Home renovation? Read here to understand why it is important to choose the technician first and the contractor second.

If you’re thinking about a home renovation, it’s likely that you’re pondering how best to go about it…

You are probably thinking about calling a construction company in the first place, perhaps one you trust, to get a quote and decide how to start this venture directly with them.

I imagine this because I admit, I did so too for my first home renovation.

When I still knew little or nothing about it and was in a completely different line of work…

Oh yes, I too made that mistake, only fortunately for me, I chose a company with the right stuff, serious ones that work very well and so everything went smoothly!

Why do you make this choice, and why, if you are not more than lucky, can it be a terrible mistake?

Your thoughts in deciding to go directly to the construction company may be twofold:

– you think you are saving money;

– you think that the contractor is the right contact person (who better to know what we are talking about than those who perform the work).

Actually, both of these statements are incorrect!

Of course, many companies really like this choice, because they will be able to do whatever they want in your home, and, for you, this will be a big problem!

What do I mean by that? I’ll explain it to you right now!

– for huge renovations, they will offer you one of their technicians to do a project that THEY told them, based on what you explained to them;

– they will not specify the materials they will use.

This involves

– that the costs will increase out of all proportion because, not having studied the project beforehand with the technician, surely changes will come up during the work that needs to be done.

And these changes will come:

– from your side that by reasoning, you understand that there is a better solution for your needs,

– or from the contractor that only later will notice that something cannot be done this way, but it is better to do it that way, which however will lead to an increase of tot…

Believe me: this happens very often indeed!

– you will never know the proper value of the materials you have in your home, and there is a real danger that they will be poor quality, stock remnants that you paid for, however, as if they were first-rate!

– the work will be slow, and each modification will lead to an inevitable loss of time!

Construction companies, even the best ones, know how to do the work, but they don’t know how to do the project and don’t know how to do the bureaucratic part properly.

Arriving at the beginning of the work with a clear idea, with a plan properly done, knowing exactly what materials you want is really essential so that you then can check that the contractor is doing things as agreed.

It goes without saying that you are not an expert, you have an idea of what you would like, but a project cannot be limited to a quick sketch with two annotations…

The construction company, however skilled it may be, cannot accomplish what you want precisely only based on the few things you tell them.

Who looks after your interests?

And of course, as said before, on huge renovations they will propose you their technician, with whom, however, you will hardly talk… How can he do a project tailored to you? He will not do it, but will do it following the orders of the construction company!

Another problem, by no means marginal: relying directly on the contractor who will be the construction manager? Who will be in charge of safety?

If you haven’t hired a technician, you should do it yourself, but you don’t have the skills, and then you’ll have to rely on their professional, on the one you’ve never seen but who did the project and took care of the bureaucratic part…

But are you sure he will do your interests? I’m already telling you… absolutely not! He will do the interests of the construction company!

Do you still believe that for home renovation relying directly on the contractor is convenient and the best choice?

Often there is a false illusion that the construction company has every interest in giving the best possible service; in the end, it gets by on your money, so why complicate your life by not doing the work well?

That is largely due to the market in which they have to operate, a market in which price wars are the order of the day!

That somehow turns the enterprise into your “antagonist” because it has to maximize earnings while reducing costs!

Spending more is no guarantee to have a better job…

At this point, you might think: “I go to the most expensive one, and I’ve solved it!”.
No, unfortunately, it doesn’t even work that way because the constructor company MUST BE CONTROLLED anyway!

And that is always! And who can do that? Only and exclusively a technician!

But as said before, it can’t be their professional because if not, he will look at their interests and not yours, and you’ll be back to square one!

First, choose the technician and make a project!

The correct thing to do is

  • FIRST to choose a trusted technician; with him, study a project that is complete in detail and is functional to your needs.
  • choose all the materials you wish to have,
  • and THEN choose a construction company that, at that point, based on that detailed project and knowing what materials it will have to handle, will be able to give you a much more correct estimate.

The technician is aware of what he has to do, and knowing the laws and decrees, he knows how to do it, and having chosen him, you will check that everything is done properly and will defend your interests!

