthy interaction with your contractor(s) will make the job go smoother!
Suggested reading: How To Be Your Own Contractor, Gene and Katie Hamilton,
Collier Books, Maxwell MacMillan Canada, 1991.
New Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual, Reader’s Digest Association (Canada) Ltd., Montreal 1991.
By: Gil Strachan
Posts Tagged ‘Home Improvement Project’
Estimating Home Improvements
March 22nd, 2010Mistakes to Avoid When Considering Home Improvement Projects
March 7th, 2010
In the life of every homeowner comes the time when he asks himself this question: Does my house need some home improvement jobs? In most of the cases the answer is yes, especially when he plans on selling the property. Although such a home improvement project can prove to be more than a rewarding project, it can also cause a lot of problems that can be very difficult to resolve. For this particular reason, we will now offer you some tips regarding how a home improvement project should look like and what problems you must avoid:
• References – We strongly advise all homeowners to search for the right contractor because he is the heart of the entire project. We recommend that you immediately walk away when the contractor doesn’t want to provide references from former clients. Online searching is the perfect tool for such a task and we encourage all homeowners to use websites that offer such services.
• Project Management – You will need one person that will help you manage your home improvement project. Most of the problems occur when inexperienced homeowners are stubborn and want to manage their own project. A project manager is a single point of contact between the homeowner and the other contractors and is entirely responsible for workflow and scheduling.
• Changes – During the duration of the project, you may want to change your mind regarding some aspects of the project and want to make a few changes that will require more or less work from the hired contractors. We strongly advise homeowners to document every change order and note the exact savings or additional costs. The changes should be dated and signed by all the implicated parties.
• Plans – It is highly advisable to obtain a crystal clear description on what will be done, how it will be done and what materials will be used for the project. For small-sized projects, the contractors usually draw up plans while for the larger and more complicated projects, it is recommended to hire an architect or a qualified designer.
• Contracts – Do everything you can so that the contract is rock solid. We suggest that you put all the details in writing (never take somebody’s word for granted). Here are some of the most critical items that should be included in every contract: company’s full name and the person’s full name along with contact information; an addendum consisting of the complete set of plans; warranties; signatures; start/completion date; prices of services/goods; manner & terms of payment and others as well.
• Warranty – You must make sure that you will obtain a warranty with fully detailed terms and conditions. In order to avoid the confusion as to who is responsible for the warranty, we suggest that you get the following items in writing: Who is backing the warranty? How long is the warranty valid for? What is/isn’t covered by the warranty?
• Financing and payments – Before you make the deal think about how you will pay for the project. Make sure you have total control of your money (never let the contractor or project manager handle your money). Some tips regarding this issue: never pay a lot of money at the start; pay after the materials have arrived; pay when the work starts and as it progresses;
We hope that these tips will help you manage your home improvement project efficiently without any real issues in terms of costs, quality and time. A home improvement project is very important for any homeowner that is why we advise all homeowners to be very careful when choosing contractors, materials and when they set up the contract.
By: Maren Thole
Gas Fireplaces Are a Popular Winter Home Improvement
March 3rd, 2010
Gas fireplaces are an easy and cozy way to heat up a room, or even a small home. There are several different designs and models and while they all work primarily the same the way they vent is very different. Most gas units are all designed to only work with natural gas; however, there are some models that also effectively work with propane as well to ensure that you are always able to connect to a viable fuel source. Models that run on propane can be installed anywhere, even motorhomes. This is part of what makes them such a popular home improvement project. They are also relatively easy to install.
Before choosing a gas fireplace, you’ll have to decide which kind is right for you.
There are two different types of gas fireplaces in terms of venting options. The first is a vented unit; these typically require a chimney in order to vent the waste from the burnt gas. The other option is a ventless or unvented fireplace. This requires no chimney and carefully cleans much of the waste and disperses it into an area where the fumes can be safely vented. It is important to realize that many of the unvented or ventless units are not able to be legally installed in many areas and it is very important that you ensure you can have a ventless unit in your home before buying one.
As the gas fireplace is working, it will slowly draw fuel in from the gas line that is running to your home. Typically, you will have to install the fireplace close to an access point for the ease of installation. As the unit is burning, it will burn the gas fuel and disperse the heat from the fire into the room. This process will usually allow you to easily heat an entire room safely and much more effectively than a wood fireplace would previously.
Ensuring that you keep the unit well maintained and properly working will help to ensure that you are getting the best and most efficient usage possible as well. It is generally advised that you have your gas fireplace serviced at least every 2 years to ensure that it is properly working and to have it thoroughly cleaned to avoid any potential safety concerns. It is also advisable to have the unit inspected more often if you suspect that there is a problem of some sort, such as a sudden increase in gas consumption for no explainable reason, or if you smell gas in your home continuously.
Many gas fireplaces also offer remote controls that are connected to a remote ignition system. This allows you to start the fireplace from across the room without actually touching the unit itself (remotes are popular with units installed in bedrooms). These systems are generally highly effective and can be highly convenient for ensuring that you are able to quickly and easily start the unit without having to actually touch buttons and controls on the fireplace itself. If you are using a remote control fireplace, it is very important that you keep the remote out of the reach of children, and also ensure that you do still periodically have the unit cleaned and inspected to make sure it is working properly.
As you can see, gas fireplaces are relatively simple to choose, and they can often be installed in a couple hours. This may be the perfect home improvement project for you this winter.
By: TC Thorn