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Full Service Construction & Remodeling RemodelingAn example of Renovation & Restoration is taking out cabinets and putting back new cabinets with the same dimensions in the same locaton. Remodeling the same kitchen is to have a new layout all together, moving a wall, moving electrical, moving plumbing, etc. Tandom Services performs both. In some cases, we may get a call from a client who has drawn a sketch and wants a price. Other cases, the client wants assistance with design ideas, and sometimes, the client may already have architectural blueprints, Either way, we can help. We have the experience and the software to completely design and remodel any space. Why Remodel? The first of what will seem like an endless number of questions you'll have throughout your remodeling process is: "Why?". The answer may be obvious or subtle. In general, there is no overriding reason, but rather, there are several. The majority of people who remodel want to update their homes with new and modern amenities, add living space, or improve the use of the existing space available. How do I begin? The first order of business is to start thinking about what you want to improve about your home. Take a stroll through your house and make a wish list of wants and needs. What do you like about it, and why? Ask other household members the same questions. You may be surprised to find that they have different ideas about what should be done to improve the house. The process goes more smoothly if you have clear ideas about what you want. Before you think about solutions to your perceived wants and needs from your wish list, you'll need to start filling file folders with ideas and images, writing down questions (the answers will come later), and determining your role in the remodeling process. Look through magazines that show remodeled and new homes. Save the pictures that appeal to you. Tour new model homes or recently remodeled homes of friends, visit product showrooms, sign up for local guided or open tours sponsored by local associations, and attend home shows or expositions. Don't worry if you don't come up with the perfect solution for your house. Even if all you discover is what you don't like, that's progress in the right direction. Can we afford to do this? Money, of course will play a part in your remodeling project. Most people ask, "How much does it cost?" That's a tough, if not impossible, question to answer, especially if you haven't figured out what "it" is yet. A more appropriate question to ask is, "How much can we afford?" It will take some digging to get the answer, but ultimately you'll have a number that you can be confident giving to a lender, a remodeling contractor or design professional when the time is right. The financial parameters or budget of your project should be determined early in the process. Setting a budget from the start helps avoid the disappointment of having to scale back on your remodeling dreams or cover burgeoning costs you didn't anticipate. Who is going to organize all of this? The next step in the process is to decide who is going to do the job. The responsibilities of the project coordinator are varied and wide ranging. They must be able to:
Depending on your needs and the size and complexity of your intended remodeling project, there are several different options for you to explore before finalizing your plans. Attempt to define which of the following alternatives represent the best approach for your project and personality. The Owner The "boom" in do-it-yourself home remodeling has produced a library full of books, videos and articles, a schedule full of television series and specials, and a home center on every block. Many homeowners think that acting as their own general contractor is a good way to cut remodeling costs. But few owners realize the complexity of the professional's job. The General Contractor Many home improvement projects may not require professional design services and can best be handled by an experienced contractor. Again, be sure to deal with a professional. Even small jobs need careful planning as their successful completion is important to you. The Architect Major remodeling projects require construction drawings to define contracts and permit procurement. If your professional Remodeler does not provide design services, you can use a professionally trained architect. It is best to work with an architect experienced in remodeling as he or she will be more sensitive to the special challenges that remodeling represents. The Design/Build Firm Design/Build is a concept developed to benefit the homeowner with their remodeling project by providing both quality design and construction services within the same company. Using a design-builder,either a Remodeler who provides design services or an architect who provides contracting services, is one way to simplify a complex project. A design/build contractor will be able to see your project through from start to finish, keeping design, engineering and budget in mind. With design build, the design is made to your budget, not the other way around. Our company, Tandom Services, recommends that a remodeling professional should be consulted about design and function of any remodeling project. He or she can help you with time and money saving ideas. What do I look for in a contractor?
Where do I find someone like that?
