How can I keep my bathroom remodel on schedule?
As you’re looking forward to your bathroom remodel, are you worried about the schedule? Have you been wondering:
Will my bathroom remodel stay on schedule? What could cause my bathroom remodel to take longer than it should? What can I do to keep it on schedule? Is there anything I can do to keep my bathroom remodel from being delayed?
Well, we have good news and bad news for you.
The bad news is that there are things that can delay a bathroom remodel that neither you nor your contractor have control over.
The good news is that there are also a number of things that you do have control over! There are things you can do to keep your bathroom remodel on schedule!
So let’s talk about all of these issues so that you have the information you need to make sure your bathroom gets done on time!
What can cause a bathroom remodel to take longer than it should?
We’re sure that “pretty much anything” isn’t the answer you were looking for, but it’s not that far from the truth! That said, the things that most commonly cause a bathroom remodel to take longer than it should fall into four main categories.
What are the most common things that can delay a bathroom remodel?
Poor planning
Issues getting building materials
Inefficient and/or unreliable workers
Unforeseen problems
How do these problems delay a bathroom remodel?
Poor planning
Have you ever been involved in a work project that seemed doomed from the start? No matter how hard you and your coworkers worked, it seemed like everything went wrong! When you looked back on the project afterward, did you notice that it all started with a seemingly small issue that snowballed until it derailed the entire project?
This is a common problem in remodeling. When small details get missed in the beginning, they have a way of snowballing and upsetting the flow of the entire project!
A missed framing detail could affect where the plumber can run his pipes (for example). In order to deal with this change, the plumber may have to go back to the supply house to get a special fitting. This may mean that he can’t get the job done that day, so he will need to finish up the following day. Because of this, the plumber has to re-schedule the plumbing inspection. But, the inspector is busy, and can’t get there for two days!
Do you see how quickly this small issue snowballed? A small issue created a couple-hour delay, which turned into the plumber needing a second day on-site, which caused the inspection to be two days behind, and so on it goes! This delay would likely continue to snowball as every trade behind the plumber: drywall, tile, trim, and paint, got delayed more and more!
This is why proper planning is so crucial! The more details that can be planned out ahead of time, the less opportunity there will be for delays.
Issues getting building materials
While the building material supply chain has stabilized a bit in the past couple of years, delays in getting building materials are still common enough to warrant a discussion.
Most common building products, like framing lumber, drywall, fasteners, and trim, have made it back onto supplier’s shelves. So, your contractor likely won’t have any issues getting these types of products.
Unfortunately, the fixtures and finishing materials can be a little more hit or miss. You will find that many bathtubs, faucets, flooring materials, and lighting fixtures are in stock at your contractor’s favorite supply house. Meanwhile, other models of these same types of products will need to be ordered. Some of these special order products will have a lead time of 10 or 12 weeks!
Homeowners and contractors often get in trouble when they assume that what they need will be in stock at their local supply house. Then, when they go to purchase these items, they find that the model, style, and/or color that the homeowner wanted isn’t in stock and it will need to be special ordered! When this happens, it throws a monkey wrench into the project schedule!
Inefficient and/or unreliable workers
Inefficient and/or unreliable workers is a real sore spot for many homeowners. So, to avoid triggering your bad memories, we will try to tread lightly here.
To put it simply, in recent years, contractors have faced unprecedented demand for their services. At the same time, our industry has been experiencing a shortage of workers, as aging tradesmen retire and there are not enough young people entering the workforce to replace them!
This has left many contractors, especially small, residential construction companies, struggling to keep up with their workload. Small companies, especially, have gotten overwhelmed as they struggle to balance their workload with their dwindling workforce.
This has led to an epidemic of poorly managed projects, inefficient project schedules, and unreliable workers in recent years.
Unforeseen problems
Last, but certainly not least, one of the largest factors that can cause a bathroom remodel to get delayed is unforeseen issues!
Even with great planning, blazingly fast material deliveries, and a reliable workforce, unforeseen issues (especially structural issues) can upset a smooth-running bathroom remodel very quickly!
Maybe your contractors will find rot when they remove the drywall, broken floor joists when they remove the flooring, or faulty plumbing pipes when they remove the bathtub!
We can plan for as much as we can see, but some things simply can’t be seen until the demolition is underway! These problems will wreak havoc with your remodeling schedule!
What can I do to keep my bathroom remodel from being delayed?
As you can see, many things can delay a bathroom remodel.
Some of these things, like unexpected problems, are impossible to control. While this is scary to think about, there are also plenty of things that you, a homeowner, can do to ensure that your bathroom remodel stays on schedule!
What can a homeowner do to keep a bathroom remodel on schedule?
Plan Properly
One of the biggest mistakes we, as contractors, see homeowners make is rushing the planning phase of the project. If you want your bathroom remodel to stay on schedule, you will need to take the time to plan the project thoroughly before the first hammer is swung.
Before any work begins and, ideally, before a construction contract is signed, you should have a thorough scope of work that describes all of the work that is to be done, and (even more importantly) what is NOT going to be done.
