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Adventures in Remodeling, Part 1
© L.C. Dumke
Sep 18, 2001
When I told people what I had planned for this summer, a wash of sympathy would come over their faces. "You're . . . REMODELING? Oh my, aren't you brave. Well I'm sure it'll go just GREAT" some would add, although their expressions indicated they didn't really think that at all.
Others were more direct in predicting what life in my house would be like. "Oh it's going to be awful!" some said, while others just gasped. A few even had remodeling-related horror stories. "The contractor knocked out a wall and the roof caved in. Apparently it was one of the walls that held up the entire middle of my friend's house" one said, while another acquaintance reported that he had to hire a second contractor just to fix the numerous problems the first one had created. Yep, it was pretty clear that most of my friends and family members thought I was in for a not-so-pleasant month. I marched on blissfully ignorant because of the carrot dangled before me, the reason I was subjecting myself to all of this madness: a new kitchen. Undaunted by the nay sayers, we embarked on our remodeling adventure in early August. Our project included new flooring, major changes to the kitchen, the removal of two walls, exterior painting, interior painting, and several smaller tasks, such as new lighting fixtures in a few rooms. Despite all odds, we lived through the more-or-less problem free event, and our home is now everything we thought it could be. Was the process smooth and neat and without a hitch? Well, of course not! But the process was, compared to many of the stories I've heard, one of the smoother remodeling experiences most people have heard about. It was also full of learning opportunities for me -- I learned a lot about the remodeling process, contractors, and even a little about human nature. And I'm here to share it all with you all, just in case you're interested:
- Select a contractor you know personally, or one who is recommended. I once hired an unknown painter who finished half the job, got half the pay, and never returned after lunch. (It's been five years, so I'm pretty sure he's not coming back.) I have a feeling if I saw him at church or school or at the gym each week, he probably wouldn't have bolted without a word because the embarrassment of seeing me often would be too much to bear. So this time around, I went with a familiar face. Our contractor's daughter had been a classmate of my son's for several years, and I knew his wife well. I also knew he'd won several awards for his work, that he lived very close by, and was well-respected in the local business community. As far as recommendations go, ask around and you'll find someone in your neighborhood or office or kids' school that has had a least a little work done on their home. (Make sure to ask people who they wouldn't use again, as well.)
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