This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant

Planning – The secret to a successful construction project

So why is planning so important anyways? Renovating a home is kind of like a major surgery. Surgeons don’t cut open the patient, and then decide what to do once they are in there. They use very specific screening of the patient’s blood type, protein levels, organ function, and other variables to help reduce the likelihood of an issue surfacing. Occasionally, a surgeon will encounter a challenge or obstacle once surgery is underway. In that capacity, the surgeon is faced with decisions that are more risky and more challenging than if those decisions were able to be made ahead of time. When remodeling or building a home, there are many ways to achieve the same result, and a good architect and engineer, and sometimes an interior designer too, can be the difference between a very successful project and a nightmare.

Here are some reasons planning ahead of time is a good idea when you are remodeling your home:

Planning keeps labor costs down – Most workers and labor suppliers operate on an hourly basis. If you or your design professionals are in the house making last minute decisions mid-project, it can drive up costs because these workers are already on site. A change in the middle of this progress can be very costly. For example, if electricians are running electrical cables through three walls on the north interior part of the home, but then you decide you want to knock down those walls and open the floorplan up. Now, they will have to go back and figure out how to run the wires again.

Planning keeps materials and other costs down – If materials are already on site, and a change is made, it can result in unused, or unreturnable, materials expenses. For example, perhaps you order a 36” wide vanity for a bathroom, and the contractor has it ordered, delivered, and installed, but then you decide you don’t like the finish, and it’s location and size. You now want it to be 42” wide. In this example, it is very likely that the cost of the original cabinet is a sunk cost. Another example, perhaps you have custom ordered windows, and then you decide later that you want them to be storm-rated. Many windows are not returnable. And this is just materials…if any of these materials are associated with framing that has already been completed, that has to be changed, then you are looking at additional labor and lumber costs too. If those two examples were for large whole-home renovations, it could drive up your costs by 2% to 5%.

Planning keeps design costs lower – No, this is not stating the obvious. If a project is not well planned, the contactor may end up being forced to get the design professionals back out to the project for a site visit to verify feasibility, safety, and other considerations. For example, if the architect failed to put on the plans specific detail on how to support a load-bearing wall, it may be necessary to get the structural engineer out to have a look and draw up more specific construction documents.

Planning keeps the project on time – This is a big one. Time is of the essence in these types of projects. It seems obvious that the project timeline would have to change if there were mid-project changes due to poor planning. However, may people do not realize the potential extent of the resulting delay. In the two examples above, it could push the project timeline by as much as 8 weeks, or even more. If the contractor has to push the timeline, he will have to push most of the subsequent project items that were originally scheduled. In this busy market, it is not unusual for a trade to be unavailable for several weeks after you try to reschedule them.

Planning can save money in other ways too – A good structural engineer can walk into most structures and tell the contractor how to achieve the results in the least invasive manner. They can also save you money by helping the contractor make important decisions when major repairs are needed. For example, a structural engineer may be able to come up with a legitimate method for rebuilding a portion of an exterior wall that doesn’t require complete replacement of the exterior brick veneer. That could save thousands of dollars even on a relatively short span.

Planning can give you better finishes – If you hire an interior designer in the pre-construction phase, they can help you determine the best mix of finishes and selections that can easily pay for their fee. For example, the interior designer may know about a certain type of flooring alternative to hardwoods that will work better for your situation. Or they may be able to save you money by providing alternatives to standard finishes, such as tile backsplash. For example, you could use shiplap instead of tile. It is currently en vogue, and it is cheap and easy to install. Sometimes you need that designer to tell you it’s “ok” to do something different like that.

Speaking of finishes and selections – It is customary for the contractor to provide the client with an allowance schedule for their selections as a part of the preliminary estimate (aka “bid”). The contractor will be just guessing if you have yet to make a lot of the major decisions, and this could result in overbidding or underbidding. Furthermore, if you are comparing contractor bids, it will be easier for you to see the cost differences if your selections are further along in the pre-bid phase. On a whole home, just the materials and finishes allowances can easily exceed 20% of the total project cost.

So, what is involved in planning?

Choose the right design professionals – Select a design professional that has designed projects that you actually like. For example, don’t just choose your friend who is an architect, if that friend is mostly focused on commercial spaces. Choose somebody that has designed other homes just like your dream home. If they have a similar design mindset, then you are going to be much happier with the results. Go to their websites and see pictures of projects they have designed. Ask them about their time frame, and how busy they are. Make sure that you understand how they charge for their services too. It’s a good idea to ask builders and contractors who you may know. They can tell you if an architect draws good solid plans, if they have worked with them before.

Site visit – Have the design professionals come to your property and visualize its potential. Decide roughly on what the end product will be like. Give them as much information as you can. If it is a renovation or addition project, this phase may involve a structural engineer too. But if it does not, then the engineer will come in to play when the formal construction blueprints need to be finalized.

Floor plan design phase – This phase is critical for cost savings and project success. Spend a lot of time analyzing the proposed wall and fixture locations. Keep costs in mind when you are in this phase. The more walls you move, add, or change, the more cost there will be on a remodeling job. For all types of projects, you need to spend time imagining what it would be like to walk into the proposed space. You can even tape it out on your garage floor, or in the area itself if it’s a renovation, just to get a feel for it. Keep in mind that your design professional probably put a lot of things where they did, in order to keep construction efficient. For example, the bathrooms may all be in a central location, to make it easier to install rough plumbing.

Finishes and selections – Use this time to really think outside of the box. This is when you can start considering cost-saving options that can have a big wow factor. Do you really need hardwood floors in the upstairs bedrooms? If not, put in carpet instead, and that cost savings can go towards a super fancy backsplash in your wet bar. For a gust bathroom, consider putting a single piece fiberglass tub-shower in and skip the double sinks, and instead increase your budget for the floor tile and the vanity counter and cabinet in that same bathroom, and find a funky shower curtain that beings it all together. Use this time to go to vendor showrooms. There are a lot more showrooms than just Lowes, Home Depot, and Ferguson. Ask your contractor or design professionals what’s out there.

Review prior to final plans – There should be a point at which you can sign off on the plan schematics before the architect or design professional draws up specific construction documents. How good they are at drawing up the final documents is a true testament to their skill and experience. If you have a builder selected already, ask them to review the plans. If not, perhaps you have a friend who is a contractor or builder who can give it a look. A contractor will notice things that could cause challenges during permitting and construction phases.

Do not rush and triple check everything – Just make sure everything is exactly how you want it before starting the construction project. Obviously, there are going to be changes that you have to make, but just know that the fewer changes, the more likely the project will come in on budget and on time.