Buying, selling or just staying put? Here’s an excerpt from a Vancouver Sun article that may be of interest to those of you considering a renovation in the future.

Vancouver Sun, February 29, 2009, by Rachel Ward

Key don’ts

Mistakes to avoid, and learn from, when doing renovations:

• Don’t jump. “Sit back and think about what you’re doing,” says Mike Holmes. “People don’t realize that this is probably the most amount of money they’re ever going to play with.”
• Don’t ignore your instincts. If you’re starting to see a bad pattern with your contractor regarding timeliness and work ethic, nip it in the bud. “Don’t be afraid to stand up to your contractor and say ‘get the hell out of my house,” says Holmes. “If you continue the cycle (of bad behavior), trust me, it will always get worse.”
• Don’t pay under the table. Paying a contractor under the table in cash may get you a discount in the short term but can also have you paying more in the long run. “You’re putting yourself out there for liability,” says Bryan Baeumier. “If you don’t have a contract, you have zero recourse and chances are he’s not paying his workers’ compensation, he’s not licensed or he’s not insured.”
• Don’t be unrealistic. If your budget is $5,000, don’t think you’re going to renovate your entire kitchen for that.
• Don’t assume there won’t be changes. “Assume the unassumable,” says Baeumier. “Be ready for your budget to increase and your plan to change.”
• Don’t live through major renovations. If you’re tearing up your entire house and doing a major renovation, do yourself a favour and move out. Big renovations can be a messy and mentally exhausting. They can end marriages!
• Don’t stop until you’re done. If you’re doing renovations DIY-style, don’t start another project until you finish one.

Canwest News Service