Whether you’re frustrated by lineups for the bathroom or a lack of entertainment space, or you’re embarrassed by your 1970s kitchen, you’ve probably considered moving to a larger home. But instead of moving – leaving the neighbourhood you love – you should look at renovating to get the space you need in the home you already have.
Who will do the work?
When it comes to home renovations in Victoria, whether it’s upgrading a kitchen, reconstructing a bathroom, or building an addition to find the space you need, there are options: Do It Yourself, act as your own project manager, or hire a General Contractor to oversee the project.
No matter how handy you are, DIY tends to be the least appealing. You likely have a full-time job that requires your focus, and while the HGTV design shows make it look easy, they don’t show the whole crew taking care of everything behind the scenes in each 30-minute episode. Another issue with DIY is that you’ll notice every miss-cut and patch job every time you’re in that part of your home. Not because it was a shoddy repair, but because you’ll know what and why it happened.
You can be your own project manager, coordinating the businesses, sourcing the materials, and ensuring that the crews are working together, completing everything on time, safely, and to the level of quality that you expect – and paid for. You’ll also get to experience the joy of coordinating sub-trades, ensuring everyone knows when they’re supposed to be on site, and that they have appropriate and sufficient insurance so you’re not on the hook should an accident happen.
A General Contractor drives your projects and provides a single point of accountability. They vet the sub-trades, ensuring they’re professionals with WorkSafe, carry liability insurance, and that they know how to act on your job site. As well, the general contractor is your primary contact, so you have one person in charge who knows what’s happening, when it’s happening, and who will make it happen.
What is a General Contractor?
“The main reason to choose a General Contractor for your home renovation is trust,” explained Jason March, Project Manager at MAC Renovation. “With a General Contractor, like MAC Renovations, you have a team with over 35 years of experience renovating homes in Victoria; building relationships with clients and subcontractors and earning a reputation for excellence. When we take on a project, you have a team dedicated to your success.”
“On any given project, you could have between 5-20 subcontractors working on your home,” explained Jason. “The General Contractor manages the subs to ensure everyone is on-site when they should be, on budget throughout the project, and doing their part to ensure everything is completed to the expected level of excellence.”
Sub-trades
Depending on your renovation project, you’ll probably have some or all of these trades working on your home:
Electricians – moving outlets, installing new fixtures, upgrading wiring (believe it or not, we’re still finding knob-and-tube wiring here in Victoria) and panels, and wiring in new circuits.
Plumbers – if there’s water, there’s a plumbing crew. These folks could be installing new lines, relocating pipes, upgrading connections, or installing new equipment, such as on-demand water heaters or in-floor radiant heating.
Carpenters – there are few jobs that don’t require a carpenter – whether they’re there for framing up new walls or adding the finishing touches to custom built-ins.
Concrete experts – These professionals might install new foundations, asphalt driveways, or custom tops for your bathroom, kitchen, our laundry room.
Masons and Tile Setters – if you’re planning on having any stone or tile work done, you’ll want an experienced mason or tile setter to do it right. Whether it’s new backsplashes in the kitchen, ornate tiling in the new shower, or a stone wall to give your garden privacy and natural beauty, these pros are great with a trowel.
Roofers and Sheet Metal workers – if you’re expanding your footprint, you’re going to need a new roof and a crew with the ability to tie the new roof to the existing. As well, many of our clients choose to upgrade their roof when they do a home renovation, ensuring their investment is well protected for the next few decades.
Flooring professionals – with the variety of flooring choices available, it’s important to have the right professional complete this essential part of the project. This subcontractor might be needed to install new flooring, repair existing, or bring new detail to complement your new look.
“And this is just a quick list of the types of subcontractors who might work on your project,” said Jason. “Depending on what we’re renovating, we might bring in cabinetmakers, countertop installers, painters, paperhangers, landscapers, and other skilled professionals we trust to do your project the way it should be done.”
The Power of One
Our clients tell us that when they’re looking back after their renovation, one of the things they liked most about working with a General Contractor was the single point of accountability. If there were any questions, they had someone to call and get an answer quickly. And by using BuilderTrend, they could see the schedule and check the progress pics, right from their tablet, cell, or computer.
A home for your lifestyle
So why should you choose a General Contractor for your home renovation in Victoria? Because you want it finished on time and on budget, with the confidence that everything is safe, secure, and done right so you and your family can enjoy your space for as long as you want.
Check out the work MAC Renovations has done for families in Victoria, and give us a call to find out what we can do for you and your home.