 |
| Before
construction began on Zach and Beth’s, 900 sq ft bungalow. |
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| Exterior
construction complete except for the finishing touches on the
second-story veranda. |
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| 150
sq ft addition includes a new bathroom, kitchen expansion, and
second-story sitting room. |
Part Two
Living an Adventure in Remodeling
Click to view part one
By Pablo Raul
When
we last visited with Zach and Beth Collins, they were in the middle
of a major remodel on their 900 sq ft bungalow. The scope of the work
included adding a complete second floor with two bedrooms, a bath,
a sitting area, and veranda. In addition, they were adding about 150
sq ft to the main floor, tearing out the existing bathroom and building
a new one, adding a full-length front porch. As if remodeling were
not enough of a challenge, the couple was also expecting their first
child.
In order to save
money, the two planned on working on the project as much as possible.
They felt their expectations were realistic since both accepted the
job would not be completely done when the baby came. Zach knew he
would have most of the trim work to complete, the exterior painting,
deck, and veranda. They opted not to have their contractor include
these phases. Zach explains, “The contract we signed was for
‘rough-in’ through the sheetrock stage, although the contractor
agreed to have his subcontractors install our plumbing and electric
fixtures.”
By the time they
learned they were pregnant the news added a sense of urgency to the
remodel. They had already selected the contractor and were well along
in the design process. In hindsight, Zach says, “We wish we had
taken more time to plan. But as it was, we barely got the project
livable before the little guy arrived.”
Zach and Beth
did their homework. They checked out a library book for advice on
how to select a contractor and what to expect during a remodel project.
They interviewed 10 contractors on the phone, and had 5 come look
at the jobsite. Out of those five, they selected two whom they felt
they could work with. Of the two, they chose Skandia
Design and Remodeling, owned by Paul Olson. “There were two
main reasons why we picked Paul,” says Zach. “First, he
would allow us to work on the project along with his guys, and second,
because his firm does its own design.” He adds, “We feel
this saved us money in the long run, because when we wanted to do
changes they were able to do them without bringing in an outside architect.”
The book advised
them to budget 10% to 15% over the contract for any unforeseen changes
or extras. Zach now understands that advice. “It seems like every
subcontractor who came in had some suggestion that cost more money.
The mason said we ought to tuck point the chimney, city inspectors
required the electrician add smoke detectors in the existing bedroom,
the plumber had to add a pressure balancing valve because of the new
faucet. We decided to change the furnace to gas. Since we wouldn’t
be able to paint right away, Paul suggested we use pre-primed siding.”
“The hardest
part of the whole project was living in the mess,” explains Beth.
“No matter what we did, there was no getting around the fact
that the place was completely torn apart.” Beth especially felt
the stress towards the end of the project.
Even though the
major construction was done quickly, the final stages seemed to drag
on. The line between the homeowner’s responsibility and the contractor’s
responsibility sometimes blurred. Zach advises anyone who is interested
in doing a lot of the work themselves to, “Stay involved in the
project on a daily basis, and communicate with the contractor.”
Toward the end
of the job, Zach found the construction crew to be a valuable resource.
“Craig gave me a great lesson on how to install the handrails
on the stairs, and John offered to let me use his nailer for the trim.
I asked Paul if I could call him for advice, and he was more than
happy to help out.”
The project started
in October and by the end of February the carpets were laid and the
oak floors were finished. Truth be told, every remodel has most of
the same expectations and problems to some degree, and the fact that
the Collins gave birth to both a new bungalow and a baby simultaneously
(and survived) is a testament to their endurance.
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