The principles and management of the renovation project:

When you’re prepared, you’re more confid. When you have a strategy, you’re more comfortable.
~ Fred Couples ~

It is advisable that you apply this material to your project. It really will make all the difference in the world to you. In this planner you will be applying the principles of project management to reap all the benefits listed in the beginning, get the results you desire and enjoy the process of making another dream a reality.

 

Consider this story:
Could you imagine building a house without a blueprint? Take two equally competent carpenters and two building lots.  Have the local lumber store drop off the identical, necessary building materials to construct the home. Give one of the builders a blueprint and nothing to the other. Now, begin to imagine the difference. The one with the blueprint will complete the job much sooner (statistics suggest about five times sooner). The carpenter with the blueprint will have a lot less stress because of the detailed plan.   That professional will be able to better handle the variety of challenges that come up through a project and will certainly be better able to budget both time and finances than one without a plan. Even if the carpenter, without a blue print, had a clear picture in his mind of the house, it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to be efficient and effective. As you probably know, it would be ridiculous to attempt to build a house without a plan. It would be as serious not to have a plan for your home renovation or house/yard project — regardless of the size of the project.

 

The Basic Principles of Project Management
Clearly defining the project

Develop the specifications

Plan the project

Set your goals

Manage your time

Documentation

 

1) Defining your project:
The principle here is to “begin with the end in mind”. It is the vision you have for the project.   What do you see in your mind? Do you have a good mental picture? Start on a blank piece of note paper or the back of these pages and jot down the details of the picture in your mind. If you don’t have a clear mental picture you will have by the time you have gone through the different stages. The main thing here is that you define your purpose and clarify your vision for the job.

Detail the general scope of the project (i.e.; renovation bathroom, renovation basement, landscape back yard, etc.)

• what colors do you see
• what fixtures, materials do you vision (i.e.; taps, sinks, cabinets, flowers, bricks, windows, etc.)
•  jot down any other details you can think of and keep the list growing through out the whole project. This is a dynamic list so just let the ideas flow as you develop your plan!

 

2) Develop the specifications sheet:
Choosing materials is a big part of the renovation. The type of materials will affect the scope of the work. Some materials need more preparation than others. You will also want to consider the availability,  maintenance, warranty and user friendliness of materials. Take time in your selection and be fair to the contractors/suppliers quoting on the materials, that they are quoting on exactly the same thing.

 

3) Planning:
All professionals will advise you on planning and if they don’t, walk out as quickly as you can.

“Failing to plan is like planning to fail”. This tool gives you a professional and organized plan. Section 2 has the details of planning along with a sample plan ready for you to create your plan in the last section. A good plan will ensure the highest possibility of success and satisfaction with your project. That is the main purpose of the Renovation & Home Improvement Project Planner.

 

4) Goal Setting:
Setting a goal is much more involved than the average person realizes. Goals are knowing exactly what you want, writing them down, then developing a plan to get there. Listing obstacles in your way, identifying information, skills, people that you will need to reach the goal and then setting a deadline. When you apply this planner to your project you will have set a true goal, something tangible that clearly guides you.

 

5) Time management:
Using section 5, (Month-at-a-glance-chart) will enable you to plan out when you will do the actual work in relation to everything else you have to do in life. Plan out around your work life, vacation time, or your family activities. For example, you may want to be away if you are going to have painters come in and smell up the house for a few days or even a week if you use oil paints. Consider being away especially if you have infants in the home. When you have worked through section 5 you will have a  good idea of how much time it will take and then you can set your goals for when to start and when you can expect to finish.

 

6) Documentation:

Having accurate records can be the most valuable aspect of the project. The information  gathered will give all companies quoting, the same specifications to quote you accurately. It will help you deal with suppliers, negotiate contracts and assist you with the banker if you want to borrow money for the job. Good documentation will also help you to deal with any warranties or deficiencies.

you may need to deal with at the end of the job. Finally with the ¡°Renovation & Home Improvement Project Planner you will have all the details like paint codes for future matching, product nas, all in one handy work book that easily files away.

“You win not by chance, but by preparation” ~ Roger Maris ~