In July 2024, I discovered an infestation of black mold caused by a leaking pipe in a shared wall. What followed was a grueling seven-month remodel filled with constant battles with my HOA and their insurance company just to restore my home and compensate for the massive disruption.
On the bright side, my home is now mold-free, and I was able to select new floors and kitchen cabinets that I love. But through the process, I learned a lot—especially when it came to working with contractors, handymen, and navigating the overall remodeling journey. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, here are a few things I would do differently next time.
Ask Contractors If They Charge by Daily Rate or Project My contractor initially bid $28K, while others came in around $32K for the full remodel. Since I liked him, I asked him to revise his quote to align with the others, thinking I was doing him a favor and giving myself a buffer for unexpected costs. His bid included everything—kitchen cabinets, countertops, flooring, drywall, and siding. However, I later realized his estimate was significantly underbid.
For example, I had already purchased my countertops from Home Depot during a sale for around $2,500, but his quote listed them at just $699. By the time we hit the 50% completion mark, I had already maxed out the $32K I thought was the full project cost—only to find out he was charging a $500 daily rate on top of materials. I had assumed it was a flat rate, and I was hit with serious sticker shock when I realized that wasn't the case.
Next time, I would negotiate a project-based rate instead of a daily rate. A project rate would have incentivized him to finish sooner and potentially hire subcontractors to speed things up. With a daily rate, he had little motivation to move faster, and I had no way of knowing how he was spending his time each day.
Ask for Change Orders and Estimates Throughout the remodel, I added extra projects that weren't in the original scope. In my mind, I assumed these add-ons would total about $5K based on estimates from other contractors. However, as we hit the halfway point, I realized I had no way to track the additional time and resources going into these extras.
I made the mistake of relying too much on a handshake agreement rather than having everything in writing. Larger construction companies typically provide formal change orders, but when you're working with a smaller, independent contractor, it's crucial to set this expectation upfront. Going forward, I'll make sure to request written estimates for every change and document all additions formally.
Break Up Handyman Projects vs. Contractor Projects Since insurance was covering the costs, I wasn't overly concerned about budgeting—at first. But once I realized the project was underbid and additional work added up quickly, I became much more conscious of spending.
At the $500 daily contractor rate, I should have outsourced smaller tasks—like installing light fixtures and door handles—to a handyman at a much more affordable $50/hr rate. Towards the end of the project, when funds got tight, I ended up hiring a few different handymen to take care of odd jobs. In hindsight, I should have done this much earlier and left the more technical work, like drywalling and electrical, to the contractor.
Set Clear Expectations for Handymen You get what you pay for. My contractor was incredibly reliable, communicative, and honest. However, some of the handymen I hired were…not. The guy who installed my entry closet system was flakey, a poor communicator, and rescheduled 2-3 times. What was supposed to take a weekend stretched into four weeks due to his unreliability.
Next time, I plan to include a no-show fee of $50 in our agreement, as well as clear contingencies if they don't follow through. Holding them financially accountable would have likely saved me a lot of frustration and unnecessary delays.
Delay Final Billing Until the Project is 100% Complete When my insurance adjuster first called me, I wasn't prepared. I gave quick estimates off the top of my head—numbers that ended up being much lower than what I should have claimed. Those early conversations set the baseline for negotiations, and I found myself constantly going back to add things I hadn't initially accounted for.
In construction, unexpected costs pop up—like permit fees, storage costs, and additional living expenses. Since the entire process took seven months, I should have held off on submitting the final bill until I was fully moved back in, capturing every last expense rather than updating it monthly.
Pack Smarter (and Purge Before You Pack) Moving my stuff back from storage was an eye-opener. I trusted the movers to pack and label everything properly, but when it came time to unpack, I regretted not supervising them more closely. Boxes were mislabeled, fragile items were packed poorly, and I found myself digging through stacks of unnecessary junk.
If I could do it over again, I would have taken more control over the packing process—directing movers and ensuring my belongings were labeled correctly. I also should have taken the opportunity to purge things
before they went into storage, rather than after moving back in and realizing how much clutter I didn't need.
Remodeling your home—especially after an unexpected disaster—can be overwhelming and exhausting. There are a million moving parts, and without clear expectations, solid agreements, and smart spending, costs and timelines can quickly spiral out of control.
If you're ever in a similar situation, I hope these lessons help you navigate the process a little more smoothly. And if you're in the middle of a remodel right now—hang in there, it
will be worth it in the end.
Thania (TA Content Mgr)
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