Remodeling invades our private space. And this means we must learn to endure the intermediary stages of the process. Ideally we could move into another home or apartment for the duration, and come back to see the final product, but that is usually not an option for most of us.

This very dynamic happened this morning. The homeowner looked over the job yesterday evening, and raised some legitimate concerns about how the woodwork would look when repainted.

What prompted the homeowner’s concern was the following. The painters had come in yesterday and done preliminary sanding and painting on the woodwork. But there were a number of imperfections that hadn’t been filled and sanded yet. They were planning to come back in this morning to check for areas needing touching up, (unfilled screw holes, raised areas that needed more sanding, obvious dents and gouges). They had a lot more work ahead of them and were going through the process.

For many trades in remodeling, their job consists of several passes over the same area. And the finished look is reached at the final stage. And by asking, you can inform yourself about the process, because, after all, you are the one paying for the work, and you deserve to know what is happening to your home.

So, it is always good to ask questions that come to your mind. Because communication is one of the keys to a successful remodel job. As a remodeler, I cannot always anticipate the questions that might be important to you, but by asking, we can communicate about those things important to you as the homeowner. I carry my cell phone with me constantly and answer the phone. Usually you can reach me personally to ask questions, so that, together we can arrive at the final stage which presents the finished product.