Many homeowners look for opportunities to control costs during a home remodel. Questions about supplying their own materials, doing their own demolition, and hiring their own subcontractors are common. Your home is your most significant investment, so we’re going to answer your questions honestly about remodeling so you can make the best decisions for your New Jersey home remodel.
Can I Supply the Materials for My Remodel?
When it comes to selecting and sourcing materials for your remodeling project, it is advisable to rely on the expertise of a professional design-build team. Bathroom remodeling materials, for example, require a deep understanding of their complexities. Attempting to convey technical information or troubleshoot issues with a plumber may prove challenging if you lack the necessary experience.
On the other hand, when your design-build team is at the helm, the materials they select to complete your remodel will be their responsibility to ensure proper installation. Every material will be ordered and received in relation to the schedule, mitigating delays.
You’re also much better off relying on the knowledge of a professional design-build team to order the appropriate finishes for your remodel. For instance, kitchen cabinets, tiles, electrical planning, plumbing placement and flooring are items that require very precise measurements to ensure compatibility and accuracy. An inaccurate order–whether it be size, quantity, or other important characteristics–could end up causing delays and impacting your budget.
Can I Do the Demolition on My Own?
Proper demolition requires meticulous attention to detail; including removing nails, pulling baseboards, ensuring flat surfaces, and maintaining cleanliness for installing new materials. DIY demolition can pose various challenges for homeowners. Often, homeowners lack the expertise to fully demolish a space, which can hinder the construction process.
Additionally, precise cutting and removal of drywall and framing are crucial. Unfortunately, homeowners rarely achieve the necessary standards, necessitating additional time and effort from the build team to complete the demolition. Only a professional would know that there might be pipes or wires that are lurking behind walls. One wrong cut and you're in a dark place or with water everywhere!
Hazardous materials like asbestos and lead pose significant risks, with approximately 40% of remodeled homes containing asbestos. With the average Northern New Jersey home built around 1970, it’s likely that your home could contain these toxic materials, putting you and your family at risk during a DIY demolition.
Your design-build team will have the skills and knowledge to know ahead of time and handle these hazards properly and safely. To ensure safety and avoid health hazards, we strongly advise entrusting a professional design-build team with the demolition process rather than attempting it on your own.
Can I Hire My Own Subcontractor to Do the Work?
A significant advantage of working with a design-build firm is that they act as a singular point of contact for the client throughout the entire remodeling process. The team leaders within the firm are accountable to the homeowner and are responsible for ensuring that all personnel involved in the project understand and execute the remodel vision. It is essential to maintain this (partnership) hierarchical structure, where the (trade partner) subcontractor works for the design-build firm, and the firm, in turn, works for the homeowner.
This approach promotes effective communication and reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings. With complete project oversight, your design-build team can better ensure that the remodel meets your expectations while adhering to the established budget and remodeling plan.
Let’s say you have a plumber you trust with regular repairs. The first thing to know is that a plumber and a plumbing contractor have different skill levels and license requirements. A plumbing contractor will have additional training and expertise that enables them to read blueprints, understand overall project objectives, comply with local codes, properly inspect the work, and collaborate successfully with your design-build team.
Your design-build team may even have to redo some of the work if it doesn’t meet quality standards. Trust your design-build team and the relationships they’ve built with subcontractors to ensure your project runs smoothly, safely, and in a timely manner.
Depending on the design-build firm you choose to work with, your team may already include experienced professionals that would provide these trade services. This negates the need to hire subcontractors from the start.
Avoid Delays, Frustration, and Higher Costs
By entrusting your remodeling materials acquisition to a skilled design-build team, you alleviate the risk of encountering delays and frustrations associated with missing parts or incorrect installations. Also, design-builders are responsible for ensuring that their trusted and vetted tradespeople will follow the chain of command, understand the overall concept, and have the proper qualifications to work on your project–avoiding costly mistakes.
Entrust your entire remodeling project to a design-build team with the expertise needed to protect your investment and your timeline. At JMC Home Improvement Specialists, we understand a homeowner’s worry about going over budget. This is why we choose to employ a Fixed-Cost Agreement, which means you won’t have to worry about going over budget.
To learn more about our process and how we ensure a remodeling project that will be on time and within your budget, contact us to schedule a consultation.
