Remodeling horror stories are everywhere. They are a hallmark of many reality TV shows and appear on the pages of our favorite websites all the time.
Learning from other people’s mistakes can help ensure you have a smooth remodeling experience, but you don’t have to take my word for it. Take it from our good friends at Angie’s List and their article about botched remodeling jobs.
One unsatisfied customer talks about how she went with the lowest price instead of doing reference checks on the three companies who supplied prices. That ended up costing her more in the long run.
While Angie says getting three estimates to determine a fair price is a good start, but it’s not the end of your research. Make sure to speak to past clients, ask about anything you are unsure of, and don’t be afraid to tie payment with progress. Holding back final payment until all work is done to your liking is a common practice.
Like most people with remodeling experience, Angie stresses the importance of communication in a remodeler-client relationship. Put price away for a moment, and think about which remodeler you can have an honest conversation with. That’s the remodeler you want to choose.
Uncovered treasures
It wasn’t a home remodel, but crews working on a shopping center in Albuquerque discovered a mural from 1974 depicting New Mexico’s history.
The artist, Ross Ward, painted the mural at Laramie Square Shopping Center after losing out on a bid to paint the mural at Albuquerque International Sunport.
Unfortunately, it sounds like the mural will have to be torn down since it was done on cement and not easily preserved.
