Final stages of remodeling construction

We're all familiar with the general stages of remodeling and construction. Everyone knows about the framing and the sheetrock and the plaster. Those are all the fun stages when you see a lot of progress quickly and when as a homeowner you are still enrapt with the emerging spaces and the new form your home is taking.

It's those painful weeks at the end when everything looks like its almost done - the walls are up, the electricity is in place, the roughness and the noise of prior stages has quieted - when the work continues and there are a collection of new subcontractors roaming around your house doing untold numbers of tasks to make the house ready for living. Visual progress slows to a halt unless you can decipher the details and comprehend that this is really the most important stage.

You may have run out of gusto for the project by now, but let's hope your contractor has not. There are still a long list of finishing touches that are essential elements in the design and function of your home. If you are remodeling a kitchen, it may mean the counters and backsplashes, the hooking up of the icemaker, or the installation of lighting fixtures. In a bathroom remodel you may be waiting for the tiling of the shower surround, for the plumber to return to hook up the sinks and toilets, or need help selecting and placing towel bars, soap dishes and deciding on the depth of the shelves in the linen closet. The framing, wiring, plumbing and sheetrock may be the guts of the house, but it's these last details that are the ones that will show, and that you will interact with on a daily basis.

Their selection therefore is critical, and though you may be construction-weary, this final stage requires a second wind of energy to get you over the hurdles to completion.

Being There

If you've been on site all along, continue your vigilance and stop by the construction as often as possible - preferably during the day when your contractor is still there and can talk with you to gain input. If you haven't been able to schedule regular visits during the remodeling, now is the time to make this a priority. On one kitchen remodeling project I visited the homeowner was usually at home during the day and was able to comment on details such as cabinet stain color, hardware selections and placement and grout color for the back splash. When she left one afternoon to do some errands, the contractor was on hand to receive the slide-in range, but when the homeowner returned she found that the stove was sticking out into the room by about two extra inches. Inquiries to the appliance store revealed that the contractor had left before the installation was completed and when the installers had encountered an extra brace at the back of the cabinet that was in the way of the stove sliding all the way back, they pushed it in as far as it would go, plugged it in an left. No one was on hand in this case to review the work, and it caused extra work for just about everyone involved in the long run. A great example of the axiom "95% of life is just about showing up."

On another site the plumber was in and out about half a dozen times. He had the list of plumbing fixtures for months but when the homeowner came back one evening to see the progress of the day, all the fixtures had been installed with a brushed nickel finish instead of the polished chrome that has been specified. This meant all the faucets would need to be disconnected, reordered and reinstalled. It's these details that slow completion up and make the homeowner and contractor alike weary and aggravated.

Budget Woes

The final stages are also the time when the budget starts to get very thin. All the changes, additions and upgrades that have been made along the way have eaten up whatever surplus was in the budget and you may be faced with tough decisions of what can and cannot be completed within the scope of the project.

Landscaping on a remodeling project is often an afterthought, but as the trucks have come and gone, numerous workmen have trampled flower beds, dug up plumbing and electrical lines and generally rearranged your yard to suit their assignments, the exterior of your home may look a bit worse for wear. You probably won't get much enjoyment from driving up after work to see a vast dirt pit each time you come home to your renovated house. So prepare early for this spruce up at the end of the job. Make certain you have called the landscape company in early and gotten their bids. Give them a deposit before the spring rush when they are so busy they can't even cater to their most important clients. Get on their schedule in January or February for April or May.

Your budget should also include a contingency line at the bottom of the total that is from 10 - 20% of the overall budget. This is your padding, and what you will need at the end for the extra cabinet pulls, lighting fixtures, coats of paint and front steps that you neglected to plan for at the start of the project. There are numerous little details like this and their costs add up very quickly. You may also be exasperated and want to be done but try not to solve issues with quick fixes or less than desirable solutions. Stay the course.

Punch List

When the contractor finally calls to say that the project is complete, it's time for you to do an inspection of the job from top to bottom.

Here's a partial checklist of the general areas and direction of how to oversee this process:

• Carpentry - Go over every molding, doorframe, window frame, toe kick, etc. Check to make sure the seams do not show gaps and that everything has been painted and stained to your satisfaction. Check the mitered edges that these look seamless and tight.
• Cabinetry - Open and close every drawer and door. Make sure the hardware is properly balanced and that each piece runs smoothly. Inspect all the cabinet pulls and handles - that they are in the proper place, that there are none missing, that there aren't chips where they have been installed that are left in an unsightly way.
• Fixtures - Turn every fixture on and off. Make certain there are no leaks, nothing needs oiling and that all the special features like sprays, hoses, jets in the Jacuzzi® or soap dispensers are functioning.
• Appliances - Again, turn everything on and off. Fire up the stove, make ice, heat up the microwave, check every gas burner to verify that the electric starters are igniting the flame, that nothing is clogged, loose or improperly installed. Ask for the manuals for each appliance and double check that each is the correct manual for the appliances you received.
• Floors and Tiling - Use your most attentive inspectional skills for these areas to locate gaps in boards or tiling that will cause tripping, or mold and dirt build up. Look at the corners and where walls meet the floors to pick up on cracks that may have occurred during installation or settling.
• Paint - Examine all the walls for light spots, sloppy finishes, and that switch plates cover up the holes made in the sheetrock. This is probably one of the most common items found, but can easily be patched up to look finished.
• Hardware - Check door locks, hinges, doorbells, levers - everywhere. Does anything need adjusting, oiling, to be repositioned?
• Windows - Open and close each one - do they stick because of the paint, do the levers work, have the stickers been properly removed, do the locks work?

All these items will go on your punch list. Conduct a walk-through with your contractor after you have created the list, and point out each and every detail. This is your chance. If you don't show them problems at this juncture, you are probably on your own when it comes to remedying them. The contractor will have his own punch list of items - pieces that haven't been attached, fixtures that need adjusting, etc. There should be at least 10% of the payment due to the contractor that has not been paid. Keep hold of this and do not release until each and every detail is finished to your satisfaction. You may need to live in the space for two to three weeks to learn of every idiosyncrasy that will crop up. Wait out this period before forwarding on the last check.

When all the checklist items have been completed, and you have lived in the space for a few weeks, you can release the last check and declare a successful finish. Though you may still desire new furniture or accents, or need to hang the artwork, take pleasure in knowing that you dotted all your I's and crossed all your T's. It's time to relax in your new home.