PROJECT PLANNING 101

Industry experts share six tips for how to prepare for your next homebuilding or remodeling project.

by rachel hagenbaugh

“Make sure you’re doing your project with a reputable, reliable contractor, because they will be the ones who have access to the suppliers that have facilities that homeowners need to pre-plan their project,” says Lynch. Choose a contractor with several years of experience and a library of projects to view. Also go online and read testimonials. “The biggest thing is before and after pictures,” Lynch notes. “That’s where you can get an idea of the scope and scale of projects that are in a certain builder or remodeler’s wheelhouse.”

Pre-planning is vital.

“Pre-planning is vastly crucial to what’s going on out there in the construction industry. We have many products today that are being ordered before a shovel hits the ground,” says Tim Lynch, sales manager for the trade/new construction segment of Gunton Corp., a distributor for Pella Windows and Doors, noting that even a planning session with a representative is huge. “Most builders or contractors will allow a project owner direct access to their supply. Take advantage of that as early as possible in the process.”

Pick your appliances first.

Prior to COVID-19, choosing the appliances was considered one of the last steps of the homebuilding or remodeling process. Now, with the supply chain issues, it should be one of the first things you check off your list. “You have to pick your appliances first, even though they go in last,” says Melissa Kent, vice president of Snow Bros. Appliance, a 100-year-old appliance center with a showroom in Lyndhurst. Kent notes that while some appliances are readily available, others take 12 to 14 months to deliver. “If the items deliver before the customer is ready to install it, Snow Bros. will hold appliances until the customer is ready,” she says.

Do your research.

“A lot of people think luxury products are out of reach for their budgets, but there are packages that can be put together that are really comparable,” says Carol Amato, trade sales representative for Trevarrow Inc., a luxury appliance company with a showroom in Cleveland. “When you’re doing a remodel or build, you want to match the quality of the appliances to the build.”

Anticipate longer lead times.

Never assume that something is available, Kent suggests, and take wait times with a grain of salt. “Distributors give us their best estimates, but there’s a lot of factors going into it that can change that,” she says, adding that it’s a good idea to pick a backup option. “A lot of people do that during the selection process. They pick what their dream piece would be, then they also pick what they would want to be their plan B.”

Communication is key.

“When you are working with a reputable contractor or builder, you need to get yourself to a level of comfort with the project manager,” Lynch says. “That person is going to be your information highway about what’s going on with your project. That communication is paramount to a successful project.”