Do you understand why if it is true that the choice of the constructor company will make a big difference in your home renovation (I talk about it here), it is even more so the choice of the technician!

Better to move forward in steps!

My team and I always start from here…

Once we have identified the right house for you, we start with the project that we do 360°!

Which means from the first brick to the furniture (wanting to the last knick-knack!).

We follow and support you in choosing all the materials (tiles, interior and exterior fixtures, sanitary ware, furniture, of course!).

And only after that do we start with the work!

Home renovation is a high-impact financial and emotional commitment that you CAN NOT leave to chance.

It is a long and arduous path, which, if not properly managed, can lead to a lot of frustration, don’t risk this and let me support you: contact me!

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Is “turnkey solution” really worth it?

Today I would like to analyze with you the “turnkey solution” that construction companies often propose, trying to understand how it works and whether it is really worth it!

A SINGLE POINT OF REFERENCE

One of the key points of the turnkey solution is to deal only with the company, a single contact person that will take care of everything!

And this, it is true, is excellent practicality: it takes away a thousand complications, a thousand thoughts!

We have to deal with one person who will report everything to us and to whom we will tell our wishes.

Everything else will be taken care of by the company.

Let’s analyze the turnkey solution in detail:

– it will be the construction company that will decide the workers who will work in your house.

And it is possible that it will subcontract to another company that will choose the artisans with whom to work…

One less burden for you who would otherwise have to look for the plumber, the electrician, the tiler, the mason, the decorator…

In addition, the fact that the various workers know each other and perhaps collaborate regularly is undoubtedly a positive factor.

Knowing how the other works makes the whole thing much “smoother”!

BE CAREFUL, HOWEVER…

There is one factor to consider, however, which is the markup that the main contractor: the one you will be paying, will put on the price of the individual artisan…

The price you have been quoted by the constructor company you have chosen is undoubtedly higher than the price each artisan charged to do the work on your house…

If there are then subcontractors, this price increases even more:

  • the artisan makes his price, hands it over to the contractor, who puts his markup on it,
  • hands it over to the main contractor,
  • who in turn will markup and present you with the bill…

You have no control over this markup and especially no idea how much it might be!

If I tell you, it might as well be 68%!

No, it’s not a number put there at random: it’s really the markup that was given to a customer!

I found out in retrospect by getting in touch with one of the artisans who had worked on their house: in talking, he told me what he had asked for that job…
At home, among the various documents, I still had the price calculator and I, therefore, saw the price that had been asked of them.

And the difference was precisely 68%!!! Not an insignificant amount of money, right?

THE TECHNICIAN WILL DO YOUR BEST INTERESTS? ARE YOU SURE?

– you will be assigned a technician, surveyor, or architect who will be in charge of all the planning and bureaucratic part.

In addition, they will have to take care of the construction management by making sure that everything is done in the best possible way and finding solutions if any inconveniences occur; and they will have to take care of and also coordinate safety on the construction site.

The technician is there to look out for your interests and protect you; but, if you don’t pay him directly, but the contractor, who maybe regularly gets him jobs in case of problems, will he really look out for your interests or the interests of the contractor?

I can assure you that he really won’t care about you!

Not only that, it often happens that the technicians assigned by the company are not included in their staff, so they fish here and there for freelancers who manage to pay very little.

This fact is not irrelevant because if he is underpaid, how much attention will he put into the work, and with what results?

It goes without saying that if you work with a professional construction company, you will not have any sort of problems, but…

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE MATERIALS YOU WILL HAVE AT HOME?

– the materials will be suggested to you from among those that the constructor company gets from various representatives/suppliers… this results in the fact that you will have a decidedly limited choice, it seems clear that a company does not have a wide range of products to show, they are not suppliers!

But the most vital factor is the price: what value does the material you are suggested really have compared to the final price you pay?

I tell you this because I have seen unbelievable prices, a striking case is of doors paid 580 euros whose commercial value was a maximum of 200 euros.

Now, it goes without saying that you have to add the labor, the shipping, and also the work the company puts in to contact the supplier: choose the material, order it, be present at the delivery, check that everything is in place, but do you understand that even then at 580 you don’t get there?

