Thinking of remodeling your kitchen, building an addition, or embarking on some other construction project that will require the services of a contractor? If it’s something that needs association approval, don’t forget to follow the steps of our design review process.
Once that’s completed and you’re ready to break ground, keep your project nailed down with five simple guidelines:
- Reconcile your contractors’ objectives with your own. Completing the project on time and on budget are likely high priorities for you. Contractors want to maximize their compensation. Design a compensation plan that, at each stage of the project, maximizes your contractors’ profits when they achieve your objectives.
- Nothing drives down prices like competition. Any price you obtain without competition will be higher than a price you obtain with it.
- Write down everything you expect. Effective competition requires a complete, accurate, and final definition of the goods and services involved in the project
- Use standard forms for your contracts. The American Institute of Architects offers a variety of sample documents at www.aia.org/docs_default. Just realize there’s no such thing as a standard project and customize your contracts accordingly.
- There is no substitute for professionalism. Hire an architect, contractor, or other participant in your project who has a track record of character and professionalism. They will likely demonstrate those qualities on your project too. A participant with the opposite track record will probably remain true to form.
Creating your dream home is very rewarding and will assuredly come along with stresses, but proper planning and due diligence will help alleviate most of the struggles. Make sure that you and your chosen contractor have reviewed the regulations in your association’s ARB guidelines and governing documents so that there are no surprises once the project has started. If you have any questions about the process, contact your association’s manager for advice or guidance.
Affinity Management, Charleston and Columbia’s most caring property and HOA management company.
