Now that the construction work for the full remodeling of your kitchen has started and as a continuation of the "Fourth: Kitchen Remodeling" article, you can move on to the next or fifth step of the process, "Fifth Step: Kitchen Remodeling". In this "Fifth Step: Kitchen Remodeling" article we will discuss what you need to know during construction and some common delays.

The most important factor to consider in order to reduce time delays in any construction related work is accessibility. The homeowner must be accessible at all times should the general contractor need to contact him/her. There are times during the construction phase that the general contractor is faced with a situation that requires the homeowner’s approval or decision on an outstanding issue. The faster the communication between the homeowner and the general contractor, the less delay will occur. It is important for the general contractor to have the home owner’s contact information. One of the best ways is a mobile telephone number where the homeowner can also receive and send texts. Texts are always better than a telephone call since all that is discussed is recorded.

Homeowners must be aware of common delays that can arise during construction. Some of these delays can be foreseen by the general contractor and implemented in the construction timeline while some common delays are not foreseeable.

Unforeseen common delays arise due to weather conditions, city inspection time delays, change orders, additional work required by the homeowner that was not a part of the original contract, etc.. In this article I will discuss each of these unforeseeable common delays to help the homeowners resolve them in a timely manner. There is not much that can be done with the weather if the construction work requires exterior work. However, the weather conditions can be checked a few days before to decide that if the work can be completed before bad weather arrives or to take steps to protect the area under the construction. In a full kitchen or bathroom remodeling project there will not be much exterior work except some possible roof work or exterior wall work due to plumbing, electrical or HVAC work.

Another common delay is the city or county inspection appointments. At times when some part of the work requires an inspection, the general contractor needs to call and setup an appointment with the city and county. These appointments depending on the schedule of the city inspection teams can be as soon as the next day or with a delay of 7-10 days. I have witnessed up to two weeks delays. Even though such delays are not too common, they can happen. A good general contractor with decent time management capability can call and make these appointments before the area is ready for inspection to save time and ensure completion of the construction work before the city inspector’s visit. Remember any appointment can be cancelled or rescheduled. Therefore, it is wise to make an appointment before the work is ready for inspection.

In the next article, and as a continuation to "Fifth Step: Kitchen Remodeling" article, we will discuss other common delays and change orders which are very important delay factors in any construction work. Change orders also increase the amount of the contract and are additional charges that the homeowner needs to be aware of and know how to handle.

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