Choose a Contractor for Whole Home Remodeling

Selecting the right home improvement contractor is important, no matter what the size or scope of the project involved. You are after all entrusting this person and their company with both your property and your money. As every property owner knows, there really is no such thing as a “small” renovation project, as every project seems big and important when it involves the home you love. (Not to mention, even a seemingly minor home improvement job can have a surprisingly high number of challenges and issues.)

However, as renovation projects go, there is likely nothing more intimidating and perhaps overwhelming as a whole house remodel. As you can probably guess from the name, this is when you pretty much redo your entire home, or the majority of it. This type of job often involves gutting or doing major demo work to most—perhaps even all—of your interior space. This is a very involved, comprehensive renovation project that won’t be quick or simple.

On the spectrum of home improvement jobs, a whole home remodel is at the high end of the complexity scale. There are a lot of moving parts, and a lot of workers, equipment and materials to manage and keep organized. Needless to say, a job of this size can create a considerable amount of stress and complications.

In this situation, your choice of contractor becomes especially important. There are particular responsibilities involved in a whole house remodel, and specific qualities you will want to look for in a contractor to handle this type of job. This requires the ability to multitask and juggle many tasks and demands, all while remaining cool and level-headed.

Of course, as with any other home improvement job, you want a contractor with a good reputation, one that you can trust and rely on. You also want someone with extremely high standards who can deliver the type of quality work you expect.

In addition to all of those basic qualifications, you also want to find someone who has the project management and organizational abilities to handle the complexities of a whole house remodel. In this case, the ability to coordinate and supervise the work of numerous trades (and all of the crews they involve) is critical. Along with everything else mentioned above, the dedication to adhere to a schedule and a firm budget are also high priorities. With a large project, getting off track by even a few days or a few dollars in each individual step can add up to a difference that makes a major impact on the completion of the overall job—and the costs involved.

With so many potential issues and opportunities for problems that can crop up unexpectedly along the way, you will want a professional who is comfortable navigating conflicts and smoothing out problems, resolving issues without breaking a sweat—and without having to stress you out with each little bump along the way. At the same time, you want someone with excellent communication skills, so they can understand what you want and eliminate the risk of miscommunications or unexpected surprises.

It’s certainly a tall order, to be sure. This is a lot to ask of any contractor. And the bigger the property or more unusual/complex the work involved, the greater the demands that will be placed upon the person managing the job. However, this is a major investment (of both time and money) for you, and  you will likely have to live with the results for many years, so you will want to take your time, do your research and select your contractor very carefully. This choice will have important and potentially costly ramifications on your property and your life in general for quite a while.

So how exactly do you go about finding this elusive, all-important contractor who will fit all of your essential criteria? Well, first you start out with the usual steps: asking around, and checking with local or state agencies that monitor or license contractors. But then you want to go further, identifying contractors with relevant experience, handling projects of this size and scope. Ask around among friends and neighbors, and ideally you will be able to find at least one or two who have survived a successful whole home renovation and can recommend a contractor they liked.

Once you identify a few potential contractors, ask them about their specific experience with whole home remodels. You want to learn about their capabilities, and also find out about any particular challenges or concerns you should be prepared for, based on their first-hand experiences with these projects.

RW Remodeling is one of the few remodeling contractors in Phoenix with extensive experience handling whole home renovation projects. In fact, we literally wrote the guide to these types of jobs. Be sure to check out our new guide, “Whole Home Remodeling,” designed to be a valuable and helpful resources for homeowners.