When planning a home renovation, there is always the potential for delays in your projected timeline. Although working with an experienced contractor can avoid many of them, it’s still important to be aware of things that could cause delays and be prepared to address them. Here are a few things you didn’t know could delay your home renovation project:

1. Hidden Issues

You may think your renovation project is pretty straightforward. However, there may be hidden issues. Common issues like leaky plumbing or mold may not be discovered until walls are taken down or flooring is pulled up. Your contractors may also find poor wiring or insect damage.

Unless you see signs you might have mold behind the walls or other issues and are expecting it, you can’t accurately prepare for something like this ahead of time. This is especially because the time needed to address hidden issues is very much on a case-by-case basis.

Depending on the nature and severity of these unexpected problems, they have the potential to hold up your project until they are fixed properly. Your contractor will work with you and give you a new project timeline, complete with fixing or repairing these unexpected issues. This is why it’s important to use a whole home improvement contractor since they will have the whole project in mind as they work with you.

2. Poor Scheduling

General contractors are the ones who sign the contract with you, the homeowner. Their job includes scheduling with sub-contractors and inspections. They need to schedule things on time and in the correct order. The right home improvement contractor will do this efficiently and expertly. But if your general contractor fails in this area, things will get held up.

It’s important to pick the right contractor to keep moving along. Interviewing and getting a few different quotes from different contractors is advised. Reading reviews or asking other people who have also had renovations done are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing a home improvement contractor.

3. Unclear Project Scope

“Scope of work” refers to the details of your entire project. This includes materials, demolition, design, and labor. If you don’t have a clear understanding of the project, you may not be prepared for delays. Asking for a clear scope or timeline of your project is one of the most important questions to ask your home improvement contractor.

A clear scope of work is also one of the things that should be in a home improvement quote. Any changes you make during the renovation process will delay your project, too. Even moving a window a few inches to the left can cause delays. If you ask for these changes, be prepared that it may hold things up.

Depending on the nature of the changes you are requesting, there may even be a change order or additional charges to accommodate them. If you are working with an experienced contractor, all of the details and questions about your project should have been addressed before any contract was signed to keep changes to the scope like this to a minimum.

4. Material Availability

Even though most homeowners who embark on a renovation project know materials can become unavailable, there are ways to make the process easier. When planning with your contractor, make sure to have a backup or two of each desired material. This way, if your first or even second choice is out of stock, your contractor already has a backup to go with.

Having backups eliminates extra time for back-and-forth communication of choosing another material that suits you. You can still choose to wait if you really want a specific material, but having backups for almost every material may help prevent a majority of delays. Your contractor can help you navigate this and will make you aware of any known supply chain issues ahead of time.

5. Permits and Inspections

A common home improvement myth is that you don’t need permits to begin a renovation, but you do. You may be surprised at how long and tedious the permit and inspection processes can be. Each township or municipality has different rules to follow so you may need to be prepared for the approval process to delay your home renovation project.

As your build or renovation progresses, you may have inspections along the way. A major benefit of working with a home improvement contractor is that they handle all of the permits and schedule inspections. The inspector may need to see the base structure to check for code before anything else can begin. Plumbing and electrical may need to be checked after a rough-in and then again after installation. Inspectors will schedule their visits on their schedule, so you may have a waiting period until you can proceed to the next step.

Get Your Project Done On Time With Zephyr Thomas

These are just a few things you didn’t know could delay your home renovation project. Working with a reputable, experienced contractor can help avoid a lot of them and mitigate risk. If you’re ready to begin a home renovation and are trying to find a home improvement contractor, consider working with Zephyr Thomas.

With over 60 years of experience serving Lancaster County, Zephyr Thomas is here to help you with your next home improvement project. Call us at 717-399-4708 for a free estimate on your next project or stop by our showroom for some inspiration.