But there are so many materials: flooring, sanitary ware, interior and exterior fixtures… what really is their value, and how much did you pay for them?

SO WHAT TO DO?

For these reasons, 9 times out of 10, the way this turnkey solution is proposed to you, it’s really not worth it…

So do you have to take care of everything and everyone? Absolutely not…

And I can help you:

– you will pay the workers directly and hold their estimate!

– you will have an architect who will take care of everything, but again you will pay him directly, so he will be in “your employ” (yes, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but at least it gives the idea).

– we will go and choose materials in the best places, where there is plenty of choices and where you will be fully aware of the value of what you have in your home!

BUT

You will only have to deal with the architect and me!
We will be your contacts, and we will take care of everything!

Want to know more?

Contact me!!!

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Home renovation? The choice of the construction company will make a big difference!

Let’s see why the choice of the construction company is the first step to take when renovating!

We know, we’ve said it a million times, renovating your home can become a high source of stress and turn into a true nightmare!

There are really so many things to think about and pay attention to, and if you can’t be there all the time, it all amplifies exponentially, bringing huge bellyaches and heavy losses of money and time.

How can you avoid experiencing the work period badly?

The choice of the right construction company that will put hands on your home is a FUNDAMENTAL thing.

It is a choice that will make a difference both in the final result of the work and in the psychological component you will experience during the entire renovation phase.

Below are some hints on how to choose the right company for you

ON LINE RESEARCH

In the internet age, everything is now at your fingertips!

And it’s really hard for a construction company not to be present in some way on the internet!

PAY ATTENTION, however, to not dwell only on the most appealing website, it’s not enough to choice of the right construction company!

You should know that often the pictures you see on various websites are not photos of jobs actually done by the company, but bought from foreign sites!

In the end, the website is a showcase, and we always try to present ourselves at our best.

If you see crooked photos, perhaps out of focus, then yes, it will be their work; but if you see “magazine” photos, ask yourself questions…

Very few businesses rely on professional photographers to capture their work.

When you see a beautiful picture, go further and read the description to see that it is compatible with the image you just saw…

Focus on the contents; they will give you a first idea of who those construction companies are and what they do.

If they also have social media channels you can follow them and start “knowing them”, you can even interact without any commitment!

Search and evaluate their reviews!

Pay attention to those constructors without reviews, as well as, for those who have them, you have to understand if they are real customers or friends and relatives!!

SPECIALIST VS. GENERALIST

I recommend you avoid those companies that give you an endless list of services!

the longer the list is, the less quality you will have!

It is impossible to excel in everything and guarantee an excellent product or service if you are not specialized!

It is clear that you can find a company that has a highly skilled staff in the various sectors, but it must be specified very well on the site, perhaps in the section OUR TEAM, for example.

Also, remember that a construction company that renovates apartments will hardly do a very high-quality job if you need to renovate a cottage!

The construction company must be chosen based also on the work you have to do.

EVALUATE THE KEY IN HAND SOLUTION

If you choose each master craftsman yourself, you might save something, at least at the budget level, but to do so, remember that you will have to spend a lot of time finding the “right” ones.

Moreover, if they do not know each other, the risk of misunderstandings that will generate errors and delays (resulting in increased costs) is really great.

The construction company surely has workers with whom it collaborates, who will be just as serious; a good company cannot risk “losing face” because of a mistaken collaboration!

And for sure, these professionals already know each other and have definitely already worked together.

Try to understand whether these laborers are subcontracted by the company or whether each has its own costs. Especially try to percieve how many subcontracts there are!

I’ll tell you this because the more steps there will be the higher the final cost will be for you!

BE WARY OF TOO LOW ESTIMATES!

Quality and low prices DO NOT go hand in hand!

it would be nice, but it’s not like that!

the reality is that if you spend little you will get little!

A low share for the job done has 2 implications

– either low quality,

– or at each small variation, the price will magically increase (you know when they tell you “this can’t be done this way, we have to do it like that, but it costs X (ex) more”?)

In the end, the risk is to pay more than what you would have paid using the company that had a higher estimate.

