Agents: Freemodel is committed to helping your seller clients understand, embrace, and participate in the remodeling process. This blog article is one in a series designed to share up-to-the-minute insights and learning on this process. We hope you will share this and future articles with your sellers so they can maximize the sale prices of their properties.

During Renovations, Expect The Unexpected.

Dear property sellers: Welcome back to our five-part series What To Expect When You’re Remodeling! In this series, we’ll share information to help you plan your pre-sale or post-sale renovation. When it comes to renovating a home, there are a lot of things to consider before getting started. Many of your concerns probably have to do with timing. How long will the renovation take? What are some common “bumps in the road” that might pop up? This second post in the series will give you a better understanding of predictable issues that can arise during your home renovation process and affect your initial timeline.

Freemodel’s Head of Operations Adrian Raskulinecz adds, “Unexpected delays in your remodeling schedule will often occur. Many of these delays are simply not controllable. Shipping delays, permit delays and newly discovered hidden deficiencies are the biggest challenges. At Freemodel, we strive to provide clear and constant communication along with detailed planning to help minimize the impact to your timeline”.

If you work with Freemodel on your renovations, your project director will certainly do everything that they can to keep your project moving and on track. But we want you to be aware of some factors that can alter the entire project timeline, so that there are hopefully no surprises! In the world of home renovations and construction projects, much of the work is performed by subcontractors who are involved with other projects, each with differing schedules and demands. This can impact the timeline of your project, along with many other factors that home sellers should be aware of.

Mark’s Freemodel project in Sonoma, CA

Here are some snags that can arise during your remodel period:

1. Surprises inside the walls and ceilings

One of the most common sources of delays during a home renovation project are flaws or problems concealed inside ceilings and/or walls. Older homes are likely to turn up some hidden defects. Here are some common things that are found in walls that can impact a project scope and timeline:

• water rot in the walls around a shower
• termite damage
• out-of-level floors or out-of-square wall
• rotted roof decking
• structurally unsafe attic framing
• defective plumbing
• dangerous homeowner wiring from past projects
• critter-chewed wires

Each issue will require a professional in one of many fields. Your Freemodel project manager will know exactly who to contact. If you're going it alone, start building up a list of trusted contractor referrals.

2. Delayed deliveries

As with any package or order, items that are expected to be delivered by a certain date can sometimes arrive late. Production lines, machinery, vendor communication, and delivery schedules can all come into play when forming a timeline for certain home appliances or fixtures, and all these issues are typically out of the sub-contractor’s or project director’s hands. While late deliveries usually resolve themselves within a business week, is it important to be mindful that some late deliveries can impact the overall timeline of a project and its completion date.

3. Sub-Contractor timelines

In the world of home renovations and construction projects, much of the work is primarily performed by subcontractors who are often involved with other projects at different locations with varying schedules and demands. This can impact their day-to-day availability and alter the renovation timeline if they are juggling multiple projects at once.

4. Weather complications

In some instances, varying weather conditions can impact the progress of renovation projects, especially if they’re taking place on the exterior of the home. Things like drywall, interior and exterior paint, cabinet plywood, pre-made cabinets, moldings, and interior doors are moisture-sensitive and can only be finalized when the air is drier. A week or two of rainy days can often cause a significant impact and delay to a renovation project.

5. Fabrication times and re-dos:

As a room is being renovated, certain parts or components cannot be perfectly measured or ordered until the project is halfway through. Additionally, some parts or materials may arrive damaged, scratched, or incorrectly sized. This can add time to a project that can only move forward after a critical component has been installed.

Azary’s Freemodel project in Santa Clara, CA

In conclusion, there are many moving parts when it comes to planning a pre-sale or post-sale renovation. Freemodel’s service can help to streamline all of your projects and produce a home that will impress buyers and give you, the seller, a high return on your investment. Being realistic about your budget, must-have upgrades, and timeline are just as important to us as they are to you, and Freemodel Project Directors will only recommend upgrades that will give you the best change of selling at or over asking.

Stay tuned for the next article in this series, as we break down how to form a budget for your home remodeling project!