Bidding your project When purchasing a new car, you're pricing a product that you can see what it looks like and you can test drive it to see how it feels. When a homeowner purchases remodeling services, he or she is buying a concept and process and won't see the finished product until well after the contract is signed. This is the reason that bid shopping works for automobiles but not for remodeling projects. You can ask three dealers to price a specific make and model car, and be fairly certain you are comparing like products. But with remodeling, the products could differ significantly. There can be many reasons for a low bid including inferior materials, poor craftsmanship, inadequate safety precautions, and lack of insurance and licensing. Or if you're lucky, the bid may just be from an inexperienced Remodeler who's never done a job like yours before. Many factors other than price need to be considered before the best contractor for the specific project is found. Ready, Set, Go! In the final analysis, choosing a Remodeler is a lot like choosing a doctor. While qualifications and costs need to be considered carefully, there are many qualified professionals in every price range. From the pool of qualified people, choose the person you feel most comfortable with. If you're a ""get to the bottom line"" type, you won't be happy with a Remodeler whose style is chatty and informal. And if you want to know all the details, don't choose a Remodeler who's given to one-word answers. Choose a Remodeling Professional who pays attention to your concerns and responds to your style; choose the company you feel you can trust. It's Your Choice The next step toward a successful project, whether a renovation or new construction, is a telephone call to the offices of Tandom Services. You will be asked a few general questions such as name, mailing and property address, type of work being considered, where you are in the planning process and your time frame for beginning and completion. A meeting may then be scheduled for one of our staff to visit with you and discuss the project further. The free, initial consultation should be more of a casual conversation than a formal question and answer session and will last about one hour. The meeting has several objectives: -To freely discuss your needs and wants based on your planning to date -To allow our company to present our services, specialties and distinguishing characteristics. -Most importantly, to judge how our personalities and styles match. How you relate to your contractor on a personal level should not be discounted. Once you are in the midst of demolition and drywall dust, you'll appreciate having made personality a priority. After the initial consultation, our staff evaluates the fit of both the project and client with our company. We have found that certain projects and clients are better served by our unique skills, experience and personalities than others. Tandom Services takes the team approach to all projects. We work closely with the owners and design professionals to bring the project to a successful conclusion. This approach has contributed to our success to date and will continue to guide us in the future. Once a prospective project is identified, the next step in the process is the consultation proposal. What does the consultation proposal cover? After assessing our business overhead and having in-depth discussions with other remodeling professionals, we determined that one of our largest overhead items was free estimates. We found that design work and product selections had to be complete in order to finish the estimates. It became apparent that these services were free only to the prospective clients. They were actually costing many man hours, sometimes three to four weeks for a complex custom project, which added up to tens of thousands of dollars annually. These costs were included as company overhead and became part of the mark-up on all the projects we were awarded. In other words, our clients who hired us were paying for the people who chose not to hire us.We felt that this practice was unfair to our clients and have been charging for our professional services ever since. The consultation proposal clearly outlines what services will be provided for a fee to the owner. The design and estimating services provided by our company offer significant value to you, the owner. Based on a precise measurement of your house, our design team will create a conceptual plan, with consideration for your sketches and library of ideas. We will work out solutions to design problems like traffic congestion or how to attach a new addition to an existing floor plan. We also know the limits of the project due to local deed restrictions, zoning laws, F.E.M.A regulations or building codes. We are experienced in residential work and are able to recognize areas that help save money on your project. This practice, called value engineering, looks at each aspect or component of the project and strives to find the method or material with the highest value and lowest possible cost. All designs, specifications and budgets developed during this phase are the property of the Owners. The Construction Contract Once the plans, specifications and budget are agreed upon, it is time to execute the construction contract. Because every remodeling project is different, our company has a standard contract agreement that will be modified to clearly define the requirements of your project. This agreement has several purposes. -It will provide a written definition of your project, including all details. Beyond the legal ramifications, a contract formally expresses terms mutually agreed upon concerning scope of work, responsibilities, price, and materials as well as other items. -It specifies how payments or draws will be scheduled, invoiced and paid. -It addresses how change orders are to be handled. - It assigns responsibility for providing particular items and specifying which items are not included in the scope of work. Construction begins ! With the contract signed, actual construction is ready to begin. Having your home remodeled is uniquely different from having a new home built. With remodeling, your home becomes the worksite. You live side by side with the project from start to finish.You have to adjust your daily routines to make way for the construction that will transform your dreams into reality. Your living space is likely to be even more cramped as construction zones are cordoned off and become unusable which is especially inconvenient if you are remodeling a kitchen or main bathroom. There is no sure-fire way to prepare for such an intrusion, except to know that it is coming. A successful remodeling project will depend upon mutual trust and consistent communication between you and our staff. You need to count on our technical expertise and ability to complete the job as promised. Our staff is trained to manage a job site and its myriad parts and people. Our subcontractors and product suppliers respect the ability of our site management team to determine the job pace, limit lapses in the scheduling, arrange timely inspections and provide all the proper products to complete the job. Is it over yet? Because properly managing a site is such a specialty, a skill just like carpentry, it remains a mystery to most homeowners. Many find it hard to evaluate work in progress.Something that it seems should take little time, like mudding and taping drywall, may actually take a week or so to be done right. Electricians may come in, leave for a few weeks, then come back. The process can be confusing and lead to fear and frustration. In general, work done early in the remodeling process is cheap and fast demolition, rough framing and rough mechanical layouts are usually done before you know it.Changes are dramatic. The walls are taken down, then rebuilt and the project begins to take shape, with progress every day. But as the job moves along, changes become more subtle. For instance, the day the drywall is hung will probably be the last time you say, Things are really moving along! Preparing drywall for finishes takes time but often looks the same after each step of the process. Trim work is laborious. Hanging cabinets is meticulous, even if the walls are plumb and square.Appliances stay boxed and strapped in the garage while the holes left for them in the kitchen seem like caverns.As the project gets closer to completion, progress slows while costs go up. Finish carpentry and other trades naturally cost more because they require more time. Welcome to your new home! Consistent and open communication between you and our staff will enhance your understanding of the process, provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and ultimately help to make the experience a positive one for everyone involved. And finally --- expect to be pleased by the end result. You'll find that our well-planned, well-executed remodeling project will make you smile for years to come!
When we are called out to do a free estimate, each and every time, we generate an itimized budget, a comprehensive scope of work, and a day to day work schedule. Please click on a service (to the Left) for more information, request an estimate, or call us at (757) 512-7660 and get started today! |
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