Remodeling a house.

[crimson fan man]

Has anybody on this board remodeled a house. I not talking about just improving a house but a total remodel. I have built two new houses and also bought two other houses. The headache is more than I thought it would be. I am contracting it myself and all the problems that we are running into is something that I never would have guessed. The experience is key to any project that will I face in the future.

 

[bamanut_aj]

whatchu wanna know?

 

[bayoutider]

Yep completely remodeled 3 houses in the last 15 years. All I can say is when you rebuild something someone else built expect the worst. Anything other than owner built is built to make a profit and some short cuts will find their way into the process and few people do things the same way. Even when there is a code or standard practice don't always expect it.

 

[Bama Reb]

1. Did you get the house inspected prior to starting? (Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, flooring, sheet rock, foundation) btw, each and every aspect of the job has to be inspected and signed off on, not only prior to starting, but upon completion of each section as well.
2. Did you get your permits for all of the above?
3. Did you thoroughly check out each and every one of the sub-contractors prior to hiring them? (Making sure they are licensed, bonded, getting recommendations, viewing some of their work, etc.)?

I know you wanted to save some money, but if you run into unexpected problems, either during the process or after it's completion, the only one you have to blame is yourself.
I would never in a million years do a complete remodel on a house without hiring a certified general contractor to oversee all the work. They would know not only what has to be done, and the codes which they must meet, but in which order each must be completed. JMHO

 

[Crimson Cat]

I have done it...not sure I'd go thru it again. It was a nightmare at times.
I love DIY, don't get me wrong but we went from a 1900 SF house to a 3,000 SF house with a mix of a total remodel of the old portions, and adding a new second floor addition to boot. We lived in it during the remodel, which I def don't recommend. I wouldn't do it that way again for sure.

We finished our remodel around fall of last year. It took about 4-1/2 long years because we did it in phases, paying for it as we went because we didn't want a mortgage. We did quite a bit of it ourselves, but we also contracted portions of it because it was almost too much at times, and then there were some things we just felt would be better left to experts, and then my dh (then fiance) lost his father during the remodel, (he'd gotten diagnosed with cancer right after we'd gotten started in 2004), as well as some other issues that came up.

If you don't have patience now, you'll darn sure have it after remodeling a house.

 

[crimson fan man]

I did get the house inspected as far as the foundation and made sure it didn't have termites or other damaging insects. The house has good bones so that is not a major problem. We are adding a thousand square foot going from a seventeen hundred to a twenty seven hundred square foot house. I am contracting the house myself and know enough subcontractors that have experience with doing remodeling and also knows the codes of Athens.
Patiences is very important that I am finding out. Expect the worse and if its not then I will be pleasantly surprise. I am not looking to save money but make the house into something we love and also the location is idea. I have to say all the permits are crazy. I thought maybe just one for the job but no.
This is really something my wife has always wanted to do and I will suffer thru this so I believe it will get it out of her system. I rather have built a new house but it would have been a shame to tear down a good house. I am having the attics old insulation removed and during the process the people doing it seen a big snake. The house has been empty for about seven years so its not surprising what they might find. Its not going to be a poisonous snake but it has my wife freak out.