You should also have a list of the exact fixtures and finish products that will be installed in your bathroom. Important design details, like which direction the flooring will run, or whether the vanity lights will face up or down, should also be included.
Having all of these decisions and selections made before the work begins will ensure that everyone is on the same page and time won’t be wasted figuring out these details in the middle of your project.
Real talk:
For a variety of reasons, many contractors feel that the only way they can make homeowners happy, and “win” jobs, is by fast-tracking the planning phase of their remodeling projects. They will, by default, provide a price quote with a vague scope of work, TBD product specifications, and minimal design details, in order to meet this perceived homeowner need.
You may find it difficult to find a contractor that is willing to plan the project thoroughly, in advance. This can be frustrating. But, if it is important that your project is completed on time, this isn’t a step that can be skipped.
If you are having a hard time finding a contractor who will work with you to plan your project, you might consider offering to pay for this service. $1000 - $2000 is not an unreasonable rate for expert design & planning assistance (This service is an integral part of Our Process, we call it Project Development).
Rest assured, this will be time and money well spent as it will prevent misunderstandings, provide peace of mind, and help the construction phase of your project go faster and more efficiently.
Order materials ahead of time
Because you have planned your project thoroughly before the work was started, you and/or your contractor will have the opportunity to order the building materials ahead of time! This means you won’t have to worry about whether the supply house will have what your contractor needs when he needs it!
Take advantage of this opportunity! Ask your contractor to order all of the fixtures and finishing materials for delivery on or before the project start date.
Ideally, you will have a garage or storage shed where your contractor can have these materials delivered and stored before the demolition and construction start. This way, all of the plumbing fixtures, cabinetry, flooring, lighting, hardware, and other products can be received and checked for missing parts or damage before the project begins!
This way, if there is a problem with a missing, damaged, or incorrect product, it won’t affect your remodel timeline! It can be dealt with before construction even starts!
Hire a reputable general contractor
Earlier, we discussed how many contractors are overwhelmed and struggling to handle their workload. This is true of contractors in pretty much every trade.
There are two ways you can prevent these issues from affecting your project timeline.
First, hire a general contractor to manage the entire project. Bathroom remodels require many different trades, like carpentry, plumbing, electrical, drywall, tile, and paint. Hiring a different trade contractor for each task will increase the odds of worker inefficiencies and mismanagement.
Hiring one company, a general contractor, who has relationships with all of these trades, to provide and manage all of the moving parts in the project, will greatly reduce the risk of worker-caused project delays.
(To learn the difference between a general contractor and a trade contractor, as well as other types of contractors, check out the article here: What kind of contractor do I need for my project? )
Second, do your due diligence when you are hiring a contractor. Different homeowner have different needs. So, when you are asking your friends for recommendations, or you are talking to a contractor’s past clients, make sure that the person you are talking to values the same things that you do.
For example, if communication and timeliness are important to you, maybe you should ask if the contractor communicated well and delivered the project on time.
Just because a relative or past client was happy with this contractor’s quality of work and price, doesn’t mean that you will be happy with the way they communicate and manage their workforce.
Finding a contractor that values the same things that you do, whether that is quality workmanship, excellent communication, punctuality, efficiency, or cost, will ensure that you won’t end up disappointed.
Budget for unforeseen issues
As you can see, you have some options as you work to prevent the previous three types of delays. Unfortunately, there isn’t much a homeowner can do to avoid this last type of delay: Unforeseen Issues.
Unforeseen issues are just that, unforeseen. You and your contractor can make a great plan based on the information you know, but there is no way of planning for hidden problems.
The best we, as contractors, can do is handle these issues swiftly and professionally when they arise.
The best you, as a homeowner, can do is keep a little money aside “just in case.”
We recommend budgeting about 20% of the project price for unforeseen issues or unexpected changes you wish to make during the project. Our goal is to complete your project without a need for this contingency fund. But, on the off chance we open up a floor and find rot, or remove the drywall and find a structural defect, you will be glad that you have money set aside to take care of the problem!
What else can I do to keep my bathroom remodel on schedule?
We’ve talked about the four things that most often cause delays in a remodeling project:
Poor planning
Issues getting building materials
Inefficient and/or unreliable workers
Unforeseen problems
We then talked about how some of these are avoidable and some are (mostly) unavoidable.
We gave you some ideas of what a homeowner can do to prevent avoidable delays and navigate unavoidable delays. To recap, you can:
Plan properly (in advance)
Order materials ahead of time
Hire a reputable general contractor
Create a contingency fund for unforeseen issues
Beyond this, the best thing you can do to ensure that your bathroom remodel goes well is to educate yourself on the remodeling process and, once you understand it, trust the process. Even if unexpected issues come up and things get rocky, your project will get completed, and it will all be worth it in the end! We promise!
As you seek to educate yourself on the remodeling process, be sure to check out our Learning Center to learn all about remodeling: How much things cost, how long remodels take, what are the best materials to use, and much more. Our Process will help you understand the remodeling process from design/planning through to the time you get to enjoy your new space!
And, of course, if you need some help with your bathroom remodeling project, Reach Out! We would love to be your trusted remodeling partner!
