Q&A with Jean: How Much Time Should I Spend Selecting and Ordering Materials?
Sweeten’s Founder + CEO Answers Your Renovation Questions Sweeten brings homeowners an exceptional renovation experience by personally matching trusted general contractors to your project, while offering expert guidance and support—at no cost to you. Renovate to live, Sweeten to thrive!
Welcome to #10 in our series, designed to bring clarity to some of the mysteries of renovating! Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or a serial renovator, each project brings with it a new set of circumstances and new questions, and Sweeten is here to be a source of knowledge and reassurance.
QUESTION: How much time should I set aside for selecting and ordering materials?
JEAN: The amount of time really depends on your selection process. When I go shopping, I like to be in and out of the store as soon as possible, but I have plenty of friends who spend a lot of time looking for the perfect pair of jeans. Start by considering how you shop in other areas of your life and how much time you like to spend researching and comparing prices.
In addition to choosing and deciding on materials on your own, it’s a good idea to communicate with your contractor on the product items you’re considering; different materials require different levels of labor. For example, a mosaic tile is harder to set and needs a much more skilled subcontractor than what a standard penny round tile would call for. To keep things running smoothly, it’s best to have everything ordered before the renovation begins. So, give yourself plenty of time to see what you like and keep your general contractor in the loop throughout the process.
If you have more questions on selecting and ordering materials, check out our blog posts on countertops and hardwood flooring.
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Looking for more advice from Jean? Be sure to check out the ninth installment in this series, Q&A with Jean: What is an alteration agreement?
Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.
