Stuff I Do to Help Renovations Stay on Track and On Plan

Long title, but now that we've gotten through a bunch of professionally-supported renovation projects, I've learned a thing or two about how to keep projects moving. 

1. Always be there on Day 1 morning. Work from home. Take the day off. You'll need to be there to talk through the final plans, and figure out if you have all the supplies you agreed you'd gather. 
2. Before anyone arrives, I clear out the space (that's obvious, but a big courtesy). And clear out the path to the door. And close all the doors. There will be dust. It will settle on every surface of the house. But keeping doors closed does help.
   
3. I'll also write on the walls with pencil. "Tile here" "Demo out" "Outlet Here" "Keep this" -- communication is key. 
4. Display all the plans or drawings. Some construction guys come in from other jobs and I'm sure they all get mushed together eventually. I also tape up to an adjoining wall the plan so I can point to things when explaining the tile design, for example. 
5. Communication is key and every avenue of communication should be used. See no. 3 and 4. But also text, sharing images, taking pictures of progress, talking to workers. Saying good morning! It all makes a difference. 
6. Prepare to make quick decisions. It helps a lot that I work from home and can be pulled into a discussion or answer a question or dilemma right away. This is a biggie to move things along quickly and to get exactly what you want at the end. 
7.  Keep shoes nearby. So when you're summoned by the contractor or worker, you can walk into construction sites and outside without stopping to put shoes on. 
8. Be upfront about money. Make sure your agreement includes real dollar amounts and a payment schedule. When asked for the check, be ready to provide. I use the same contractor often and I know he appreciates that we always pay on time without issue. And when extras creep in, and they will, be upfront about costs there, too. Who is covering them. When they need to be paid. Do you have a receipt? 

Having workers in your house is a total drag, no doubt. More than the dust and the mess, opening the door to strangers every day drains my energy and makes me anxious. However, this is a necessary part of updating your space and it's so so so worth it in the end. Take your time picking the best team to accomplish your goals and expect workers to be respectful of your space. Speak up if that's not the case. 

Let me know if you have questions in the comments.