There is a great deal involved in a remodeling project. Many things must be considered.

Starting Point

You must first decide what it is you want to do. Many homeowners do not hire an architect to draw plans for their projects, however some type of plan must be in place. Without careful planning the door is open for mistakes and misunderstandings between the client and contractor. This must be avoided where possible. Then make arrangements for funding your project. If you know exactly what you can spend, you will be able to choose your particulars and plan your project accordingly.

Hiring a Contractor

Next you must find a contractor that is qualified for your type of project. The single most important thing I have found homeowners fail to do is follow up on a contractors references. Would you hire a baby-sitter without knowing something about them? you may also want to check with the local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau for complaints. Check them out! It's your right and it's cheap insurance.

Get an estimate on paper, the more detailed the better. Sometimes homeowners shop contractors by price instead of credibility. Saying this, if you do not get an itemized estimate, listing the particulars of your project and their cost you are going into your project blindly as is the contractor. Many contractors do work by the square foot. I've never understood this concept, it makes no sense at all. Every job is different and deserves an itemized estimate all its own. Whomever you choose, get a contract, detailed about what is and is not included in the price and a payment schedule. This could keep misunderstandings from occuring.
Rule of Thumb, "If it is not in black and white, don't expect it!"
This is your home and your project not the contractors, Get what you want on paper, verbal agreementsare worth the paper they are written on and can be forgotten or disputed.

Preparing the Home and Family

No matter how large or small the project may be, you can be sure that you and your family will be incovienienced one way or another. Most likely there will be dust and debris, etc. The contractor should do his part to keep this at a minimum. Also, there is always some type of danger where construction is present, Keep Children and Pets Out of the Work Area at all times. I would suggest that any valuables (such things as family heirlooms, glass objects, easily broken items, personal items, etc.) be moved to a safe location by yourself if possible. While your contractor will most likely be as careful as he can, accidents can and do occur.

If you are doing a kitchen or bath remodel, you could have to live without that particular luxury for a time. Prepare an area to set up a temporary cooking space and a place for the icebox during this time. KFC works good too! The bathroom could prove more difficult to deal with if you only have one. Careful planning will help in the downtime of your bath, depending on the extent of your project.

Make sure you and the contractor have an agreement on clean up and debris removal. Many times homeowners don't want to pay the contractor for clean up or debris removal. I personally disagree with this, It is always best if we clean the job daily and have a dumpster to put debris in as we go. However, we will and have allowed the homeowner to take this responsibility themselves, It is not as easy as one may think, a great deal of debris can be accumalted in a short time especially during demolition.