The Most Expensive Renovation Mistakes Happen Before Construction Starts

It’s all too easy to jump into a home renovation without much thought or planning. After all, updating your home is exciting and you may be eager to get started as soon as possible.

Doing so, however, can cost you a lot of money, time, and headaches down the road.

"Changing your mind is actually great, as long as you do it while the ink is still wet. It's much simpler to erase part of a drawing than to move a wall already filled with framing, wiring, and plumbing. Once construction starts, a change will be much more costly," explains Dylan Gould, AIA director of design at Cargo Workshop in New York City.

With a bit of planning and a clear understanding of your budget, goals, and priorities, you’re more likely to prevent construction mistakes and keep your project on track.

The cost of changing your mind midway through a project

If you change your mind after construction is underway, expect a change order.

“A change order is issued as an amendment to the agreed-upon estimate anytime there is a change to the original scope of work,” says Kiril Ratia, general contractor and founder of Ratia Construction in Chicago.

Change orders are notably different from an initial project estimate. 

In the estimating phase, there is some flexibility for value engineering and tweaking designs. With change orders, however, there is less flexibility because they often come up as an essential remedy to a preexisting site condition. 

Significant time delays are another consequence of midconstruction changes.

“If drywall is already up and a homeowner requests for some plumbing to be moved, the price of the change order will likely be double the cost. That’s because a change like that requires demolition, potentially reframing, plumbing, insulation, more drywall work, and patching,” Ratia explains.

Had that change come up while the plumbing was being installed, it would require significantly less labor and half of the materials. 

“Requests that change the location of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, or structural elements could also cause delays as a revised set of drawings would likely need to be sent to your municipality for approval,” adds Ratia.

If an inspector shows up and sees items in the wrong location than the plans outline, you could be fined. 

Between costly change orders and the risk of significant delays to your project, big changes to your renovation during construction can add up quickly.

What to figure out before you hire a contractor

Before you give a contractor the green light to start a renovation, keep these expert planning tips in mind.

Zero in on your budget

First and foremost, figure out your budget before having a conversation with a contractor or architect. 

“It’s important to delineate between your absolute budget and the budget you’re going to share with your design and construction teams,” says Ratia. 

Since home renovations come with unexpected costs, Ratia recommends building a 20% cushion into your budget to account for surprises. 

Shop around

Do your research and get quotes from several contractors to find the best fit for your unique budget and situation.

"If you only have one contractor come out, you completely eliminate the possibility of finding the best price or even negotiating a lower price with a contractor they like most," explains Andre Kazimierski,
co-owner and president at HomeHero Roofing in Downers Grove, IL.

Decide whether to stay or go

Consider if you want to live around the debris and chaos of construction or if renting another space makes sense in the short term.

“Construction is an inherently disruptive process that can affect the air quality of your home, so renting an alternative space or hotel for a brief period of time might be worth it, especially if you have young children,” Ratia explains.

If you determine moving out of your home is the way to go, be sure to account for those extra expenses.

Think through the details

Before starting construction and making a portion of your home temporarily unlivable, you need to have a plan. 

“How are you going to protect spaces you aren’t renovating? What spaces will you and your family use while this space is inaccessible? Where does the backsplash tile start if the floor tile is 8 millimeters thick, the vanity is 32 inches, and the countertop is 2 centimeters,” says Ratia.

Remember that most contractors honor the prices they provide in their estimate and sign contracts for, but changing the locations of things or making last-minute requests leads to more specialized labor and increased fees.

Incorporate your home's pain points

In many cases, what you complain about is more useful to your designers and contractors than what you want. After all, complaints come from living somewhere.

"One recent client immediately brought up problems he'd had with climate control in previous homes. Nobody puts climate control on a wish list, but that told us that HVAC was something to design around from the beginning," says Gould.

Consider an exploratory demo

An exploratory demo during the design phase is always a good idea. 

“Opening a few holes in the wall and allowing specialized tradespeople to get a look at your home’s systems will help the build team know the existing site conditions,” Ratia explains.

That feedback can help designers and architects make more informed and cost-effective suggestions that minimize disruptions or make a meaningful systemic upgrade to your home.