If You Want the Job Done Right, Hire a Professional Remodeler
By Greg Vreeland, 2007 President
Home Builders Association of Dayton and the Miami Valley

 As we move through the Spring our thoughts turn to refreshing, renewing and remodeling. 
The National Association of Home Builders has declared May to be Remodeling Month. 

With remodeling, every homeowner wants nothing less than a professional job.  Who wouldn't want the best quality in terms of workmanship and materials when it comes to improving their most prized and most valuable asset?  However, when it comes to selecting a remodeler, too many buyers conveniently forget the time-proven adage that "you get what you pay for."

The dilemma that confronts many homeowners is their desire for a top-notch job at the lowest possible price.  With price as their primary focus, they ignore other criteria that may carry more weight in producing a successfully completed project and a smooth working relationship with the remodeler.  

It's understandable that price is a major consideration when it comes to remodeling.  The cost of remodeling has increased as the demand for remodeling grows.  Higher lumber costs and scarcity of skilled labor are just two factors contributing to price hikes.  A national trade magazine, Remodeling, reported in a Cost vs. Value survey that a mid-priced major kitchen remodel, the most popular remodeling project, costs $38,800.  For a minor remodel of the same 200-square-foot kitchen, the cost is $14,800.
 
Homeowners need to understand that remodeling is a service and not merely a product.  This service encompasses the intangibles that make up the process of remodeling - how everything comes together and results in a satisfying experience and an acceptable finished product.  The materials and products that go into it can't define a professional job alone.

The nature of remodeling as a service becomes even more pronounced when you consider that inevitably you'll be sharing your home with the remodelers' crews for weeks or even months, depending on the scale of the project.  All remodeling involves some degree of inconvenience, but inconvenience can easily turn into a nightmare if your remodeler doesn't put your family's comfort and concerns first.

Rather than selecting a remodeler based on where one bid falls compared to others, shift your focus to finding a professional remodeler; then go about getting a bid on your job.  If the bid is higher than what you budgeted, work with the remodeler to decide where you can cut back or what you can postpone to keep the project on budget.  For example, you can always have the remodeler frame in a fireplace to be installed later, but he can't upgrade the company's customer service if there wasn't any to begin with.

Some important characteristics you should be looking for to ensure that you hire a professional remodeler are:

•   Experience - Ask how long the remodeler has been in business.  Longevity suggests financial stability, which is necessary for the remodeler to finish the job and still be available if problems crop up after the job is completed.  Also, the more jobs the company has completed, the more expertise the remodeler will bring to your project and the hidden surprises that remodeling typically entails.
•   Reputation - Ask for the names and phone numbers of customers you can call to get their impressions of the company's work and customer service.  Call them and make personal visits to see the work they had done.  Even better, get references from customers whose projects were similar to the one your family is planning.  Ask whether these homeowners would hire the company again.
•   Business Credentials - A good place to start your search for a remodeler is with your local HBA and its affiliated Remodelors™ Council.  Groups like these help to keep their members informed about new products, construction techniques, business practices and industry issues. Participation demonstrates a remodeler's commitment to professionalism and to the remodeling industry. 
•   License and Insurance - Ask the remodeler to show you copies of their workers' compensation and liability insurance certificates to protect yourself from liability in situations involving job site injuries or property damage resulting from the work being done on your home.
  
If your goal is a professional remodeling project, then your best bet is to hire a professional remodeler.  The extra cost will pay for itself in the satisfaction you receive while the project is in progress and during the many years you will enjoy the completed project.

HBA Remodelers

All-Seal Home Improvement Inc (Remodeling and Room Additions)
6104 Poe Ave
Dayton, OH, 45414
Contact Name: Jack Kostak Contact Phone: (937)890-9484


Buschurs Home Improvement Center (Remodeling and Room Additions, Windows and Doors)
3040 Kettering Blvd
Dayton, OH, 45439
Contact Name: Dave Paxton Contact Phone: (937)293-1181


Craftsmen Home Improvements Inc (Remodeling and Room Additions)
2663 S Dixie Dr
Kettering, OH, 45409
Contact Name: Kevin McCloskey Contact Phone: (937)299-5201


Direct Buy of Dayton (Cabinets and Countertops, Kitchen Design, Remodeling and Room Additions)
922 Senate Drive
Centerville, OH, 45459
Contact Name: Dell Craaybeek Contact Phone: (937)435-6066


Home Towne Construction (Remodeling and Room Additions)
2211 S Dixie Dr Suite 100
Dayton, OH, 45409
Contact Name: Tim Garrison Contact Phone: (937)297-0971


Hurst Total Home Inc (Remodeling and Room Additions)
948 E Franklin St.
Centerville, OH, 45459
Contact Name: Jeff Hurst Contact Phone: (937)433-3511


Madden Harry Building and Remodeling (Remodeling and Room Additions)
5740 Broadway Rd
Springfield, OH, 45502
Contact Name: Harrison Madden Jr Contact Phone: (937)864-2385


Mowery Construction Inc (Patios and Decks, Remodeling and Room Additions)
P O Box 433
Dayton, OH, 45409-0433
Contact Name: Jason Mowery Contact Phone: (937)297-0213


Remodeling Designs Inc (Remodeling and Room Additions)
482 Windsor Park Dr
Dayton, OH, 45459
Contact Name: Erich Eggers Contact Phone: (937)438-0031