The Top 5 Questions You Should Be Asking Before Starting Your Home Remodel
Thinking of remodeling your home? You’ve come to the right place! Most people have never experienced a home remodel before, and it’s natural to have many questions before embarking on what is most likely one of the most expensive (yet exciting) experiences in your life. Questions are your best tool for avoiding surprises, protecting investments, and ensuring the finished space fits your lifestyle. Over the years, we’ve noticed that most homeowners focus on a familiar set of questions, such as cost, timeline, inclusions, and whether there’s a need to move out. These are, of course, very important and ones you should still be asking, but people sometimes skip over other, equally crucial ones. Keep reading to learn the top five additional questions you should ask your builder before you begin a home renovation project.
Monroe First Floor Remodel, Photography by Marina Porl
1. How do you handle surprises behind the walls?
Despite careful planning and inspecting before work begins, you never know what’s behind a wall until you open it up. You may discover structural issues, outdated wiring, or hidden damage, especially in the older homes typical of Massachusetts’s North Shore. A solid plan ensures these are addressed efficiently and safely.
If you need additional work to complete your remodel, BLB will create a change order for your project. Change orders are unforeseen work, such as rotted beams, foundation issues, double walls and ceilings, and water or insect damage, that must be addressed to continue with the original scope of work.
2. What’s your process if I change my mind about something mid-project?
Even well-planned projects can evolve, whether due to a desire to change a design element or expand upon the original scope of work. Before starting a project, learning how these client-driven changes, known as work orders, are documented, priced, and approved to avoid last-minute stress or unexpected bills is essential.
BLB will always provide an estimated cost for the additional work. Once approved, we can begin the work or change order tasks. Payments for work orders and change orders vary depending on the type of contract your project has. If you have a fixed price contract, work and change orders are billed separately from progress payments and are due when you sign the approval. If you have a cost-plus contract, work and change orders are included in the bi-weekly invoices of costs-to-date.
Pro Tip: Any design changes you make will likely impact the timeline and budget. Keep this in mind before finalizing any work orders.
Wilson Addition, Photography by Freebird Photography
3. Who will be my point of contact during construction?
From the estimator and project manager to the lead carpenter and subcontractors, many people are involved in bringing your dream home to life. Knowing who controls daily operations helps ensure clear communication, especially when you have a question or issue.
Once your project has begun, your main point of contact at BLB will be your project manager. The project manager will schedule bi-weekly meetings at the start of your project. These in-person or virtual meetings offer updates on the previous week’s progress, the upcoming schedule, and any outstanding questions. You should contact the project manager directly for assistance if a question or issue arises that needs immediate attention.
4. What’s your warranty on workmanship?
Quality craftsmanship should come with a guarantee. A strong warranty shows confidence in the work and protects you long-term. At BLB, we offer a one-year warranty on all projects, regardless of size, that protects the work included in your scope. If you have an issue with another area in your home that we didn’t touch or experience user-error-based damage (e.g., breaking a window), this would fall outside your warranty and would be billed separately.
North Reading Family Home, Photography by Freebird Photography
5. How will you protect my home during construction?
Construction projects are messy and involve many different people entering your home. From floor coverings to dust barriers to site security, these details make the remodel experience far less stressful. Depending on the size and room location of the project, you may want to consider living elsewhere during construction. Our sales team will discuss this during the design and scope phases.
All our projects include floor and dust projection to keep your home as clean as possible. For clients living in the house during a kitchen renovation, we can also install a temporary kitchen to keep your daily life as stress-free as possible. We also include a lockbox at each site so your home is always secured, and only authorized contractors and subcontractors can enter. Remember, if you choose to live in your home during construction, it can be loud, messy, and sometimes disruptive. Consider these factors and how much they will affect your quality of life before deciding to stay on site.
While knowing the answers to questions like cost and timeline are essential to understand the basic details of your project, these five give you a deeper understanding of how your contractor works and whether they are a good fit. Knowing these answers before you start a project will help set expectations and minimize surprises during the process. Clear communication is essential during any home remodel, and we pride ourselves on being as transparent as possible. When you ask the right questions, you’re not just building a beautiful new space but setting the foundation for a successful project and a stress-free process.
Are you ready to start building your dream home? Connect with us, and let’s create something extraordinary together.
