When we custom built 10 years ago (gah, time really flies!) I also had a huge binder and it saved me. I put it in the car with me every time I went anywhere bc since I don’t have a job the builder, architect, and ID often would call me to come to the house at random times to look at something. Thankfully, we were building in our same town, literally in walking distance from our previous house. That binder was my life...everything went into it. I had the blueprints reduced so they fit in the binder in case I need to check something when I was at say, the plumbing showroom. I glued fabric samples to poster board and stuck in the binder pockets. I found business cards easy to lose...so I copied them and put the copy in the binder. Now I would just scan them as well for my phone, but this was 2010-11, and I wasn’t as techy. 😂

Another thing I found useful was keeping a large Rubbermaid tote in the back of my SUV to keep samples in. That way I always had the cabinet doors, the marble, walnut for the island, hardware samples, molding samples, etc. That way I wouldn‘t have to remember to bring the bathroom vanity cabinet sample when I picked out the floor tile...it was right there, in my car.

I will let you know if I think of anything else.

I must have been in nini804's head or I read those organizing tips here because I did all those things with the exception of the blueprints - I kept full size in my SUV at all times. Many times I was standing in a parking lot with the blue prints open for someone to look at. I also kept photos of construction in progress so I could see exactly where the blocking was for example or how things looked IRL as opposed to construction documents. And those in progress shots have been invaluable to track back and see exactly where plumbing, electric, HVAC runs are or the exact framing of a wall. I have pictures of every room, every wall and can't tell you how many times DH has said, 'Do you have a picture of the ...?' and I do.

We took pictures with a tape measure at every stage of construction so that we would have an accurate log of what was behind the walls. Our contractor was so impressed that he has taken similar photos for subsequent projects.

I also have a binder (or binders, depending on the size of the project) with receipts, warranties, installation instructions, samples, paint formulas, diagrams, contracts, invoices, change orders, brochures, and anything else that might prove useful for subsequent maintenance.

We added 250 sq ft to our 1200 footprint, moved the kitchen, added a bath and rewired the whole house.

We stayed about five days and then moved in with my mother for almost four months. I traveled a lot for work on top of that.

I wish I had more regular visits while they were working because there were some things we had to let go of due to not being there more often. You can have all your papers and emails organized it the very best way, but that still doesn’t make up for face time.

We gutted our house 10 years ago and had a tote in the car for samples, had a copy of our floorplans with me, kept an 81/2 by 11" notebook with me at all times (i guess people use their phones now) and never left home without a tape measure.

I stopped by the house everyday (you're lucky, easy for you) and if I saw something that I didn't like or wondered about I made a note in my notebook and emailed about it immediately. I did everything by email and not by phone so that the GC and I were always operating from the same information.

Good Luck.

Took me awhile to find it, but I finally did...this is from years ago. A very long thread but full of good advice from people who have built or done major reno:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2286771/small-things-that-get-forgotten#n=197

Some of it's redundant, but it's probably the most comprehensive and practical list I've seen of things that you'll want to consider that, if you don't, you may end up kicking yourself.

For example, I never talked to the plumber about where the inlet pipe comes in for the toilet...he put it so close to the ground that I can't get my brush under there easily. Every day I think of that plumber as every day I'm sweeping up kitty litter from the box that's there next to the toilet.

Like others, when we built this house 20+ years ago, I took photos of various stages of construction, especially noting plumbing locations and lines, sewer field lines, and electrical. Invaluable even in later years.

I also kept a notebook including all invoices we paid to subs, etc. This was part of our GC‘s business practices in which we wrote checks directly for work done or to vendors each week rather than to the GC directly. No doubt about whether subs or vendors were being paid. And I kept a tote in the car with samples. Once something was rejected, I kept the sample for a short time, but it went in a separate tote and later discarded. I only kept the rejects so I could go back if I had any doubt about a choice.

Wow I knew I could count on this team :). Thank you all so much for your fantastic suggestions and feedback.

I definitely wouldn't ever have thought of the tote/bin for samples or of taking pictures, both of which make so much sense. And that discussion thread on small things is gold!

I am very glad that for this renovation I'm retired and living literally downstairs. because I've definitely been disappointed at things not done as I wished when I wasn't there to intervene.

When we renovated our master bath in Miami, since the bathroom was tiny I put in a pedestal sink. I was so disappointed to come home one day and see that the plumber had used PVC pipe for the connection instead of chrome. Forever and always it bothered me to see that ugly bit of plumbing visible to me every day and it would have been so easy for him to have used what I preferred.

And then with our engineered wood flooring, I came home to see that the installer had laid a piece with a really noticeable dark knot that looked like a flaw right in the middle of the main traffic flow of our living room-quite literally the MOST noticeable spot of the entire house. Again, something which would have taken literally 2 seconds to avoid by simply having him pick another piece for that spot.

Thanks again!

When we built (25 years ago) I had a brief case which had several inside pockets/dividers. Kept lots in it. Yes to the tub for samples. You are living there so you will be able to see what is going on. We (mostly my husband) was at the site daily. We inspected everything! We had a GC, but we ourselves picked/hired some of our subs. I remember we went through 2 brick masons before the third finally got the trim right around our arched windows! It was an exciting time but grueling and disappointing at times too. Waiting on a sub is no fun! One thing that helped me - I pretty much knew how I wanted most things, but of course went to many showrooms. I finally had to start limiting myself or I was overwhelmed by too many choices. I would first get many product catalogs, then narrow things down. Then I started limiting myself to how many/which showrooms I would visit. We always got recommendations from friends, people in the building business, our GC, etc. Word of mouth is great - especially from those who have been through the building/remodeling process.

Good luck!