Tips For Preventing Delays In Your Remodel

Full kitchen remodels can take anywhere from three to five months to complete. This type of project often involves changing out plumbing and electrical locations, along with installing new appliances and finishes. Plus, even if you meticulously plan for your home remodel, you might encounter delays in the project. 

These delays might be out of your control, but it doesn't mean that you can't prepare for them and attempt to avoid them if possible. When you're working on a home remodel, particularly a kitchen remodel, follow these tips to help you prevent delays in your project.

Get Organized

Image via Flickr under CC BY 2.0 by bumeister1

Everyone working on your project, including contractors, installers, and technicians, must work in tandem to get your project completed. It makes no sense to have someone come in to install your countertops when you don't even have the floors completed. If one part of your project gets delayed, it can affect other aspects.

To prevent this from happening, choose a remodeler that knows how to stay organized, such as Wide Canvas. Our experienced staff can show you examples of formal project schedules so you know what we do to keep our jobs on track. We plan out every stage of the project and ensure that the right people and materials show up at the job site at the correct times.

Schedule an Inspection

Before you begin any demolition of the kitchen, you should select an experienced remodeling company to carefully inspect your home. The company can recommend any necessary testing and anticipate any pre-existing conditions that you should get fixed before the remodel. During the inspection, you might find water damage, termites, asbestos, dangerous mold, or foundation failure. Knowing about these unexpected pre-existing home conditions can prevent delays as long as you take care of them beforehand. It's best to be aware of potential hiccups before you get started so you can factor it into the budget and plan for additional time.

Apply for Permits

All but the smallest home remodels require permits from your city, and kitchen remodels are no exception. You might even need several permits. Despite the belief that permits are a way for the city to generate revenue, they're actually a way to ensure the home meets safety requirements. That way, when you go to sell your residence, the new buyers will see signed-off permits for all the remodeling work you had completed. Without these permits, you might get a lower value on your home.

Keep in mind that obtaining permits can take a long time and cause delays. Depending on the type of remodel you plan to do to the kitchen, a permit application might take several weeks or months to obtain. The more complicated the project, the longer the wait time will be, especially if you're making structural changes to either the interior or exterior. If you're only planning minor changes, you might be able to secure an over-the-counter permit, which bypasses the extensive review process and wait times.

Make Solid Decisions

If you've never been involved in the remodeling process, you might be surprised at the number of decisions you need to make. Some people can make decisions quickly, while others need time to process and weigh their options. There is no right or wrong way to make decisions, but know that the most important thing is to feel comfortable with the overall design. However, if your goal is to complete the project quickly, you should be aware of the amount of time that decision-making can add to a project.

Hiring the right remodeling team can help you streamline the decision-making process. For smaller kitchen remodels, vendors can occasionally offer design help, while larger kitchen projects might benefit more from hiring a team, such as those we employ at Wide Canvas.

An experienced designer can walk you through the entire process and offer suggestions that work with your budget and taste. Sometimes it's even helpful to have another person's opinion or viewpoint. To help you avoid delays, it's fine to go at your own pace, but consider hiring a professional to guide you through the numerous decisions.

Watch the Weather

This tip is perhaps one that you can't really control. Weather delays can cause your kitchen remodel to not be completed in time. Several days of inclement weather, including heavy rains, several inches of snow, or frigid temperatures can prevent certain types of work from being completed on time. For instance, if your kitchen remodel involves windows or adding exterior walls and the weather doesn't cooperate, your project timeline might be affected. One of the best ways to potentially avoid weather delays is to plan your remodel for dry and warmer months.

If your kitchen remodel is taking place entirely inside, weather can still affect your project, but not as much as an outdoor remodel. Bad weather can affect the shipment times of certain materials your contractor plans to use inside, and this can cause a domino effect with the rest of your project.

Limit Mistakes

People make mistakes, and even seasoned professionals aren't immune. A cabinet might be too large for a space, or another box of tile is necessary, or someone cut the crown molding wrong. Since a kitchen remodeling project involves hundreds if not thousands of details, mistakes can happen. Depending upon the severity of the mistake, it can slow down a remodel.

Working with a reputable company, such as Wide Canvas, can minimize the chance of mistakes. Before signing the contract, complete a walk-through of the project before you sign the contract. Make sure the person responsible for managing the construction and applicable tradespeople, such as plumbing, HVAC, and electrical professionals, are in attendance. Depending upon the overall scope of the project, you might want to have a structural engineer and those in charge of the foundation there, too.

Once you're ready to get started on your kitchen remodeling project, reach out to us. Certified interior designer Jackie Lopey and her staff at Wide Canvas can work together to help you plan the kitchen of your dreams.