Your vision for your home renovation project is crystal clear in your mind.

Now, how do you ensure the successful completion of the project? Here are 9 professional contractor tips for making sure you end up with the beautiful home renovation project you envision.

1. Hire the team early.

   Schedules need to be coordinated for deadlines to be achieved. You’ve envisioned the final result of your home renovation project, now who needs to be involved – Architect? Builder? Suppliers? Talk to your contractor about how they will coordinate the project. Will they subcontract? Or will you need to find the professionals to complete certain steps of your home renovation project? When you understand how the various pieces of the puzzle come together, you’ll understand the inevitable surprises along the way.

2. Communicate often and with ease.

   Your general contractor will assign a project manager to your renovation project. Get to know this individual and how to best communicate. What’s the best way to engage with your project manager – Phone? Text? Email? How responsive is he/she to your questions? When is the best time of day to communicate? Find the balance of being involved without hindering efficiency.

3. The importance of listening.

   Yes, the customer is always right… except when they’re not. Understand that you are hiring a professional contractor for their expertise. For your renovation project to find a successful completion, you will have to loosen the controls and accept your contractor’s methods. A professional contractor wants the best for their client and will not steer them in the wrong direction. Listen to your chosen experts and trust them.

4. Less is More.

   With today’s online information options, you have a never-ending stream of visuals to assemble and create the ideal outcome. While it’s great to build a dream board of looks you love, tag your favorite part of each visual. When it comes time to start the renovation project, streamline and eliminate. You’ll come up with a cohesive look that will be yours uniquely – a tasteful compilation of the best of your ideas.

5. Seasonal considerations of the building.

   Start your planning early. The expected duration of your home renovation project and your construction company’s schedule will affect when the building will happen. Is your renovation project 100% indoors? This may be easier to schedule. Outdoor work, including an installation of windows, will need to be scheduled during milder temperatures. Talk this through with your contractor to set the right expectations.

6. Selecting subcontractors.

   Your construction company will have many subcontractors with whom they work seamlessly and will guide you on who they recommend hiring. While you may have a certain sub in mind for part of your renovation project, using your contractor’s recommendation may be the most efficient for getting the job completed by your desired deadline.

7. Hiring craftsmen or artisans.

   For unique and custom work, your desired craftsman should be acceptable to your contractor. If you don’t know the right artisan for the job, your contractor may have the right person in their network and will be able to assist in getting the custom work done.

8. How to find the right construction company.

   We all shop for everything online and there are reviews to read for every category of business. Be wary – people are more likely to post negative reviews than positive. The best way to find a professional contractor is to ask people you know who may have done their own home renovation project. Word of mouth is still the best advertising. Then get to know the people at your potential selection. The one you can communicate with best is the right one.

9. Set realistic expectations.

   Remember the adage “Under Promise, Over Deliver”? The right contractor will not promise more than they can realistically deliver. Recognize someone who is promising too much as this is a red flag for a successful renovation project.

Have we missed a tip in this list? What else are you wondering about? Let us know your questions about getting your home renovation project completed successfully in the comments.