What is the remodeling process by different type of contractors?

9 years ago

I want to my attic with bathroom finished as well as the insulation and ridge vents. I want to hire different contractors to do different works but am not sure the remodeling process. Should the plumber coming first, then electrician, roofer, sheetrock and insulation people, painter, flooring and finally installation of the bathroom fixtures? Can your experts explain the process step by step. Thanks.

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Comments (15)

User
9 years ago
If you have no idea of the order of operations, can you really be your own GC? I think not. You need a properly licensed and insured General Contractor to do the job as a whole.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
9 years ago
coody:

I can tell by your question that you have no business whatsoever being you're own general contractor. Concentrate your efforts at finding someone reputable, put your trust in them and your decision, and everything will be fine.
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So by way of follow up all these months later - I never used that bad general contractor again but it took weeks to hire a replacement for the exterior work then forever to get him in. Luckily I had my own electrician and flooring person fix his work in the interim and my time/materials contractor install the final kitchen a month later as planned, and worked with a designer to make it work wonderfully (plus a lot of my own time and effort). The exterior work (window/door conversion) took another 6-8 weeks and wasn’t done until 2 months ago, and while we didn’t save money on the replacement person, we didn’t spend more on them for the same things either. With the money I spent to fix the bad GC’s work, I was probably out a few grand (sad to say) and my designer figured he was going to leave me in the lurch either way either when he did or toward the end - her theory was that he would leave me in the lurch the moment he was a few grand ahead and could safely run and pull out his profit, so she said NEVER to let him get ahead of me in terms of my paying a moment ahead of work (live and learn). The only thing that galls me is a deposit he never returned, so I’m planning on emailing him with a demand for it back. The demand is drafted, the architect who referred him expects it ��" but I can’t seem to push the button on the email because it will be so unpleasant when I do (he'll refuse to give it back, he'll ignore the email, I doubt he'll actually pony up a penny). The architect who referred him to me has very clear backup for what was wrong and knows it wasn’t acceptable. I’ve left it to him whether to refer the jerk to anyone else. My designer thinks I should just walk away from the lost deposit and figure it was a bump-up in price for the job. Other bids from (now I know) better contractors were well more than the cash I left him with. So while I lost money and a decent amount of security (for example, for the first time in 7 years we now had a mouse on our parlor floor, I figure from something not well sealed behind the scenes by the GC, but who knows; plus I'm concerned because the plumbing he did was so bad that I worry a lot about water issues coming up especially ones I don't know about). But what an education. By the way, as it turns out the bad GC's electrician left a ton undone and done improperly so I had my own electrician fix that. The plumber who installed the final kitchen pointed out that the GC's plumbing work was shoddy (range's turnoff valve installed at the wrong end of the wall/range connection; bad height of the plumbing for the range etc.); the carpenter showed me a screw sticking down out of a railing the GC's guy installed, about an inch down where someone grabbing it from below could have torn their hand badly (that one galls me the most, and I don't think that was intentional; the GC's guy wasn't that good and the GC never bothered to come check his work... poor hiring and poor supervision were the culprits there). So beware! I love my new kitchen and deck but who knows what issues lurk behind... not electrical and unlikely structural since I had an architect involved, but more plumbing,,, and some functional like a bad washer/dryer layout because of his poor choices and advice to me on the fly (and I wish I'd had my designer and not the architect for a lot of these decisions, the right advice is so key).
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Thank you for your responses! Renovator: There are many projects. Some don't involve the kitchen. Those do not have a designer per say, though some of the kitchen people have commented on the mudroom since it adjoins the kitchen and involves changing the pantry. At least one of the contractors seem to be able to enhance what I want and can just have a carpenter build where needed. One clearly wants a design plan for all of the spaces. For something like coffered ceilings, I think we (us with the contractor, no designer) decide on the molding, # of boxes, and lighting. That job could be combined with changing chandeliers in the dining room and other rooms since an electrician would be needed (and it would be easier to group the tasks into one visit vs. being charged for multiple visits by an electrician. But I'm not sure when we will have the light fixtures picked out. However, if the kitchen is more expensive than expected the coffered ceiling project can be sacrificed. Refinishing the floors, painting and some minor bathroom reno can start before the kitchen reno. However, I am also interviewing a separate floor guy who came highly recommended and a separate painter I came across through another group. The office is the most vague project. I'm getting the impression that it will be too costly to do with the KDs. One person said that we should wait a few years and see what happens with elderly MIL (who will be staying in the downstairs office when she visits) which is partly why we need an upstairs office. I think this project might go to the local cabinet builder guy if his costs come in better, One person said just buy furniture. However, we have such a mish mash right now and really needed a lot more filing space and organization that I felt like we needed something more custom. The office is a sore point for us as we have papers everywhere and not enough places to put them. Trying to scan more but we need a better computer, more virtual storage, etc. and our current printer/scanner which is only a few years old isn't working that well. But I digress Greendesigns, so maybe what you are saying is that I decide on the contractor for phases of the entire work (which are discreet projects) and that the kitchen gets decided last, after I pick a designer? Or if the estimates for the kitchen contractor job are dramatically different, maybe I could narrow it down to finalists and then only ask two to fine tune estimates vs. four contractors? But I don't want to get caught short. I think two of the contractors are juggling things so I don't want it to turn out that they can't do my job once we set a timetable. Also, for something like changing light fixtures should I get a separate handyman or just tack it on to one of the other jobs that involves an electrician? Would a handyman charge less or would that be offset by a separate visit? Thank you both!
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You guys are being very harsh. How about being more supportive? This is an expensive and very stressful process and not easy for newbies. Hope the following info helps: We did not have a great idea of remodeling costs either before talking with an architect and getting bids in. We had an idea of our max. budget and the architect drew up plans roughly corresponding to what he thought worked for our budget. Imp difference from your case, he put allowances in for the builders to use for estimating tile costs, appliance costs, and any owner variables. He also specified in detail what types of materials to use. Any builder questions were answered by the architect not us. The bids came in significantly higher than expected. However, we were able to pick a builder and then meet with him and the architect to reduce costs. Now the architect is drawing the final plans and the builder will then give us his revised bid. Your strategy seems similar but perhaps lacking in detail. Ask the architect to step in more perhaps.
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compiler
Original Author
9 years ago
Is there any experts can talk something about the remodeling process step by step?
User
9 years ago
The steps are determined by what needs to be done. If the roof needs sheathing repair, the roofing needs to be done first.

