DEAR TIM: We are getting ready to do a major remodeling of
our kitchen. We want to eliminate delays so that we can use our kitchen again as
soon as possible. What steps can we take to achieve this goal? Q.
T.
DEAR Q. T.: In a nutshell, you must do extensive
'preplanning' and scheduling of materials shipments and workers to eliminate
delays. It is possible to eliminate delays, however, your planning must be
flawless.
The first step is to make sure that you have an excellent
set of drawings for your project. Your contractor and his sub-contractors
will rely on these documents heavily. If there is an error on the plans you will
have a delay. I guarantee it.
Before any work begins, you must request from your contractor a very
detailed schedule of how long each aspect of the job will take. There are
many aspects to the job, so make sure that they are all listed. Make a separate
list of all the materials you intend to use for your job. You must pre-select
every item. Remember, some items will have to be ordered.
Ask each
supplier how long it will take to obtain each item. Add a minimum of 3 days to
whatever you are told. Request order confirmations from all suppliers, because ,
believe me, people forget to order things. Make repeated follow-up phone calls
to insure that things are on schedule.
How would you like me to build your new home? It's probably impossible for me to
fit your job into my schedule, but I will gladly share hundreds of my tricks and
building secrets with you and your builder. Check out my
New House Specifications.
After you have all of this
information, you must create a simple time line chart showing when each aspect
of the job will occur. You must prepare this chart, because each sub-contractor
and material supplier will need to see when his services or goods are required.
Distribute a copy of this chart to all parties and ask them if it is reasonable.
If they agree, cross your fingers and hope for the best. Remember, once the
project is underway, make frequent reminder calls to all suppliers and workers
to keep your project fresh in their minds.
No builder or designer's
library should be without
Adding to a House written by Philip
Wenz. Here is the ideal book for designers and builders who understand basic
construction but have not had access to a single source of information that
covers the entire process of planning, designing and building an addition.
Adding to a House is also perfect for home owners who intend to
contract the work out and want to understand the process so they can make
intelligent decisions and work effectively with people they hire. This book will
help you avoid costly mistakes, make sure no potential problems are overlooked
and handle tricky construction details. By following the advice in this book
designers, builders and home owners will be able to create an addition that
solves space problems and increase the value of a house. This book is published
by Taunton Press, one of my favorite book publishers, and has wonderful color
photographs and easily understood illustrations.
