Blog

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN REMODELING OR BUILDING A NEW HOME OR ADU

Remodeling your existing home, or building a new home or ADU from the ground up,
are all daunting tasks. You will be spending a fair amount of your hard-earned money,
so it’s important that the process rolls out as seamlessly as possible, with very few
hiccups. While it would be near-impossible not to have any surprises, here are a few
tips to help you avoid making some of the most common mistakes.

Having an unrealistic budget:
Renovations always cost more than expected. When you start removing walls or
tearing up floors, there are new discoveries to be made. It’s wise to build an extra 20%
in your budget to cover these unforeseen surprises.

Being too trendy:
Trendy designs always go out of style eventually, and having an outdated design will
hurt the resale value of your home. Good designs transcend the momentary popular
trend and tend to never go out of style. Working with an experienced designer can be a
huge help. Along these same lines, don’t neglect your home’s aesthetic, for example,
trying to turn your cozy Craftsman into a sleek modern vibe. Also pay attention to the
natural environment of where you live and choose an eco-friendly design.

Buying cheap materials
When trying to economize, using sub-standard materials is not the place to scrimp. You
will want your floors, cabinets etc. to last a long time. Using cheap materials means you
will likely be replacing them sooner than you imagined. It’s not worth it in the long run.

Second guessing yourself at every decision (of which you will be making a lot!)
Your initial gut reaction is usually right. If you’ve been thoughtful about putting a good
team together, you can rely on their judgement when you are just not sure.
Not choosing a contractor carefully

This is a big one. You should be interviewing several contractors, reaching out to their
references, looking at their portfolio, and reading their online reviews and client
testimonials. Ask them lots of questions and go over your ideas and plans for your
remodel/build. Price alone is not the sole criteria for determining your choice in who you
go with. You should do your best to find out if they have a reputation for being honest,
reliable, clean, staying in the budget, having good communication skills and being
available for their clients.

While on the topic of contractors, another thing to consider is whether to use a Design-
Build General Contractor, as opposed to a contractor who handles only the construction
part. A design-build company is one that handles the design and construction of a
project under a single contract. They work with the homeowner to create the design,
detailed engineering drawings and specifications. What are some of the advantages of
this type of relationship? The project can move along faster, as some of the design and
construction can happen in parallel. The whole process is streamlined, which usually
means better budget estimates, less risk and fewer mistakes, because you have one
person responsible for the collaboration. A design-build contractor is responsible for the
design, budget, schedule and construction.

RWT Design and Construction is a design-build company. We will oversee the entire
scope of your project, from design and permitting to construction and all needed
inspections. We have an excellent reputation for maintaining good communication with
our clients at all times, making ourselves available for all your questions and concerns.
We will coordinate each step of the process, overseeing all the subcontractors in a
smooth and seamless manner. Nothing makes us happier than helping you turn your
dream home into a reality!