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For Homeowners Planning a Remodel

The Most Important Questions To Ask

Ashland, OR — Steve Sirianni, owner of Walls of Time Builders in Ashland, OR, has more than 20 years’ experience in designing and building additions and remodels for homeowners in Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley, an area that has become increasingly popular with retirees and urban dwellers looking for a more relaxed lifestyle. He says that many of these new homeowners want to expand and update homes that may have been built 30-100 years ago, and has compiled a list of questions to ask first, to get the work off on a solid foundation.

Questions To Ask Yourself - Remodel

  • What are your overall goals for the remodel?

  • Are you looking for a designer as well as a contractor, or do you have a firm plan?

  • What is your budget?

  • Is there any padding in your budget in the event of surprises?

  • What is your timeline? How flexible are you with this?

  • How much communication do you expect from the contractor? Daily? Only as needed to answer questions?

  • What are your specific objectives? Are you adding a room, improving flow, redesigning a kitchen?

  • Do you want a contractor that has a showroom with fixtures, flooring and tile to choose from? Or do you want personalized help navigating local resources?

  • How do you want the space to feel when you’re done? For example, do you want it to feel cozy, spacious or contemporary?   

  • Are you interested in sustainable building materials and non-toxic finishes?

Questions To Ask Potential Contractors

  • How long have you worked in the area?

  • What type of projects do you specialize in?

  • What type of projects do you enjoy the most?

  • Do you have a showroom?

  • Can you give me an overview of how the remodeling process works?

  • Do your subcontractors work just for you or for a variety of contractors?

  • How long have you worked with your subcontractors?

  • How do you handle change orders?

  • How do you define the scope of work and outline the project costs? (i.e. is it a line item breakdown or simply a total cost estimate? Is it an estimate or a fixed bid?)

  • Can I get a list of references?

Questions For Those All-Important References

  • How extensive was your remodel?

  • Were you living on the property during the remodel?

  • Were there any surprises, delays, or budget issues that you felt like your contractor should have anticipated?

  • What did the contractor do well?  

  • What could the contractor improve upon?

  • Did you feel informed about the overall process?  How would you describe the communication between you and the contractor?

  • Was your contractor accessible and easy to contact?

  • Was there good communication between the contractor and the subcontractors?

  • What was the atmosphere of the job like? Did you feel comfortable showing up on the job?

  • How did the contractor adapt to changes to the plan?

  • Did you feel like you were given an adequate explanation of the Why, What, Where, How, and How Much when changes occurred?

  • How often was the contractor on the job?

  • Did you like the subcontractors that your contractor used?

  • Did the contractor offer helpful suggestions such as eco-friendly alternatives or cost-saving measures?

  • Was the job done to your satisfaction the first time, or did you have a long punch list of items that needed to be finished or completed?

  • Would you work with this person again?

Steve Sirianni’s Walls of Time Builders is a full-service design/build firm headquartered in Ashland, Oregon; building custom homes, remodels and additions in Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley for more than 20 years. Contact wallsoftimeashland.com for more information and a look at some recent projects.