This column was a special request from my editor for a home improvement supplement that was published 4/18/08.
If, in my perfect fantasy world, a renovation expert walked into my house and said I had no choice but to make any and all changes I’d want to my home, and start making them immediately, and budget was no object, I wouldn’t know where to start.
Do I pull out every magazine picture of my so-called perfect home that I’ve been saving since I was 10 years old and start as far back as 1970? Maybe I’m over avocado shag carpet. I was only five, after all. I remember thinking that green shag carpet was as cool as living on a big field of grass. Maybe I should throw that picture out and start with something more recent.
I would like to think that I can do the renovations myself because I can be crafty. IKEA and Allen wrenches taught me that, as did all the fabulous DIY shows that grace our television channels. But even I know there’s only so much I can do with an Allen wrench, glue gun, can of spray paint and roll of duct tape. And I can only imagine how difficult it is to build a hearth for the fireplace with nothing but said tools and weirdly diagrammed instructions.
It’s good to know one’s limitations.
So, let’s pretend that I can do my own home renovations. Knowing my luck, I’d end up with too many extra parts and a bitter complex about my less-than-stellar-renovation-efforts as Peter laughed and pointed at everything coming apart at the glue-gunned seams.
I’d realize that experts are needed when Peter dials 911 because I’ve fallen off the ladder, broken my thumb with the hammer or inadvertently chopped off an ear with the saw. My ear, Peter’s ear, the dog, the cat – it doesn’t matter. I could probably cut off all ears with one swipe of my clumsiness.
It could be a new record.
Once the bleeding stopped, I’d be able to reassess the situation and call in reinforcements that know how to hammer a nail. I’d realize my shortcomings (for about 2 minutes) and relent.
What would you do if your home renovations were limited only by your imagination?
Too bad imagination won’t build a solid stone castle with a fierce, shark-infested moat on our acre and a half. If it could, solicitors beware. Who knows where the trap door to the other dimension has been built into our driveway? Yes, my renovation experts are that good.
In reality, a fancy castle with a moat and an other-dimension trap door would take plenty of planning. Experts can draw a plan and tell you down to the nail how realistic, expensive and how much time it will take to add value to your home.
Whether it’s your dream bathroom with the ever-full-and-ever-hot bubble bath, or the walk-in closet that resembles your own Nordstrom’s, a plan is needed before anything can happen.
Do your homework and make a few calls before you decide on a contractor. Any estimates you get should be free. Your contractor should have a Website with a picture portfolio that you can look at to see some examples. It wouldn’t hurt to ask for some references as well. Make sure you know their warranty and guarantee policies. Make sure they will clean up their mess when the job is finished, no matter what.
Most importantly, please remember that the best price doesn’t always mean the best work. Do your homework so you end up with a fabulous renovation that adds value to your home and keeps you injury free.
