Why Not Choose the Educated or Certified Graduate Remodelor Team?

Lelani Sinclair - Lelani's Design Associates, Inc.

Differentiate between handymen and professional remodelers as well as decorators and interior designers. The difference is quite apparent: education, experience and certification.

Those considering a remodeling project, like all consumers, have different values. A cost-conscious customer whose principal concern is price will have little difficulty finding cost-competitive handymen for smaller and simpler projects but the real question is how do you want your project to turn out? Do you want cheap or good? Do you want unfinished or finished? Most of us are value conscious but as consumers, we need to seek a balance between cost, quality and speed.

 A good source for selecting the appropriate remodeling team for you is your GHBA. They have provided their membership with many educational opportunities including CAPS, which stands for certified aging in place specialist, for helping you in making good decisions on your remodeling project which will incorporate, at a minimum cost, for future aging needs in your home. For example, if you are remodeling a bath, think about how inexpensive and easy it would be to provide proper support for a future handrail before the sheetrock goes on the walls for when you may need it instead of having to quickly have one installed in an emergency. This “emergency” may be an aging parent who may have suffered a fall and broken a hip, etc. and needs to have minimum assistance while they recover in your home. It doesn’t have to be a parent, it could be you recovering from an accident, etc. In this “emergency” situation, the simple handrail would now have to have the sheetrock/tile removed in order to provide the proper support for the new handrail plus all the inconvenience, time and mess in taking everything apart and then putting it back together.

 In the GHBA membership are many interior designers who work with the remodelers as a team to create for you and your project effortless, timely and beautiful. The costs for this team is not higher, and their value – the education and certification held by your team is an insurance policy for the consumer. This team absorbs the price for the training and personal development, often in the thousands of dollars. Can you afford not to have this team on your project?

Interior Designers wear many hats, which are listening, translating and facilitating quickly. This project may be your first one, but your interior designer can be your most valuable asset because they have the experience. They have done this hundreds of times and know the proper items to suggest to you, vendors who will meet your budget and time frame. A designer will take so much stress and pressure from you as well as save you lots of time in the selection process not to mention the stress for your remodeler trying to get your design decisions in a timely manner to keep your project on track. Time is of the essence for all involved in your project. Your interior designer can orchestrate the selection process in a manner that is most beneficial to you by saving you time and money without you having to run around to all the vendors to “look” at all the selections. Remember, this designer is translating what you’ve said you wanted and pulled together these items for your approval either in their office or your home.

So, now, you’re asking, “Which comes first, the designer or the remodeler?” The answer is, which comes first, the chicken or the egg? This process can work either way. Your designer can ascertain your needs and requirements and translate all of that and the selections for you to present to your remodeler for pricing or you can retain your remodeler for your project and then retain your designer to be a part of the study stage and selections for your project. Either way, you will have an effortless and beautiful project which will come in on time and in budget.

Remodeling can be complex with the myriad variables your professional team manages, including coding and regulatory statutes, geography, climate, product knowledge, math, machinery, flood control, moisture barriers, windstorm rules and standards, pest control and so much more. Considering that your project involves not only money, but your lifestyle, health, comfort, property value and other personal details, it is crucial to ensure your professional team has direct experience in the area of your project.

Listed below are several things to keep in mind while deciding between a handyman and a professional remodeling team:

    * Are they “associated?" Vendors who are associated with an organization have much more to lose, and typically adhere to a higher standard. Is the vendor a member of the Greater Houston Builders Association or Remodelors Council? (www.ghba.org)?
    * Are they certified and licensed?
    * Have they won awards? Being recognized by one’s peers is significant, and is especially noteworthy if the awards are for the same type of project as yours.
    * Do your expectations match theirs?
    * Do they listen, offer suggestions and have your best interest in mind?

These qualifiers do not cost the consumer anything. If there are two key prospects, both with the education, accomplishments and references, and you are having trouble making a decision, go with your intuition. It is absolutely necessary to be able to communicate easily with your professional remodeling team.

Every company runs its jobs and processes differently, which helps you choose the one that makes sense for you, your lifestyle, the nature of your project, etc. Much like achieving any other successful relationship, finding the right remodeling team requires effective communication. Your interior designer can make this process so much easier for you. Your satisfaction is ultimately your responsibility but the discernment you exercise in the hiring process will be reciprocated in the form of a commendable project. Your home is where you eat, sleep, live, love, laugh, play, so decide, remodel and enjoy!

 
Lelani Sinclair
Lelani's Design Associates, Inc.
National Association of Home Builders first "Outstanding Associate of the Year" 1997