No one ever said that remodeling your home would be easy-in fact, it can be downright stressful. But with a few simple precautions, you can minimize the risks and make the process as smooth as possible. Here are three ways to protect yourself when you remodel your home.
Have an Action Plan
Creating a comprehensive timetable of the remodel can help you keep track of how things are progressing, and help you stay aware of any delays or setbacks.
If your contractor is taking too long on one aspect of the renovations. It may be helpful for you to have some kind of guideline to refer back to so you can see whether or not things are on schedule.
For starters, you’ll want to create a clear-cut list of all of the renovations you are planning on making. While your ideas are likely lofty, it’s best to start out with a solid blueprint before beginning construction.
So, plan the time, businesses for skip bin hire, costs of materials, and tools needed for each aspect of the job. What’s more, make a list for yourself of key dates and deadlines you’ll need to keep track of. This will be especially helpful if you’re doing the renovations yourself, as well as for communicating with your contractors.
From there, make sure you sit down with the contractor who will be completing the remodel and ensure that everything is safe, efficient, and cost-effective. Remodeling your house means opening up every nook and cranny, which exposes anything and everything to potential damage. And even if you’re doing all the work yourself. It’s still good to talk through the process with someone else who can make sure you aren’t forgetting anything.
Once you have the list, you can safely move forward with the renovation so that it is free from any surprises or setbacks.
Don’t Skip on Safety and Security
Remodeling can be a very exciting time in your life, but it is also very stressful and can be dangerous if safety and security are not a top priority. Unfortunately, recent years have seen an increase in the number of accidents and injuries that occur around the home.
If you don’t have a plan in place for safety and security, you may find yourself put in a compromising position.
Though you will likely be able to get through most of your renovation without needing a fire evacuation plan. It is still a good idea to have one in place, just in case. When you initially create your plan, work with local authorities and fire departments to find out which version of the evacuation plan is required for your town.
To create a thorough fire evacuation plan, you will need to know exactly how many people will be in the house at any given time and work out a way to account for access and egress. You also want to make sure that you know all of how the building is likely to be accessed. Also, identify possible evacuation routes from each room.
Finally, you will need to identify the rooms that are best for sheltering-in-place.
The same goes for preparing yourself and your family to deal with a home invasion or break-in. While most crimes of this nature occur when the house is empty, it still pays to be prepared. Some causes for this include neighborhood crime, home renovations, utilities being turned off.
Homeowner’s Insurance Policy
Home remodels can be a time of extensive work being done in a home, and a homeowner’s insurance policy can cover the costs if anything were to happen. Damage caused by renovations, repairs, or other related construction projects is all covered under a homeowner’s policy.
In the unfortunate event that your contractor does not have insurance or goes bankrupt during a remodel, it will be up to you to pay for damages. To protect yourself from this possibility as much as possible, one of the best things you can do is make sure that you work with a reputable contractor who comes highly recommended and who has insurance.
In some cases, a contractor may not have enough insurance to cover the full cost of repairs or replacements. In these instances, your homeowner’s insurance would be responsible for covering any damages that exceed the limits of the contractor’s coverage. This way, you are not required to pay for damages that you did not cause or contribute to.
Home improvements and remodeling can be a fun and exciting way for homeowners to take control of their properties, but they can also be dangerous. With proper planning and preparation, you can ensure your renovation will go smoothly with as few surprises as possible.
Follow the steps outlined above, sit down with your contractor, and create a plan before beginning any project. Good luck!
