Do You Know Who Your Remodeling Contractor Is...or Was?

Let's face it, the economy is pretty grim right now. For the first time in awhile, we are in a recession, and the construction industry started feeling the pain early last year. New home building has slowed tremendously. This has prompted many new home builders and specialty contractors to jump into the remodeling game. But can non-remodelers really be good remodeling contractors?

Maybe, maybe not. Here are the top 5 reasons why remodeling a home is quite different than new construction or specialty remodeling, and mistakes that non-remodelers make when converting over to remodeling during ‘bad times':

1. Builders and specialty contractors do not typically work with clients in their homes on a daily basis. Remodelers ‘work' in the clients' home. In new construction, everything can run like clockwork when real life is not getting in the way. There are less surprises and no one is trying to live in the space or around it at the end of the day. On the flip side, remodeling contractors have lots of interaction with the clients every day. Good remodelers are gifted with clients and enjoy counseling them through the heart wrenching process of tearing up one's home and putting it back together in an improved way.
2. Changing an existing space, and creating a space are two totally different things. It's kind of like building roads in Arizona vs the west hills of Portland. In Arizona, there is a lot of flat land and roads can be built in a large grid. There are not many obstacles to that grid. In the west hills of Portland, there are differing elevations and existing historical houses, so all of the roads have to circumvent these obstacles. It's the same with new construction versus remodeling. Working with an existing space and making it different takes a certain finesse that good remodelers have to have.
3. Builders like to build and specialty contractors are skilled at their specialty. Generally speaking, remodelers love to take an existing space and make it better. Builders chose their original line of work also for a reason; they love to build things from scratch. Specialty contractors are skilled plumbers, electricians, tilers, woodworkers and floor layers. Do you want the company remodeling your house that had a different business model 6 months ago, and is just doing remodeling because business is slow in their specialty? How will these types of businesses support any of your warranty repairs if they've moved onto another business model in the future? A good remodeling contracting company has business processes centered on remodeling, including a warranty program, and has years of proven experience in remodeling.
4. Is the price really the final price of the job? The true costs of remodeling are rarely understood by builders and specialty contractors up front, and jobs are more likely to be priced incorrectly. At best, this could lead to increased number of change orders, increased project cost and time delays, or worse ‘bailout' on the project by the builder-turned-remodeler. Remodelers are experienced at pricing remodeling jobs and are more accurate in their pricing structures. Accuracy up front benefits everyone involved.
5. Surprises happen in remodeling. In an existing space, anything can happen. The floor is pulled up and ‘surprise!' - dry rot. Not something that typically happens in new construction. Remodelers are used to handling these surprises; in fact they are not surprises to them but an accepted reality of remodeling. Remodelers are more likely to counsel the homeowner ahead of time on possible surprises, even if they feel that there is only a small chance of something behind the walls or under the floor.

So what does this mean for you, the homeowner? How can you ensure that your remodeling contractor has the experience to be in your home, let alone remodel it?

• Ensure that your remodeler has years of experience in remodeling. Look at what the company's core business has been in the last two to three years, have they been remodeling, or was most of their work in only one area or did they only build new houses? Check the Construction Contractors Board and Better Business Bureau records. Get references for past and current clients and actually call them. Ask specific questions about how client meetings were handled during the project and how the job site was handled on a daily basis. Sometimes these experiences can be like pregnancy and childbirth for the homeowner - the pain of the process completely forgotten when they see their brand new baby, er, kitchen. But with some digging you will begin to hear what the daily experience was like for them. Do you want to have the same experience?
• Ask your remodeler if they are members in any remodeling-specific organizations. An experienced remodeler in Oregon will be in the Oregon Remodeler's Association (ORA) and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). These organizations are experienced with the specific challenges that occur in the remodeling industry. Even better, one or more members of their company may even be working toward their Certified Remodeler or Certified Kitchen and Bath certifications.
• Lastly and probably most important, observe how your prospective remodeler interacts with you and answers your questions. Are they really listening to you and hearing what you envision for your new space? Are they willing to do research on any of your ideas and come back to you with detailed explanations? Do they have knowledge to even answer some of your questions off the top of their head? Or are they poo pooing your dream to have your master bedroom a certain way, are they really attempting to listen?

Very few builders or specialty contractors will be able to pull off remodeling with the skill of an experienced remodeling contractor. Many remodelers can deliver great projects in the end, but few can handle the process itself with complete finesse. Do you want your home and life to be part of an ‘experiment' in business processes for a non-remodeling company, or do you want to hire an experienced remodeling contractor?

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