Thinking About Home Remodeling? Start Here
Sooner or later you may join the millions of people who remodel
their homes each year. The reasons for home remodeling are
as varied as the projects we undertake. Some of these include:
• Adding more space
• Upgrading cabinets, counters, appliances and fixtures
• Creating a floor plan that’s customized for your lifestyle
• Improving energy efficiency with new windows, doors,
insulation, and climate control systems
• Increasing the resale value of your home
Where to Begin
The first step is to develop an idea of what you want to do with
your home remodel. Write a prioritized list of your needs and
wants. The more clearly you can envision the project and describe
it on paper, the better prepared you’ll be in making your
decision.
Think about traffic patterns, furniture size and placement, colors,
lighting and how you expect to use the remodeled space. If
your decision to remodel involves creating better access for
someone with limited mobility, you may want to consider contacting
a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist.
You may want to improve home efficiency and hire a professional
remodeler for green home remodeling. These projects
include replacing windows and doors, upgrading heating and
cooling systems, adding insulation, and other remodeling to
make the home more energy-efficient, easier to maintain, and
comfortable.
Figure out how much money you have to spend on the home
remodeling job, furnishings, landscaping or any other cost you
might incur.
Once you have created your list of priorities, you’ll need to decide
how to accomplish that vision. For the handyman or woman,
a do-it-yourself project can be both rewarding and costeffective.
However, more than 30% of all jobs home remodelers
perform come from failed DIY projects.
Hiring a professional remodeler is the best way to ensure your
project’s success. These remodelers are dedicated to maintaining
the highest integrity and standards in the industry.
If you decide to hire a professional, use this checklist to help you
select a homebuilder or home remodeler to work on or build
your home.
How to Hire a Professional
1. Hickory & Catawba Valley Home Builders Association at:
www.hickoryhba.com or 828-322-6482. You can also ask
family, friends or coworkers for recommendations.
2. Make sure the builder or home remodeler has a permanent
business location and a good reputation with local banks
and suppliers.
3. Find out how long they have been in the building business.
It usually takes three to five years to establish a financially
sound business. You want to make sure they will be
around after the construction is complete to service any
warranties.
4. Check out the company’s rating and if there have been any
complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau: bbb.org.
5. Make sure the builder/remodeler has sufficient workers
compensation and general liability insurance. If not, you
may be liable for any construction-related accidents on your
premises.
6. Ask the builder/remodeler to provide you with names of
previous customers.
7. Ask if you can see the builder/remodelers work, both completed
and in progress. Check for quality of workmanship
and materials.
8. Make sure the builder/remodeler provides you with a complete
and clearly written contract.
9. Be cautious of unusually low-priced bids. If the builder/
remodeler is unable to pay for the materials and labor as
the project proceeds, this may indicate a potential problem.
Keep in mind that less expensive does not necessarily mean
better!
10. Verify that your remodeler is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Renovator
if you are planning work in a pre-1978 home that will
disturb more than six square feet of painted surfaces inside
the home or 20 square feet on the exterior of the home.
28 Hickory & Catawba Valley Parade of Homes 2019
/www.hickoryhba.com