Do you Have What it Takes to Live in a Construction Zone?
January 27, 2008 4:42 pm Lake Murray, Midlands, Richland, activity, ballentine, blythewood, chapin, columbia, cow lady, home, home owner, house, irmo, jeffcoat, kathy smith, maintenance, problems, real estate, realtor, repair, russell, sc, seller, selling, south carolina, things to do
For many of us in Columbia, South Carolina, we are thinking of the spring early. Since we aren’t locked indoors due to snow, cold or other inclement weather, those of us in South Carolina get to enjoy a temperate climate (and the potential to work year round on construction projects). The question remains, though…do YOU have what it takes to live in a construction zone? According to Carol Isaak Barden, it takes patience and a high level of tolerance to get through it with sanity.
“Renovation is much more than the sum of its frustrating parts,” says Carol. “It’s like a marriage — more trouble than anyone lets on, but there are possibilities for true happiness.” After barely surviving her first sizable home renovation, style diva and world traveler Carol Isaak Barden added builder to her resume. Read on for her tips on avoiding costly mistakes and maintaining sanity along the way.
| by Carol Isaak Barden content from Southern Accents In 1998, I proceeded to destroy an entirely adequate kitchen. I also decided — as long as we were making a mess — to update the lighting, paint every room in the house, and tear out two bathrooms. We sank power saws into my bedroom to add more storage and trashed the landscaping to add outdoor lighting, a sprinkler system, and pricey old-growth trees.Suddenly, it was not the hair-and-cosmetics type of renovation I had anticipated but the total rip-it-all-out destruction known as the “gut job.”A year and more than $150,000 later, my house was stripped down to the studs, and I was  living in an apartment. Not only was my house in shambles, but so was my budget.
I’d made every mistake in the book. I didn’t get multiple bids; in fact, I didn’t get any bids. There was no contract, there was no construction schedule, there was no hard-and-fast budget, and my contractor was already hammering nails before I got his final guesstimate, a useless number that allowed him to get his foot in my door. Since this was to have been a simple renovation, there were no architectural plans or construction documents. We relied on napkin drawings and figured things out as we went along — not such a good idea. Of course, the guesstimate didn’t begin to include all the add-ons, while-you’re-at-its, and changed orders. Renovations have a way of getting out of control — and it wasn’t long before my bottom line was swimming in a sea of red ink. There were an infinite number of reasons why the project was delayed — from no-show workers to European plumbing fixtures tied up in customs. Everything took longer than expected, and because my job had a lot of moving parts, there were more potential sticking points. Every time I left town, my overworked contractor went to work for someone else. I finally got the job done, and the house looked great and was published in Southern Accents, but it cost three times my original budget. You would think that after all of this, I wouldn’t go near another construction site, but just three years after my disastrous renovation experience, I launched a company that builds contemporary spec homes in Houston. For me, a job site is like a fatal attraction. I have now built 12 homes and learned hard lessons about how to hire the right contractor, how to bid and stay on a budget, and how to lure the city’s finest subcontractors to my projects. Renovation is much more than the sum of its frustrating parts. It’s like a marriage — more trouble than anyone lets on, but there are possibilities for true happiness. In fact, I long for the day when I have my very own sledgehammer. WHAT I’VE LEARNED · When is it charming? When is it hopeless? Know exactly what you’re doing before you start tearing the place apart. · Interview contractors carefully. Don’t hire anyone who has declared bankruptcy. Check references and the business history. Go see their work. Ask for written proof that he or she is licensed and has adequate insurance. Architects and designers are good sources for contractors. · To find out what it will cost to pull your vision together, get at least three bids. · Make a hard-and-fast budget. Make them sign a contract. · Start with a plan — drawings and specifications. Eliminate all ambiguous guesstimates. Contract documents should spell out every material and product, including model numbers, colors, and installation methods. · Be sure that the chemistry is right. Don’t work with people who discourage you from asking questions. · Don’t take the lowest bid without understanding what corners may be cut to allow the lower pricetag. · So you were planning to go to Europe while the work happens? Think about this carefully. Renovation involves nasty surprises. When something unexpected crops up, the homeowner needs to make decisions on the spot. · Don’t try to rush the job because the finishes will tell the tale. Only fools rush craftsmen and artisans. · To maintain your sanity, don’t plan your life around an official completion date. It’s certain to be delayed, thanks in part to the many changes you will make. · Remember, renovation is like an addiction. People become insane. Couples fight. It’s normal. RESOURCES: Carol Isaak Barden, 713/520-5145, www.carolisaakbarden.com. Your “No Bull” Realtor,
Kathy Smith |
