10 Things NOT to do When Remodeling or Building a House

10 Things NOT to do When Remodeling or Building a House by Julie Lohmeier

Every year, millions of Americans improve their homes. Whether it is building a new home, adding an addition, or remodeling a kitchen or bath, improving your house is an expensive proposition. In fact, in 2004 in the U.S., homeowners spent $544 billion dollars building, remodeling and, improving their homes, with project ranging from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and even millions of dollars. For home improvements, roughly 85% of these costs on average over the past five years was paid to contractors.

Yet, when hiring this work, many people will do less research than they will if buying a new TV or camera. Too frequently, logical, smart people make common mistakes every day contracting trade work, needlessly costing themselves thousands of dollars. I should know; I am one of them.

So I offer to you my advice. Ten points born from hard-earned experience. Words of advice that seem so obvious, but are often forgotten and quickly neglected in the excitement and rush to get the project going. This is my list of 10 Don’ts from my personal list of foolish mistakes made during the course of many home building and addition projects – including my own home.