Otherwise, framing is first. That includes any necessary subflooring. This is also the time for shower surround/bathtub installation.

Then plumber/electrical---does not make much difference for which is first. Plumbing is roughed in for completion after the painting is done.

Then insulation. After insulation, sheet rock.

Painting before flooring. After flooring, fixtures like toilet/vanity/towel bars/etc. get installed and faucets/handles are installed.

Then finish carpentry---doors/trim/base moldings/etc.
snoonyb
9 years ago
1st, your description is far to rudimentary for anyone to give you a concise step by step.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
9 years ago
"Is there any experts can talk something about the remodeling process step by step?"

coody:

I'm a licensed general contractor in two states and a professional columnist with over 30 years of construction experience. I've given you the best advice, but obviously it's not what you wanted to hear. I could give you step-by-step advice, but I won't.
User
9 years ago
Increase your budget to cover a GC, or else reduce the scope of work to cover a GC's fees. This has disaster written all over it. You have neither the experience nor the discrimination to do scheduling, costing, quality control, or supervision of trades doing projects that you have zero knowledge about. To be a good GC, you have to know enough to almost do the whole project yourself. And know the right subs to employ to actually do the job.
compiler
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks handymac. Your answer is good enough and it is what I am seeing that the pro is doing right now.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
9 years ago
" And know the right subs to employ to actually do the job."

To elaborate, it's not only knowing which subs, it's having leverage over those subs. A successful GC throws tens of thousands of dollars worth of work at his regular subs, giving him leverage a homeowner can never have.
User
9 years ago
If you had said in the first place you are wanting info to check how a contractor is proceeding, you might have gotten better answers.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
9 years ago
You don't "check" on your surgeon to see if he's putting your organs back in the proper place. You don't "check" on your dentist as he's doing your root canal, but yet somehow homeowners believe that they should or can educate themselves to "check" on the professionals they hire to remodel their homes.
greg_2010
9 years ago
Oh god ... are we trying to change this into a classism argument again?
User
9 years ago
Not only do I check the work a doctor/dentist does, I check the work those folks do on family members. And my current family doctor is fine with that. As was the specialist who operated on my wife's spine. In fact, he and his office personnel went to great detail about the procedure.

When I was a automotive mechanic working for a shop owner, I often invited customers into the shop and explained what I was doing.

A business owner has the right to run their business in the manner they chose. If they want to hide behind 'professionalism', so be it. They will not begetting any money from me.

Oh, and even our city/county law enforcement are being much more forthcoming about procedures and are making classes available to the public about department operations. I attended a class this morning covering police procedures for active shooters----and what the police want the public to know so we know what to expect and why they do what they do.

The other half was about a new state open carry law and what the police/sheriff can/will do for incidents of public complaint or possible violations.
compiler
Original Author
9 years ago
handymac, you said well. You can understand that but other replies just wasted the users time. Of course, no one will be interested in those useless replies.
energy_rater_la
9 years ago
well coody, there is the amusement factor.

best of luck with your project.

What is the remodeling process by different type of contractors?

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What is the remodeling process by different type of contractors?

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