Turn on almost any channel and at one time of day or other, you can find a home renovation, do it yourself TV show. This show is on for about an hour, including commercials, or sometimes even half hour. Of course they aren’t going to show the months that went into the actual job, because unless it is time compressed, no one would sit and watch the whole show. The problem is, when people try to learn from these shows they assume, this is how it’s done.

No one can predict with certainty how long a renovation will take. A small job could finish in a day, or go so wrong that it takes many weeks. Minimal surprises require hours of planning. The sketch and design part of the renovation can take weeks, something many homeowners don’t understand from watching a television show. The more time put into planning, the easier the task will go once it starts.

These televisions shows also do not show the patience required. Once the design part is done, getting all the materials for the custom job can take weeks. Parts end up back ordered, missing, or sometimes even broken in shipping. Realise that once it is decided to renovate, to when renovations actually start, can be months.

Even with meticulous planning, surprises will still occur. However, sometimes it is possible to plan for a surprise. If the home is older, count on a few unforeseen circumstances. If the parts wanted for the kitchen, is only available at one store, count on some wait time.

Contractors should not be a surprise though. Take time to thoroughly interview potential contractors. Ask to see pictures of contracts previously completed and don’t be shy about asking for references. A contractor, who is above board, is usually quite proud, and eager to show off the past jobs they’ve completed. If you have an older home, ask about the oldest home they worked on, and what were the issues involved with it.

A common problem with home renovations is that many homeowners leave it completely in the contractor’s hands. Every so often, take the time to look over the progress that has been made so far. Take notes, and anything that you don’t understand, ask questions. This isn’t to say get in the way, peeking over their shoulder, but taking the time to ask a few questions before the job is finished, saves on any confusion.

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