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create a
spreadsheet of all of the products and materials I wanted in the property.
This meant that I had to do a lot of homework and shopping around. I think
I visited every home improvement store in the south suburbs. I worked
diligently for weeks to pick out everything that I wanted. This means that
I had to pick everything from the bathroom faucets to the doorknobs to the color
of the trim in the bedroom. Every detail had to be chosen. I believe
in organization so I created a spreadsheet to outline the items that were needed
and took this with me to the stores. I also took my digital cameras with
me so that I could have a visual of what was chosen. After so long and so
many items, they begin to become big blurs in your mind. It’s also
helpful, for instance, when you find a bathroom faucet that you like at one
store but the vanity that you like is somewhere else. This allows you to
put the pictures together to see if they complement each other. You may
find that changes need to be made to make sure that they actually match.
Once I was
satisfied with all of my choices, I emailed them to my contractor. There was a
spreadsheet that outlined all of the fixtures and another for the paint colors
and flooring. I wanted to make sure that all of my wishes were clear since I
wouldn’t be able to be at the property all day, everyday. I also felt that it
would make things easier for the workers to do their jobs, because there would
be no confusion about what was wanted where and how.
I closed on the
property on a Friday and the contractors were ready to begin that next week. It
was exciting to come to the property and see the demolition being done. The
work to be done was mainly cosmetic which entailed pulling up the floors,
removing wallpaper, removing bathroom fixtures, and the like. The only somewhat
major change that was done to the house was the opening of the walls in the
kitchen to have access to the living and dining rooms. I didn’t want the entire
walls removed, just an L-shaped bar to make for more seating and entertaining.
However, there was a problem. The contractors found that the heating and air
ducts were in one of the walls so the completely open bar wasn’t an option
unless we wanted them to completely redirect the ducts. This option would‘ve
add to the completion time and the budget so I decided against that. This was
my first taste of having to be flexible with what I had originally planned.
After discussing all of the options with the contractor, we came to the
conclusion that the best option would be to create two big windows into those
rooms. Although it wouldn’t be the continuous openness that was once desired,
it still opened the area and allowed access to both rooms. We were also able to
still incorporate the bar for more seating. Problem solved.
As with any
property, the major headaches to revamp were the kitchen and bathrooms. The
other rooms in the house required the typical flooring, painting, and lighting
changes. The kitchen and bathrooms, on the other hand, needed everything
completely changed. Remodeling the kitchen was my second lesson in being
adaptive with my original plans. For the countertop, I had chosen a type of
quartz stone. However, I didn’t realize that it would be a special order and
take at least two weeks to deliver when I originally chose it. This was
unacceptable since the countertops couldn’t be ordered until all of the new
cabinets were in and the bar was built, which wasn’t discovered until less than
a week before I was supposed to move in. So on to the Plan B that I didn’t
have. What I needed to do was find a tile that could be laid immediately. I
actually found that Plan B (marble tiles) looked and worked better in the
kitchen. However, they didn’t look better on my budget. The tiles themselves
were very inexpensive. I just didn’t know that laying the tiles on the
countertop would be as labor intensive as laying the floor tiles. This was a
really big shock that I had to absorb.
As if I didn’t
learn my lesson with the kitchen countertop, I found out later that the bathroom
vanity for the master bathroom was also a special order and that it would take
four weeks for it to arrive. This meant that I had to go back to the stores to
find another vanity that would be suitable. Changing the vanity also meant
changing the paint color so that they would complement each other. It just
seemed as if my trips to the home improvement stores would never end.
At the beginning
of the project, I was naïve enough to think that since I had done all of my
homework prior to the work being started that everything would go off without a
hitch. When I sent the spreadsheets to the contractor, I really felt a sense of
relief that my part of the project was done. Boy, was I ever wrong.
This property was
very personal to me since it was not just a rehab and flip. All of this was
done for the first house that my husband and I bought for our family. I
initially looked at it as making sure that everything was just right for us but
then I realized that it was a learning experience for when we do it for profit.
We just submitted offers on four investment properties and hope to have at least
one offer accepted. None of the properties that we bid on are as large as our
home and shouldn’t require as much work or time but we are prepared for the
worst.
So, what did I
learn through this process?
If there is an
item you really want, check to see if it is a special order or not. You can
either choose another item or bring this to the contractor’s attention so that
they can order it accordingly.
Be willing to
adapt to changes. You never know what lurks behind walls. Whether it’s
plumbing, electrical or duct work, it would all require more money and time.
Don’t be afraid
to ask questions at your local home improvement stores. They are very
knowledgeable and can offer ideas on how to achieve your desired look and
purpose.
Enjoy the
process. It will only get more exciting.
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