MAKE AN IN-DEPTH MEETING

Once you have identified the one you think could be the right company, make an in-depth meeting!

Prepare a piece of paper with many questions and make them show off their works and reviews!

This will help you to understand how they work and therefore if they are the professionals you were looking for, but also their accountability: if they know how to listen to you, and if they answer all of your questions exhaustively, they will be there if problems arise, taking on responsibility and doing anything to solve them.

Because there may likely be problems during the work, and a company present will really make a difference!

In conclusion, take the time to look for the right company for your needs, don’t be charmed by sites that look too good and quotes that are too low, choose a company that specializes in what you need…

If you need a hand with your renovation don’t hesitate to contact me!

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Are you renovating home? Listen to the heart and not the others!

Renovating home…

If you are planning something, whatever it is, you can be sure that the people around you will have their opinion about it, and will be happy to let you know it!

This, therefore, also applies if you are renovating your home!

You start all thrilled with a thousand ideas, you can already imagine how it will be, and slowly everyone “destroys” your dreams with “if I were you…” “in your place…” “I would do this differently…”!

Often they give you a suggestion for a part, an element, without knowing all the rest of the project.

But, above all, they don’t know why you’re taking a certain decision!

Most of the time, people are full of good intentions, but not really being in your shoes, their suggestions will be dictated by their tastes and their experiences, which are not necessarily suited to yours!

Designing or renovating your home is definitely exciting, and it is normal that you want to share all this with friends and family!

But, often, their advice and suggestions get you confused!

And it is possible that, following some of their ideas, in the end, you will have a home that isn’t really the way you wanted!

And, above all, that doesn’t fully adapt to your needs and your way of being!

Why does this happen?

HOW ARE YOU COMMUNICATING?

Often this happens because of how you communicate information with them:

  • are you simply making them aware of your plans?
  • are you looking for suggestions?
  • or do you seek their approval?

How you tell them things will make a big difference in whereby they will understand them and reply accordingly!

If your intention is only communicative, to make them aware of what you are doing and share your joy, you must show your projects as if all the decisions had already been taken!

If you are sure of your ideas, others will be inclined to support your vision and share your joy, without intrusion.

Or, in any case, with less “invasive” ones!

When they have anyhow to give you their point of view, accept it, think about it and see if it really is something that fits you, your personality, and your needs.

If it doesn’t, go over it without hesitation, remember that it is you who must live in that house, not them!

BE CAREFUL WHO YOU ASK

If, on the other hand, you have doubts about some part of the project and would like to receive effective advice, do not ask everyone, you would come out more confused than ever!

instead look for someone who is more like you, who knows your tastes and your needs and you will see that they will give you thoughtful advice that really can be useful to you!

But, even in this case, although surely this suggestion will be based more on you, do not take it as pure gold.

Evaluate it in every detail, to be sure that it really fits your needs.

Otherwise do not be afraid to change it, maybe the basic idea is right, but some details are not entirely in tune with your way of being.

As we have said, home renovation is exciting, but it can also be stressful, especially if the project is large and the process is long!

During the path, you may feel frustrated and have a thousand doubts about your choices, and unasked advice can really throw you down…

ONLY YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED!

When this happens, stop, take a deep breath, and always listen just to your heart.

Only you know your very personal tastes, your rhythms, and your needs, and, therefore, only you know what can make you happy!

For example, if your dream is a large open-space kitchen because you love to receive friends and relatives and while you cook you like being able to chat with them, you don’t have to change your mind if someone tells you that a closed kitchen is better because at least you don’t see disorder and above all odors are not smelt!

Remember that a design decision is not necessarily better or worse than yours, only different, dictated by different tastes and needs.

What is right for someone could be very wrong for you!

When customers ask me for help, the first thing I do is talk at length to understand their tastes and needs to study together with the best solution that makes them happy!

Projects don’t always meet my taste, but woe if it were so, the house is not mine!

So, when you start sharing your exciting restructuring plans with others, and the advice starts to arrive copiously, remember that you are the captain of the ship and that only useful friends have to get on board!

The house must reflect you, not them!

If you are renovating your home and need help putting YOUR ideas together, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

 

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