Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Common Mistakes On Managing Renovation Projects

By Emily Lim

A home remodeling or renovation project is not as simple as it may sound. Renovating a building is not simply all about how it will look or function, but most importantly you have to deal with what kind of materials are used during the renovation, how are you going to work with your suppliers and contractors, etc. These of course will be covered by the person who will manage the project. Thus before a renovation project starts, one of the most important decisions to be made is who will manage the project.

You can either hire a professional who will do the work or alternatively, you can supervise the project yourself. If you choose to manage the work yourself, make sure that you have enough experience to deal with this. According to Gail La Grouw, the following are some common mistakes done by owners who have decided to take on the role of managing the renovation project themselves,

1. Inadequate Planning

Creating a good plan is a important part of your role as a project manager. The success of the project mostly depend on this. Your plan must include as much detail as possible. You have to regard planning for contingencies as well.

2. Poor Materials Management

Purchasing of the right materials at the right time is a large job during renovation. Think about this job properly, as it can be a cause of delay to your schedule. You can also incur additional cost if you do not have your materials at the needed time.

3. Poor Record Keeping

Lodge everything particularly matters that have to do with funds. Record keeping must be done everyday. You surely will miss something in your list if you do it in an inconsistent way. Record keeping will also let you know precisely where you are in terms of time and dollars against the plan specification.

4. Not Managing The Work Site

Most subcontractors are trying to cut cost by ignoring a number of rules and workplace safety items. This is a bad thing of course. Make sure that there is a proper insurance for their area of work.

5. Poor Communication

As home owners are not that knowledgeable with terms being used for renovation, miscommunication can happen along the way. Make sure that when you do not understand things, clear it up, but never loose your authority in front of your contractors of course.

6. Poor Change Management Control

All changes made during the renovation process must be documented and sign off.

7. Not Keeping Check of the Budget

Watch your budget, as most projects will overrun the initial estimate, make sure to add some percentage of your budget for your contingency plans.

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