Solid planning key to successful home renovations
Points to consider for your next project
Are you planning to have your kitchen redone or your basement finished by the end of the year? Then now is the perfect time to start preparing for your renovation.
First, you need to articulate your goals for the renovation and develop a clear description of what you want to change. What are your priorities and what items would be nice to have if your budget allows? Involve everyone in your home in the discussion, so you have a complete picture of what is needed.
Your next step is to find a professional renovator who will guide you through the process. Here’s where starting your planning early is an advantage, because good renovators get booked up months in advance. Look for a renovator who is a member of BILD’S Renomark program, which means that they have committed to the Renomark code of conduct and BILD’S code of ethics. To find a Renomark renovator, visit Renomark.ca.
While price is an important consideration when choosing a renovator, experience, construction schedule and references are just as crucial. Be sure to check three references to get a good understanding of how the company operates.
Your professional renovator may bring in a designer or architect and together you will work through your project outline and create plans and specifications. These will serve as the basis for a budget estimate and will give you an idea of the building permits and approvals you will need. Obtaining permits and approvals can take many weeks and even months — another reason it’s smart to start the process now.
Once you are comfortable with the preliminary design, budget, and timetable, you’re ready to draw up a written contract with your renovator, setting out the precise scope of the work, the price, a schedule of payments, a reasonable timetable for completing the work, product-specific details and a warranty clause. You may want to have the contract reviewed by a lawyer.
Renomark renovators provide a contract for all projects. It’s best to avoid renovators who offer to work without a contract, even if they promise to skip the HST or offer another incentive. They may not be paying workers’ compensation or carry adequate insurance, leaving you at financial risk.
For more information about various aspects of renovation, be sure to visit Renomark.ca and read the articles in our Ask a Renovator series. By starting your research and planning early, you will have your renovator team selected, contract signed, and permits and approvals in place by the time renovation season returns.
Dave Wilkes is President and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), the voice of the home building, land development and professional renovation industry in the GTA. For the latest industry news and new home data, visit www.bildgta.ca.