Home renovations often come across certain difficulties that are all too common, digging holes in their financial and practical planning. For example, when remodeling projects initially underestimate the total budget, this can stem from inexperienced contractors and owners failing to consider potential complications. Oftentimes, this results in strained finances and detrimental delays to the project.
If this is relatable, it’s because almost 31% of renovations exceed budgets as reported in the 2020 US Houzz & Home Study, due to hurdles like structural issues and unforeseen necessary upgrades.
Warren O’Shea, owner of O’Shea Builders LLC, reminds homeowners of the top five remodeling pitfalls. O’Shea has been in the industry for over 30 years, including experience as an exclusive residential remodeling contractor maintaining a long list of clients working under NDAs, and explains that one of the most common challenges in remodeling projects is ensuring all parties involved are on the same page.
“Couples in a project should ensure that their goals are aligned to avoid conflict,” he says. “In many instances, we’ve worked on projects where the concerned parties’ preferences were clashing and they couldn’t resolve it. This doesn’t just cause project delays but also leads to expensive revisions.”
Homeowners should also look out for common legal and professional red flags in contractor practices: refusing to acquire appropriate permits, not signing necessary contracts, and demanding upfront payments that exceed the legal limit. Before beginning a remodel, O’Shea recommends making sure that homeowners have all the required permits and that every contract is signed.
O’Shea Builders have always and continues to follow Maine’s legal guidelines for upfront payments to a tee, guaranteeing never to request more than a third of the project’s total cost. The transparency of their policies enables clients to trust their expertise and ease their minds through an otherwise stressful process.
Another common remodeling trap that homeowners fall into is failing to verify their contractor’s insurance coverage. “Some contractors may provide fraudulent documents, or cancel their insurance after obtaining it. Homeowners should take care to directly get in touch with their insurance provider to confirm their insurance, which will protect them from any future legal and financial repercussions,” he explains.
O’Shea also reminds his clients against any unrealistic expectations when setting project timelines. For example, popular home-improvement TV shows often portray kitchen remodels as much swifter than in reality, where they can stay in construction for several months. O’Shea makes sure to inform his clients that all projects require buffers in their schedules, which enables homeowners to avoid stress and disappointment.
Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that projects require significant disruption to remodel homes. This means that residents’ daily routines and access to essential living areas will probably be interrupted by builders moving in and out of their homes for the entire duration of the remodel. So, O’Shea suggests homeowners prepare for their upcoming lifestyle changes and plan accordingly. O’Shea Builders also frequently constructs temporary accommodations like kitchens during their projects to reduce their disruption.
By observing these common pitfalls, O’Shea adopted a consultative, customized approach to his company to champion their clients’ needs above all else. Combining personalized service with expert craftsmanship, O’Shea Builders has grown into a leading home remodeling contractor across the Southern Maine, Coastal Maine, and Sebago Lakes regions. The company stands tall as one of the top 50 remodeling companies in the US due to its high rates of client satisfaction.
O’Shea Builders places trust and transparency at the top of the shelf and understands that the success of a project depends on effective and healthy communication between contractors and homeowners.
The founder and his esteemed team are committed to their principles of professionalism and reliability, pledging to inform clients of every step, change, and potential issue in their remodeling journeys. With any additional client concerns and queries, O’Shea Builders is happy to respond promptly with their expert advice. As one satisfied client reaffirms, “Warren is a truly special builder. He does exactly what’s needed and doesn’t cut corners.”
Warren O’Shea’s remarkable leadership has helped numerous of his trusted clients avoid common renovation pitfalls through clear communication, adherence to legal and industry standards, realistic expectations, and minimal disruption. O’Shea Builders has earned its keep as a trusted partner in transforming spaces into living homes, delivering maximum quality with minimum stress.
