How you can minimize the problems associated with a home construction project- part 1

How you can minimize the problems associated with a home construction project from Jeffrey Veffer on Vimeo.

 

Click below to listen!

The first step to minimize problems on your home construction project is to understand that pretty much all construction problems can be reduced to issues of money or communication.

With money it comes down to who will be paying it. It’s either your money or the contractor’s (and or his subcontractor’s.) This also applies to finishes where you could choose the $3 tile or the $10 tile.  Or maybe the $10,000 paint job or the $20,000 paint job. If money was not an issue the vast majority of problems would disappear, because you would simply buy your way out of any mistakes, compromises or misunderstandings. But in our experience money is an issue regardless of your wealth or budget.

 If you are dreaming about a $50,000 renovation, you are probably going to see a $75,000 project. And if you are dreaming about a $5 million home, you are probably designing a $7 million project that has gone over budget. Its human nature – people dream about houses just beyond their means or budgets.

If you want to control the budget, you have to control your appetite. You have to be disciplined. Set a budget, then set a contingency over that budget and adhere to it. Budgets usually don’t go over because of one item. They deteriorate incrementally. A $100 extra here, a $500 unknown condition there.  You might be tempted to say, “Now that the doors are in, we really need better hardware.” If you don’t control the budget, no one else will. Spending more is okay if you can afford it; but if you can’t, just say no. Your budget will thank you in the end.