Reality of renos on the clock
Every year around this time I start hearing people say things like, “Let’s renovate the kitchen for the holidays.” They imagine cooking a big holiday feast in a beautiful, newly renovated kitchen.
These discussions are great to get you motivated. But this is just the “dreaming” phase. Reality is a whole other ball game.
I never recommend anyone set a hard deadline — like a holiday — for a renovation to be done. It’s too stressful. Most people think everything will go smoothly. The reality is that things don’t always go according to plan.
Over the last few months we’ve been filming the new series, Holmes Makes It Right. And I’ll tell you, construction and television don’t mix. You’re working with a million different professionals, a million different schedules and a million different products that have their own set of steps to follow.
Then add television to the mix. That’s a whole different world with its own set of rules and deadlines. And sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you plan, your entire project can be thrown off schedule; all it takes is just one more hiccup you discover, like mould or a crumbling foundation. It’s already happened at least a dozen times on the new series.
The only way I can do what I do is with a strong team behind me. I’m lucky. I have an army of people (besides the crew) working to make sure we make both ends meet — television and construction. They’ve worked miracles. But it’s not easy.
Some people think it only takes a couple of days to find a contractor, a week to plan the entire renovation and order materials, and then a couple of weeks to complete the job. Sorry folks. Yes, you can find a contractor in a couple of days; but not the right contractor. Good contractors are busy. Most likely, the right contractor won’t be able to start your project right away. And who do you think is going to be available on short notice? Not the pros.
Things happen. How many times have I gone into a job thinking it’s just a basement and then it turns into a complete gut? If your deadline leaves no room for these kinds of repairs — which must be done — you’re only wasting your money.
Save yourself the stress. Take your time. Do your research. And give yourself enough leeway to make sure your reno is done right the first time. Like the song goes, only fools rush in.