A home remodeling or renovation project is not as easy as it may sound. Renovating a building is not simply all about how it will look or function, but most importantly you have to consider what kind of materials are used during the renovation, how are you going to deal with your suppliers and contractors, etc. These of course will be handled by the person who will supervise the project. Thus before a renovation project starts, one of the most important decisions to be made is who will manage the project.
You can either employ a professional who will do the work or alternatively, you can handle the project yourself. If you opt to manage the work yourself, make sure that you have sufficient experience to deal with this. According to Gail La Grouw, the following are some common mistakes done by owners who have decided to take over the role of managing the renovation project themselves,
1. Inadequate Planning
Creating a good plan is a crucial part of your role as a project manager. The success of the project largely depend on this. Your plan must include as much detail as possible. You have to consider planning for contingencies as well.
2. Poor Materials Management
Purchasing of the appropriate materials at the right time is a huge job during renovation. Think about this job properly, as it can be the reason of delay to your schedule. You can also incur extra cost if you do not have your materials at the right time.
3. Poor Record Keeping
Lodge everything particularly things that have to do with funds. Record keeping must be completed everyday. You certainly will leave out something in your list if you do it in an inconsistent way. Record keeping will also let you know precisely where you are in terms of time and dollars against the plan specification.
4. Not Managing The Work Site
Most subcontractors are seeking to reduce cost by disregarding a number of regulations and workplace safety items. This is a bad thing of course. Make sure that there is a proper insurance for their area of work.
5. Poor Communication
As home owners are not that familiar with terms being used for renovation, miscommunication can occur along the way. Make sure that when you do not understand things, clear it up, but never loose your confidence in front of your contractors of course.
6. Poor Change Management Control
All changes made during the renovation process must be documented and sign off.
7. Not Keeping Check of the Budget
Watch your budget, as most projects will overrun the initial estimate, make sure to add some percentage of your budget for your contingency plans.
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