The Low-Stress Home Renovation

Research Contractors

Don’t just hire a contractor because of a television ad or a sign on a front yard. Call references, get bids and visit your local courthouse to see if your contractor of choice has been sued recently. And when you interview, consider your contractor’s personality. After all, you’ll be working closely with him for a while.

Finding a contractor who offers guarantees can also bring peace of mind. “Our company has a guaranteed construction completion date,” says Max Christenbury, senior vice president of Bryant Phillips Associates in Apex, N.C., which specializes in fire- and water-damage related restoration. “If it’s not finished in six months, we pay additional housing expenses.”

Budget Concerns

No matter how old or young your home, there are secrets lurking behind its walls. And once a contractor taps into those secrets, your costs will go up. Mold, radon, water damage, and plumbing or electrical lines that need replacing all are costs you have no choice but to incur if you want to get the project done.

“You have to assume that you are going to be anywhere from 10 to 20 percent over budget,” says psychologist Leslie Beth Wish, Ed. D., who has completed two home renovations and two constructions. “If you can come in under 10 percent, you are doing really good.”

Avoid the “you might as well” trap, Dr. Wish says. You’re putting in a new bathroom, so “you might as well” get the whirlpool tub. Ask yourself: Is this something you really need? Will this tub keep you up at night with worry as dollar figures run through your mind? If so, it’s not worth the stress toll.