Before you pay the final bill, take a final tour with your builder or contractor. Go through every room you've worked in and point out anything you're not 100 percent satisfied with. Good contractors will also look for imperfections and deal with any issues. Not only is there likely to be some scrap left (think of a lost brush, a box of nails, or wrappers), but your house will need a thorough cleaning.
There are companies that specialize in post-construction cleaning to take some of the stress off you. Get ready to pick up a brush. Sometimes, during a home remodel, walls or moldings may be scratched and, depending on your contract, fixing it may be out of scope of the project. In case the ceilings were dented, here's how to paint a ceiling.
After most home remodeling, there is dust everywhere in kitchen drawers, cabinets, and even areas of the house that didn't see any work. Even if you hire a post-construction cleaning team, you might end up cleaning the dust yourself. Often, the best home remodeling ideas are easy to make and inexpensive. Painting, new accessories and thoughtful reorganization figure heavily in many of these ideas.
A few dollars for a self-installed thermostat saves hundreds in the long run. Bricks and cabinets can be painted. Or you can spend a little extra on a pantry that wraps around your refrigerator or on a total bathroom makeover with a frameless glass shower and mattress tub. After a remodel, your builder will likely schedule a final tour to analyze any remaining items on the to-do list.
If your remodeler doesn't schedule this crucial meeting, make sure you do it yourself. Together, they will go through each room and point out anything that is not 100% complete and perfect. Honest and experienced remodelers will also look at every detail with a keen eye for imperfections. The goal should be to write everything down on a list, which will hold your remodeler accountable and ensure that you are completely satisfied with your remodel.
Once all the items are marked on your to-do list and your space is clean, it's time to decide which of your existing items, such as rugs, furniture and art pieces, you'll want to move again and which pieces you'll want to replace. I fully understand the need to preserve some existing pieces, but I urge you to keep a critical eye on everything you are moving to your new pristine space. Does it match the new style? Does it fit your new design? After all, you have invested a significant amount of money and time in its remodeling, and you do not want to diminish its value and attractiveness with old and misplaced furniture. Before any remodeling project is completed, you should take the opportunity to perform a final check on your premises.
Depending on the nature of the remodel, furniture may look dated or out of place in your new space. Take and write down the measurements beforehand and go shopping to buy new furniture that fits the new interior. It's important to let your insurance agents know what adjustments you've made to your home, especially if they include adding significant value to your home. Do-it-yourselfers can make big savings with recycled or little-used building materials and accessories.
Habitat for Humanity operates around 400 reStores nationwide, offering reclaimed materials at half the prices of home centers.
