Why One General Contractor Makes Complex Renovations Easier

There’s no doubting that the experience of renovating a home can be thrilling. However, anyone who has embarked upon a major renovation project will know that it can also feel like running a miniature construction company right from your living room couch. Normally, home renovations involve not just one but many people and businesses. In fact, a typical renovation involves the services of various kinds of specialists—plumbing, electrical, framing, and painting, as well as consulting and surveillance. 

It is for these reasons that many people nowadays utilize the services of professional contractors who take care of everything related to renovations. For instance, a well-known remodeling service provider—Total Renovation—has gained popularity over the years thanks to the efficient services of its general contractors. 

If you are considering the possibility of working independently with different specialists or if you are not sure whether a professional remodeler can save you time, this article will define the main benefits of working with just one contractor.

The Hidden Complexity of “Simple” Renovations

Most homeowners are unable to comprehend what all is involved in even a mid-size remodelling project. Take a kitchen remodel, for example: it does not only involve putting in new cabinets and countertops; it usually also includes:

•       Plumbing (moving sinks, dishwashers, and gas lines),
•       Electrical work (putting in new outlets, light fixtures, and wiring for appliances),
•       Structural work (getting rid of walls and adding support beams),
•       Flooring and drywall,
•       Permits and inspections,
•       Cabinet, countertop, and appliance installation, and
•       Furniture finishing (painting, placing trim, and hardware).

And not only that, you will most likely need to hire a professional for each of these jobs, thus becoming your own project manager that has to ensure that every trade completes his job in time as well as deal with the consequences of such coordination.

What Does a General Contractor Actually Do?

  A general contractor is the entity (either an individual or a company) who is responsible for handling a construction or renovation project from start to finish. The responsibilities of a general contractor include:

1. Project planning—figuring out the details regarding the scope of work, schedule, and budget before starting the construction.
2. Hiring and supervising subcontractors—getting electricians, plumbers, HVAC specialists, and other subcontractors needed for the project.
3. Permits and ensuring compliance with codes—making sure that the project meets all local building rules, all necessary permits are acquired, and every inspection is performed.
4. Scheduling—putting everything to have the work done at the right time and place.
5. Quality assurance—ensuring that all work is performed according to required specifications at every stage.
6. Budgets—ensuring proper allocation of all expenses, taking care of changes in project costs, and making sure that the budget will not go beyond what was estimated.
7. Communication — ensuring proper communication with the owner of a construction project. At Total Renovation, this is precisely what we believe in. The philosophy of our business is that when one contractor is responsible for everything, it goes much smoother. 

Why Complex Renovations Especially Benefit Fr om a Single Point of Contact

When dealing with a small project like painting one room or changing a faucet, you may not need to hire a general contractor. However, when the renovation work involves different systems within your building, such as plumbing or electrical work, things quickly become complicated, and any mistakes can be expensive for the homeowner.

1. Fewer Scheduling Issues : When hiring a number of independent contractors, you have to make sure that the plumber is done before the drywallers arrive or that the electrician finishes the wiring before the inspections begin. Otherwise, the whole project may be delayed if any contractor runs into time problems.
2. Clearer Accountability : When managing a renovation, if something goes awry, like a leak occurring after the plumbing job is done, you may find yourself discussing responsibilities with two contractors. However, if you hire a single renovation contractor, that will eliminate any uncertainty about responsibilities in the case of the occurrence of any defects. A company like Total Renovation guarantees the full scope of work under one contract, which means that you will not be trapped between professionals arguing about who needs to fix the problem.
3. Better Budget Control : Complex renovations are always subject to cost overruns and more. An experienced general contractor knows what issues can be faced (like finding out that the wiring is obsolete) and prepares for these challenges, enabling the client to allocate the budget right.
4. Faster Problem-Solving : Renovations hardly ever occur as envisaged. Old buildings in particular can hold surprises once the walls have been broken down. An experienced general contractor, who has worked in different trades, can spot the problems early and make changes, without needing different contractors or specialists, which can delay the completion of the project for weeks or days.
5. One Contract – One Warranty : No need to deal now with five separate contracts and warranties. The one general contractor will offer one contract that covers the whole renovation project and provides an easy option for settling disputes in case the renovation wasn’t fulfilled well.

The Total Renovation Difference

The concept of Total renovation is quite simple: home renovation shouldn’t require specialized training for homeowners. As a full-service contractor, the company manages all projects by itself or employs the services of its licensed subcontractors, allowing clients to have a reliable and constant point of communication throughout the entire process.

Here is how the total renovation works in practice:

Pre-construction preparation: before the renovation comes to life, the team works with homeowners to determine the objectives, create a reasonable budget, and identify potential problems. This part is crucial for old houses, as old electrical systems and water leaks may cause real trouble.

Design coordination: it can be the case that the clients already work with an architect. Nevertheless, the contractor will make sure that the ideas and designs the people have in mind can be turned into a real building plan, which strictly obeys the requirements of local authorities.

Licenses and permits: the contractor knows how lengthy and difficult the process of obtaining construction permits is, so the whole process will be taken care of.

On-site management: a project manager will supervise the project every day, ensuring that everything goes as planned and that the clients are

Quality assurance. Every construction phase is assessed before the following phase begins, thus minimizing the chances of expensive rework in the future.

Post-implementation assistance. After the renovation is completed, the renovation company is the only contact for any warranty issues and follow-up work instead of making homeowners search for five different companies. 

Common Renovation Projects That Benefit Most From a General Contractor

Although any renovation can take advantage of professional project management, some renovations are particularly suited to this single-contractor approach because of the level of complexity involved:

1. Whole-house renovations—These renovations impact practically all systems in a house and require careful sequencing that can only be completed by a seasoned general contractor.
2. Kitchens—The kitchen combines plumbing, electricity, cabinetry, and finishing work and is, therefore, one of the most complex areas in any house.
3. Bathrooms—It is important to coordinate plumbing, waterproofing, flooring, and ventilation perfectly to avoid leaks and mould.
4. Additions—To implement renovations, various kinds of structural, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work must be performed together with obtaining permits and inspections.
5. Basements—Although basements seem to be simple, they feature many subtleties, such as adhering to moisture regulation rules, etc.
6. Historic home renovations—Old homes require unique knowledge of outdated technical solutions and materials, and assistance must comply with restoration requirements wherever needed.

In all of these cases, a professional contractor provides labor and is responsible for coordinating the entire process.

How to Choose the Right General Contractor for Your Project

If you think hiring a contractor is the best choice for an upcoming renovation, look for these aspects:

1. License and insurance. Always check that the contractor has a valid license and the required insurance.
2. Portfolio showing similar projects. Ask for examples of similar projects, especially if you are planning a renovation of a historical building.
3. Communication style. Because you will be dealing with your contractor for a while, make sure that you are on the same wavelength when communicating with them.
4. Detailed estimates. A reliable renovation contractor will provide you with an itemised estimate rather than a rough one.
5. Reputation. Speak to previous clients when possible, and pay attention to their feedback.
6. Written contract. Always sign a contract before starting a project.

Total Renovation meets all the specified requirements, which is why homeowners choose the company for their renovations over and over again.

The Bottom Line

Renovations are more complex than most people believe; a good renovation requires trades, licences, responsibility, and cooperation to ensure all the parts work together successfully. Knowing that a renovation involves many different processes can create a lot of stress and mistakes.

At the same time, when a residential contractor is working on the project, they make sure that everything is done right. The general contractor is going to work with a person from the very first stages of renovation till the end.

Thus, if the person is going to have any kind of company working with them, it must be a good choice.