Before undergoing a home renovation, remodel or construction job on your home, we would like to share some of the most common headaches homeowners face when work is done on their homes and how to avoid them:

1. Delays. When you get your bid to take a look at the timeline. Does it look too good to be true? Contractors who promise to get the job done quickly often find ways to shortcut the job they do. Look at the average amount of time the bids you get an estimate and add on a little time. If the contractor is promising a second story addition will only take a month, be suspicious.

2. Miscommunication. Not everyone is a communication expert but your general contractor should be. It is his or her job to coordinate who is going to be working and when. They should be able to let you know when your project is going to be done, how much it’s going to cost, and what to expect along the way, such as whether or not the home is going to be habitable during the process, whether or not the weather will affect the job and more. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask and don’t leave until you have your questions answered to your satisfaction.

3. Something doesn’t look right. If during the construction or remodel process, something you asked for doesn’t look right or look the way you thought it would address the problem with your general contractor as soon as possible. Changes can be made, but the further along the in the process it is, the more expensive it will be to make adjustments or come up with new solutions. Remember, this is your home, you have to live here so make sure you like where you live.

4. And, and, and….Sometimes it’s easy to get carried away, adding little details here and there along the way. If you want additional work or details added, know that this will take time, increase costs and delay the finish time. Most general contractors are willing to do what it takes to make their customers happy, so if you ask for it, you’ll get it, but know that there is probably a price attached.

If you have questions about home remodels or the home construction process, don’t hesitate to call SoCal Construction & Design. Our goal is to keep our customers happy through honest, prompt and courteous service.