Understanding the Budget.
More often than most folks care to believe, in Remodeling, the quality of the overall job will reflect, in direct proportion, the time and money invested--if of course, you also factor in a Qualified Contractor! This is not as unattainable or elusive a result as many in the media would have you believe.
I'm sure many a homeowner has imagined himself a Bob Vila or Norm Abrams in taking on his own personal remodeling project. The reality however is that the average homeowner is often unaware of the high-dollar budgets behind the high quality remodels on such programs. He then can't understand why his own project more often ends up resembling one of those weekend-handy-homeowner-makeover shows. I know of more than a few professional contractors who watch such d-i-y shows the same way a professional ball players might watch their son's T-Ball games--knowing they can never scrutinize them too closely. For, although, very often the instructors themselves are fully qualified professionals, the homeowners and certain others who are attempting to do the work. are usually little more than amateurs. And so the professionals watching from the sidelines realize they may as well enjoy a few chuckles. For they know most of these jobs taking shape will very likely be completely torn down and made-over again next year--perhaps even on another program.
If on the other hand, you have your dream remodel in mind and the price you get is outside or at the limit of your price range, scale down your ideas, or wait until you can afford what you want. If you are the type of person who expects maximum quality from each dollar, you're already aware that quality comes at a price. Thus, if you settle for a substandard architect, you'll get drawings which will be sent back for corrections by the city more times than normal; if you attempt to use substandard material or labor, you should be prepared for a few more red tags by the inspectors. And, if you use a less than Qualified, Professional Contractor, you should know you'll be in for quite a few surprises as well, especially when it comes time to take responsibility for mistakes, misjudgments, or downright carelessness on the part of himself or his personnel.