Welcome to my Lessons learned from remodeling journal. I thought it would be fun and instructive to share our remodeling journey week by week. I hope you can learn from what we do right- and more importantly from what we mess up!
Lessons Learned from Remodeling: Get some help from your friends.
Progress! I can’t thank you guys enough for your sage advice about the hiring process. After (per your advice) more vetting and three more home visits to clarify the scope, we just hired Busy Guy. His candor about the timeline carried over into other aspects of the project and won the day. I still cry a little about not hiring sell-my-kidney-to-afford guy (75% above budget), but his bid came back at kidney + spleen (150% above budget) before we even began work. I just don’t have that many organs left over to sell. Even with busy guy we are going about 50% over our starting budget before we even begin.
Lessons Learned from Remodeling: Pods are worth every penny.
Pods aren’t cheap: this behemoth in my driveway is $250/month +$200 delivery to and fro. However, having the Pod here announces to the world “remodeling!” and helps keep us me focused. I’ve sent out 16 give back boxes in the last week and have another truck doing a pickup in a week. The Deal Kids are also on board the purge train- Deal Dad not so much…see below.
Lessons Learned from Remodeling: Remodeling can feel like pregnancy.
Like pregnancy, one partner could end up being “remodeled” 24 hours a day and the other might focus on the more fun parts like choosing drawer pulls. If both work outside the house I’d guess it’s whoever has a better sense of organization. When one works from home it’s going to default to that person, and I’m guessing that person is most likely the wife/mom to be.
I’m not meaning to throw Deal Dad (completely) under the bus but I’m seriously in the trenches every minute packing, planning and navigating vendors. Because of his job Deal Dad just isn’t in the weeds- division of labor, I get it. However, it causes a real disconnect. Case in point: a few days ago he asked me a random question about the bedroom closets. At that moment I felt as if I were six weeks pregnant, rife with morning sickness, while Deal Dad stood over me in the bathroom asking about which colleges our kid might visit. Not even CLOSE to thinking about your @#$#@! closet, dude.
All in all I talked to over fifteen contractors and had six in the house. I’m feeling good about choosing a contractor but also am in need of a drink after writing a five digit check. I’m grateful remodeling does not share abstinence with pregnancy.
Lessons Learned from Remodeling: Stock up on scotch.
The Deal Mommy is a proud member of the Saverocity network.
You couldn’t get him to take some of it in gift cards?
LOL. I tried! I did, however, get him to agree to let me purchase every supply.
The supply purchases can be huge. I did the same and my contractor moaned and groaned each week!
It was a small victory, but maybe we’ll get a few nights in Chile out of our kitchen cabinets.
If there is anything releated to Paris that you’d like to donate to me….feel free to do so!
Otherwise, all I can do is wish you luck in your remodeling adventures! 🙂
Wait. I do have a suggestion: while in progress, use this as an inspiration for your next Deal Mom vacation. Maybe a trip investigating various types of architecture? Or museum trips to learn about furniture (Louis styles, Art Nouveau, etc.)? Or places that had art/craft collectives? Or someplace where all you have to do is show up (time to be pampered!)? Or a trip that has nothing to do with home improvement: a trip involving sports (Kentucky Derby, tennis, skiing, etc.)?
Have fun!
-icicle
Thanks, icicle. I do have July in South America to plan if this all gets too much. Definitely a good idea to at least have summer tix booked.
I have never been to South America.
So much there to see and explore. I am imagining it in my head right now…beaches and mountains, old world cities and lush tropical forests, delicious food…
so many countries and islands to choose from as well…
I will be looking forward to that trip report later on this year! 🙂
It is actually overwhelming! I’m gonna need more help planning than I expected on this one.
This too will pass . And I hope you feel good after it’s in the rear view mirror .
Thanks. Each step we feel a bit better, but this is definitely a marathon!
Best lesson learned post-remodel is to really think about what other home upgrades could be done while the drywall is cut open.
For example rewiring your cable (removing really old cables and replacing with new ones – fast connections to your house can be killed by 30+ year old cables inside your house). Or new ceiling lights. Or rewired electric lines, so you can separate high power appliances that are on the same line today that exceed your fuse box capacity).
Great idea. Thanks.