Christmas in August: A Suggestion for Homeowners

“I think any home improvement that needs to be ready for the holidays should be done now. Give yourself an August Christmas present. The reason is, too often, people decide to go ahead with a change later in the fall and the project becomes a stressful event when they are trying to get ready and clean the home for visitors and the contractor is still in their home.”
Mike Webster,  Webster and Associates - Bath Remodeling

What Will Aunt Jenny Say?

Whether you are updating a bathroom or upgrading your kitchen, there are many distinct steps that take time and forethought. The longer you wait for your project to start, the more of a time pinch you will experience. It boils down to logistics. Not only does it  take time for the contractor to do the work (2–3 weeks for a bathroom, 3–6weeks for a kitchen) but there is a lot of pre­construction time involvement for the homeowner.  Holiday preparation has its’ own major time demands, no one needs a remodeling project to increase the holiday pressure.

Hurdles To Overcome In Completing Your Bathroom or Kitchen

Every project has specific steps to contend with. Depending on the project, each step may vary in the time it takes and the number ofpeople that may contribute. More time is always better for every step… especially if the finished project has to pass ‘the Relative test.’
Major project steps include:

1. Budget Availability — Preliminary estimates might be needed to determine if the project is realistic given your resources. Allow 1–2 weeks for preliminary estimates..

2. Financing — Time is needed to determine means of financing and, if necessary, secure a loan. Allow 1–2 weeks or more.

3. Deciding On Just The Right Contractor — Not all project bidders can meet a tight project schedule. Finding a reputable contractor that can complete the work within your time frame might take a week.

4. Final Design & Selection of All Components — Once the building contractor has been decided and a production date scheduled, the final space design and the selection of components needs to be completed. There will be time working with a designer. This can take a few hours, several days (or more) to complete. This can be stressful in itself for some people. Doing this long before the holidays makes it much easier.

5. Ordering Components — There is usually a 2–4 week lead time for receiving components with special custom products taking longer. The project will run smoother if the components are received and inspected early in the process. A product defect or delay would not derail a project that is started long before the holidays.

6. Permits — Every municipality requires building permits as well as in­spections at certain points in the process. Is there enough time for every step to be completed?

7. Demolition — At some point the old stuff has to come out and preparations have to occur for the new walls, floors, ceilings, fixtures (not to mention the electrical, plumbing heating/cooling, etc.) Do you have enough time for this to be done to fit your schedule?
 
8. Build — Even if everything to this point has gone smoothly, building takes time. Because of schedules getting tight around the holidays, earlier starts minimize sleepless nights.


9. Final Finishing and Inspection — Make sure everything comes together as planned. Not only do you want things right for you, but also for your holiday guests.


Take Mike’s Advice — Do It Now & Have A Merry Christmas

“For homeowners, having ‘Christmas in August’ makes a lot of sense,” says Webster. “If you are going to do it anyway, you might as well get it done for the holidays. Improved function and better looks make your holidays run smoother. And, it’s always nice not to worry about what ‘Aunt Jenny’ will think of your bathroom. It’s a great way to have a Merry Christmas.”

Visit Webster and Associates for details on:

  • Bathroom Make­Overs
  • Master­Bath Suites
  • Disability Accommodations
  • Bath Expansions
  • Basement Baths
  • Glass Block Installation
  • Ceramic Tile Experts
  • Countertop Replacement
  • Bathroom Repairs
  • Our experience & smooth system makes bathroom remodeling easy
  • Most bathroom projects can be completed in 2–3 weeks
  • We write an end date in our contract & we stick to it!
  • We guarantee our prices — there will never be any surprise add­ons
  • We back our work with a written warranty

Job #1 for us is to have you as a very happy customer.  Check our website for photos, FAQs & testimonials.


 

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