Remodeling your home can either be an exciting or stressful experience for the family. The good news is after it is completed, it is definitely one of the most fulfilling achievements you will ever make. However, the time it takes between tearing down walls, ceilings, flooring, and carpets and getting the newly refurbished home of your dreams is often a trying process, with many problems that can pop up at any time along the way. While these problems are not without solutions, they are often situations that can be avoided. Once a homeowner is made aware of the common remodeling problems that he or she can encounter, he or she has the advantage of being prepared for the circumstances. Better yet, awareness means the possibility of avoiding these problems altogether.
Here are the five most common problems that a remodeling project usually encounters.
- Hidden problems.
More often than not, once you have started the renovation project on your home, problem areas that you never knew existed start showing up one by one. Problems such as electrical wiring, plumbing, asbestos, poor foundation, and dry rot are among the problems that are revealed once the walls, floors, and ceilings are stripped away. These are important items to consider and need to be given special attention.
- Going over budget.
Almost all remodeling projects have gone over budget in one way or the other. This is mostly due to the hidden problems that need to be addressed along the way. That is why in setting a budget for home remodeling projects, it is often advised that you set aside at least 20% of your original budget as a buffer fund. This is to account for costs that come in higher than you have budgeted, or for additional expenses that you have not prepared for but need to make.
- Inaccurate measurements.
Ever had a closet door that won’t close? Or sat on a toilet where your knees hit the wall facing you? These are problems that are caused by measurements that went wrong. The rule “measure twice, cut once” should always be kept in mind especially if you choose to DIY some of your remodeling projects. Or, better yet, leave the measuring and cutting to the experts, like us.
- Avoiding builders and contractors.
You might think that you will save more by working on the project yourself. However, if you are not really an expert in wiring, plumbing, tile installation, etc., you may just end up incurring more expenses than if you hired a builder in the first place. You need the experts to work for you if you want your dream home to be perfect, or at least without problems.
- Taking longer than expected.
Prior to starting your remodeling project, you should have a written timeline of your project. Set milestones so that you can tick off the main parts that you have accomplished so far. Always know when to expect your contractors to finish with their part of the work. This will enable you to monitor the schedule if they are going overtime. Exceeding your projected timeline will also result in added expenses. It is better to keep track of your timeline as you go along the way.
These are just some of the most common remodeling problems that you can expect to encounter. Preparing for them beforehand will help you better deal with them, if not avoid them altogether.
