Record Keeping for Your Home Remodeling Project

A home remodeling job is a big and often complicated undertaking. This type of project can involve a seemingly endless array of little details and big decisions. With all of the activity, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the information, which can lead to things being overlooked or falling through the cracks. Not to mention, this can add considerable unnecessary stress to something that is already often a stressful situation.

It is relatively simple to avoid this type of information overload, though. There are some basic tactics that can help you keep track of everything related to your project and avoid confusion or mistakes.

Encourage good communication

Communication is important in any type of business relationship, but is particularly critical in a home renovation project where any small miscommunication can have an impact on your home or a part of it. Your home improvement contractor should make good communication a priority. They should welcome your input or questions. However, remember that your contractor is busy and juggling a lot of tasks, so you should also be respectful of their time. Ask about their preferred methods of communication. It can also be helpful to establish a contact person who will actually be on the site (say, a foreman) that can answer any immediate questions you may have as the work is progressing.

Of course, communication is a two-way street. If you have any concerns or questions, it is your responsibility to bring that up with your contractor right away. Don’t assume they know what you want. Be clear with your vision and be as detailed as possible, and speak up right away if things start going in a different direction than what you had in mind.

Clarify information with questions

Ask plenty of questions. One way to avoid any confusion or miscommunication is to ask lots of questions. If you are unsure about anything related to the project, it is always better to ask for clarification. Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t understand something. This helps avoid any costly mistakes. It can help to jot down a list of any questions you may have for your contractor as they occur to you, so you don’t forget anything important.

Keep a journal or running record

The bigger the project, the more details and random bits of information you will need to remember. Putting everything down in writing helps ensure nothing gets overlooked, and also provides an accurate record that can come in handy later on if you need to refer back to anything related to the job. This doesn’t necessarily have to be anything fancy. It can be as simple as a basic notebook or a computer spreadsheet (if you are more comfortable with that format).

What should you keep in this file? Anything and everything related to the project. This can include materials involved, vendors used, specific times and dates when work was performed or items delivered and anything else that is relevant to the project. This way, you have an accurate and detailed record should there be any question or discrepancy later. For example, if there is some confusion about the type or amount of materials that were purchased or delivered, this would be easy to confirm from your records.

Much of this information may never need to be referenced in the end, but you never know. So it is much better to have a written record, as opposed to trying to piece together a recollection of something that happened weeks or perhaps even months beforehand.

Obviously, all financial records and receipts should also be recorded (whenever possible, make a duplicate copy of all receipts and invoices). This will be important for tax and insurance records, and may also be useful for other purposes.

Coordinate with your contractor

In addition to all of the records you keep on your own, your home improvement contractor likely will have a large volume of paperwork and other records related to your project. Some of this will be internal to their own business purposes and work records, but there may be some documentation that will be helpful (or at least interesting) to you. Ask what information or documents they may have that would be available to you. This could include drawings, photos or other visuals that may be interesting keepsakes from the project, and may also be helpful in the future if you want to try and create similar features elsewhere in your home.

Here at RW Remodeling, we want you to be totally comfortable with all decisions and progress related to your project. To that end, we emphasize the importance of good communication and information sharing. We respect our customers and always welcome their questions and input. Contact us for all of your home remodeling needs in Phoenix.