Residential Remodeling Checklist

Residential remodeling is a huge, stressful operation. There are so many things to juggle around when you undertake residential remodeling that a checklist is absolutely vital. It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing the work yourself or having a contractor do it; you will still need a checklist. It’s possibly the most valuable document you’ll have regarding your project because you can use it to keep track of every aspect of the work.

Legal

Before you can start residential remodeling, you need to take care of all official paperwork. For this, you will need a separate checklist. If you require building permits for your work, make sure that everything is in order and that you have the necessary plans and the final clearance.

It’s vital that you keep this side of things updated, including having the building inspector in to check the work as it progresses section by section. If you don’t do this, you could face legal problems regarding your residential remodeling.

Contractor

If you’re using a contractor for your residential remodeling project, you will need a checklist for him. Before hiring a contractor, obtain at least 3 estimates on the job. Obtain references and follow through on contacting them. Make a list of all the things you need on a contract including the finish date and any penalties if the job isn’t completed on time. you must also consider insurance, costs and materials. You should review the contract as the job progresses to ensure everything is still going smoothly.

You should also do this with any subcontractors you use if you are managing the job yourself. This can include plumbers and electricians. By keeping track of their progress, you can keep the job on time and to budget.

Materials

If you’re doing the work yourself, you will need to break up the checklist for each individual job. List materials you need and check when they’re ordered and delivered; this will be handy if someone doesn’t deliver on time or is short on items in a delivery. Unless you’re only undertaking a small residential remodeling project, just order enough materials for one job at a time. This way. you won’t have excessive amounts of materials sitting around before you need them. This helps you keep a closer eye on your inventory of materials and will allow you to adjust as you need.

Finish areas one by one and check off the tasks as you complete them. Be sure to list small parts of your project sequentially to keep them in order. This takes planning on your part but it will pay off in the long run. It guarantees that nothing is forgotten and helps you keep track of the proper order in which to do things.

For a large residential remodeling, this will be a long list. However, the time you take writing it will prove to be an investment in itself as it will help keep you on track with every aspect of the project.

Timetable

Part of a checklist is an effective timetable, especially if there is a time limit on your residential remodeling project. This is particularly useful if you need to be finished before winter arrives. By having times by which each job must be completed, you can see if you’re on schedule or running behind. This can be applied to yourself or to your contractors.