Home Renovations

Make sure you follow these steps in order to make sure your project is as efficient as possible

Having managed and completed many home renovation projects in Toronto, BVM Contracting aims to educate potential renovation clients about the proper steps to follow in order to have a successful project outcome. Planning is the key to a successful renovation or remodeling project, and as tempting as it is to just jump right into it you need to follow the steps below to ensure that there are no headaches, surprises, or issues during or after the the residential construction project.

Learn more below about the steps every homeowner should take to make sure their project comes in on time and on budget!

HOME RENOVATIONS ON A BUDGET

Let’s be realistic, unless you live a life of luxury or are a trust fund baby you care about the money you spend. You would rather make sure that you are getting the most value for your dollar as possible for every large investment you make in your life, and we do not blame you for that approach, we actually agree with it.

What we do not agree with is having unrealistic spending expectations for your renovation or remodeling project, if you want something done correctly and efficiently you will have to spend more money to get that elevated level of service/quality/workmanship. With that being said, when planning for your next renovation project be sure to follow this step-by-step guide to make sure you are making your money work for you instead of against you. You are likely spending hard-earned money on this renovation, so make sure it is spent properly!

Step 1: Speak to reputable General contractors in your area about preliminary pricing for your project

The single worst mistake you can make is starting your renovation planning process WITHOUT speaking to reputable renovation companies near you. Whether you find them online, through friends and family, or even see them picking up materials at your local Home Depot, we urge you to start the process by reaching out to companies that would be able to complete the work for your and manage the project.

This is the point in time where you should ask a bunch of questions, answer a bunch of questions, discuss potential budget ranges, and also discuss cost saving options for your renovation project. A reputable General Contractor in Toronto should be able to have a 20-30 minute conversation with you to discuss your project and be able to set you on the right path. Will you need permits? Who can do the design work for the project? How long will the project take? What are some key considerations/hurdles for the renovation work at hand?

The goal for this step is to get an idea of the best direction to proceed, figure out which company would be the best fit (once you step through the rest of the planning below), and what a realistic budget should be for the project. Remember, the goal isn’t to commit to someone after this phase, it is to gather key information you will need for the project and determine the next best step.

Step 2a: Design and Permitting

If you are remodeling only you will not require a permit, but it would be a good idea to get as-built drawings at the very least so that whichever renovation or remodeling contractor is getting you pricing can do so based on actual drawings of your home. This will lead to more accurate quotes for your project and less surprises!

More often than not you will need permits for any substantial renovation or remodeling project in Toronto. Removing a wall, adding plumbing, and adjusting your HVAC system are all examples of work that will require permitting. For a more comprehensive rundown of when you do and do not require a permit click here.

If the General Contracting Companies you were speaking with in the first step were of any value they would have recommend a couple of BCIN designers or architects that could help get you a fee proposal for putting the design/permits together for your project. At this point make sure you reach out to a few design companies that can help you get the permits, most of the time with renovation projects the City of Toronto fast-tracks the permits so you should have no issues turning around a design in 2-3 months time. Make sure you work closely with the designer so you are not holding up the process of submitting permit drawings to the City.

Step 2b: Start shopping for home finishes

If any of the General Contractors allow you to source your own finishes (which we do), take the time that you have during the design process to start finding pricing. The benefit to this is two-fold:

• You will be able to come up with an accurate budget for all of your managed finishes. Especially if you are new to renovating you are going to be surprised to see how quickly the costs can add up!

• You will be able to avoid any delays in having items shipped that may slow down the course of construction and move back the completion date of your residential renovation project

The most common items with long lead times are appliances and foreign finishes, so get on finalizing your appliance package and buy local! BVM Contracting has a list of local vendors in Toronto that we send to prospective clients to shop from and enjoy contractor discounting on most items. Just another way we are able to save our clients money!

Step 3: Once Designs are completed, Reach out to home renovation companies to get pricing

Make sure you get pricing BEFORE you submit the drawings for permit. If you have to make any changes to the designs as a result of costs being too high then you will have to pay the permit fee again to change anything with the plans.

Make sure that when you get pricing that:

• The scope of work is itemized and includes both General Contractor-Related Pricing as well as any fees that you might incur personally (i.e. if you are buying finishes, have to disconnect hydro, have to pay for an engineering visit). This is the point in time that separates the boys from the men, remember that the amount of effort you put into this step is proportional to the efficiency of the project.

• You are also asking about insurance, WSIB, references, and information about the contract. MAKE SURE THAT YOU TALK TO THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR’S PAST CLIENTS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. ASK FOR MULTIPLE REFERENCES FOR SIMILAR RENOVATION PROJECTS.

• Understand the type of contract you are signing, is it a fixed price contract? Is it cost-plus? Many times when cost-plus General Contractors are quoting projects they have a tendency to under-estimate sub-contractor pricing. If you want absolutely certainty that pricing is not going to change drastically during your project, pick a General Contractor that procures pricing from all of their subcontractors before you sign a contract. This is something that BVM Contracting does and it usually leads to being a more expensive upfront price, but at least it is correct.

Step 4: Choose your General Contractor For Your Renovation

Once you complete step 3 in it’s entirety and have a full budget together you should be able to review all of the pricing, ask any remaining questions you have, and make some final adjustments to the scope of work. Note that any reputable renovation contractor has a Change Order process in place, so if there is anything you would like to add or subtract from your budget after the contract is signed that should not be an issue for any General Contractor with a legitimate business

Conclusion

Make sure you spend a lot of time in the planning stage to try and avoid any potential issues/delays once your renovation project starts. Many times it comes down to poor advisement by your General Contractor who assumes that you understand the renovation process. Whether you are a first time renovator or seasoned veteran, we take the same approach to make sure your project progresses as efficiently as possible. This renovation process gives our clients the peace of mind knowing that they are in good and trusting hands.

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations and custom home builds (full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, new home construction, and laneway suites). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of building their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.