3 Renovation Mistakes

Calgary Real Estate Podcast with Eric Mortimer

Here’s what to avoid during your home renovation. When renovating your home, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. Joining me today is Ian Galvin of Velao Projects, a home restoration and remodeling company. Ian has over 30 years of residential construction experience, and we’ll be discussing three of the biggest mistakes you can make during a home renovation. Here’s what to avoid doing: 1. Not hiring a competent design professional. Some services both design and build while others do not, so it’s important to find out what you’re getting. Who is going to build the project? Who is going to advise them? You want everything laid out for you from the beginning: what your countertops will be made of, the colors of cabinets, the type of wood, etc. 2. Being your own supplier. Problems arise when you provide your own products for others to install. If there’s a mistake, what happens? Who looks after you if something is broken? That’s between you and your contractor, and it can be a messy situation to navigate. It’s advised to use an outside supplier to avoid the issues that can arise from supplying your own products, especially during larger projects. 3. Not asking enough questions. Don’t ever assume things are going smoothly. You want to visit the project and get updates on its progress. Make arrangements with your contractor to review the project periodically so you can catch things before it’s too late. Things can move very quickly during a renovation, so fixing problems before they grow is important. “Make arrangements with your contractor to review the project periodically.” There’s a specific license for Alberta contractors that allows them to handle the process of advanced payment. So if they ask for advanced payment, ask for the license. Beware of large payments unless they are defined—front-end draws can be substantial if there are a lot of materials to pre-order. If you want more information on preparing for a renovation or have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you soon.