Find the best construction contractors and renovation experts to create a thorough plan so they can perform: a good, local Contractor will under promise and over deliver and will be very collaborative.
Getting Started
Find a competent professional Contractor like Rycraft Construction, Ottawa, that you can trust and get advice on where to start. You might be surprised; a professional contractor can tell you how to save money by sequencing the work for efficiency and identify where tasks should be done concurrently to save on materials and labour. They can help with guidance on where you can save money, making suggestions for options you never would have thought of. They can also guide you based on the complexity and the nuances of your project if you will require any other professionals such as designers, architects and or engineers.
Creating a Scope or Work
To create a plan that you can be confident in and a plan that will have minimize changes, start with a Scope of Work. Changes to your plan usually create more cost and it can be unnecessarily messy. Consider for your construction or renovation project that all of the drywall work has been finished and then you decide you want 5 more sockets, three more light switches and because of the new light fixture that you just bought, the electrical feed needs to be relocated. The drywall work starts again and more drywall dust.
Live in the house for a few months before you do any renovation and construction changes. You need to get a feel for how you live in the space before you make changes. Take notes about things that annoy you like light switches in the wrong place, not enough lighting or not enough space to name a few considerations. Consider the small details like an extra socket on the bathroom vanity.
If you might want to change the layout, I suggest measuring each and every room, window, and doorway, and sketching them on graph paper. Make copies of your plan so you can start fiddling with the design. As you live in the house, you’ll come up with changes that didn’t occur to you at first. On a recent project, our scaled graph paper handwritten plan made the owner realize that the new freestanding soaker tub could be repositioned making a more spacious layout. Now that you have made your notes, some sketches and you have reviewed and reconsidered what the scope of your renovation is, determine if you can complete plan yourself or do you need outside resources like a designer and or an architect? Some people can and enjoy the process and others are not confident in some or all aspects or do not have the time. At Rycraft Construction, we have a whole team of collaborative designers, architects, project managers to take care of all your renovation project needs.
Creating the Plan
The best renovation plans should ideally outline the goals, budget, timeline, and desired outcomes. A Designer or an Architect may or may not be required if you have the design skills and the time to consider and select all the design oriented materials. If in doubt, ask for advice from your trusted Contractor and if need be, they can refer you to the professionals that are required. Either way, make sure that your plan is complete with the details required to keep work moving:
- Pick all your materials, finishes and appliances/fixtures: do all of your selections fit within your budget? Know the lead-times, it is frustrating for all involved when work is stalled for a purchase that could have been made earlier. Have you considered everything you will need?
- Consult with your Contractor to determine what permits maybe required.
- Consult with your Contractor to determine the work sequence. Determine if you will live in the house during renovations and if so, what portions of the space will be unusable while the work is in process.Before you make any purchases, have a full plan in place for the entire space. By this point, you will have a solid budget for the project and you will be able plan your purchases based on the project schedule. Let Rycraft Construction, Ottawa help you create your full plan from scratch. With our years of experience and expertise in the construction industry we have been continuously testified as one of the best construction companies in Ottawa by our numerous clients.
Executing the Renovations
If your renovation involves removing structural walls or headers a good contractor will know how to do the work and will create a sketch but consult an engineer for sign off and certification about how the loads should be managed. Most Contractors have structural engineers that they work with, and the Contractor will know if an engineer should be involved. It is not terribly expensive to involve an engineer when the Contractor proposes the solution with a sketch for the engineer to review and stamp but upon resale, it will give the new buyer comfort. Take lots of pictures to show how the work was done and along with the engineering plan, a new buyer will be confident that the work was done properly.
If there is electrical work that involves new circuits and additional lighting the work should be inspected by the appropriate local authority.
After all drywall work has been completed, look at the work carefully using different lights, at different times of the day and with spotlights that you can move over the surface of the work. These deficiencies are difficult to see but easy to fix and they need to be fixed before paint.
Admire Your Results
Spend lots of time creating a thorough ‘scope of work’, develop a plan and work the plan; amazing results will follow and you will be much happier with the end result!
For any Construction and Renovation related inquiries, feel free to reach out to one of the best construction company in Ottawa, Rycraft Construction, at contact@rycraft.ca and get your free consultation today!
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