Level, plumb and square. Yeah, right.

Remodeling is an adventure. Whether you are “just” replacing a window, or completely renovating everything above the foundation, working with an existing structure poses its own unique opportunities and circumstances. It also requires someone with a different set of mental tools. I had a plumber friend who bought an old house and asked some of the carpenters he knew to come help him. They were all new construction guys. The house was solid, but had issues, especially since it was on post and pier foundation, and had already been added onto once or twice. After explaining what he wanted done, the guys got to work, but soon were yelling and shaking their heads in dismay. “It’s gotta be level, plumb and square! That’s the basics of building. Nothing here is any of that.”  Welcome to remodeling, boys.

Start with what you have

Occasionally you can tweak what is there and get it right before you begin, but often you’re called in to work on a place that has been subjected to multiple previous projects, perpetrated with varying degrees of expertise. One Victorian house comes to mind, where I was called in to put a new bathroom upstairs. The original 1920′s era house had numerous additions and changes. A large addition had been attached to the back, but this had apparently been done after the back had settled a little (one inch). Then this too had settled (another inch). I was asked by the owner if I could jack up the floor there to get things level again. “Which floor do you want level?”

Now, I suppose I could have tried to separate the two-story addition from the main structure, then jacked them up right, but there was this little thing called money involved. Needless to say, we just supported what was there where it was, and went on with the bathroom upstairs.

If the walls are out of plumb, and the floor isn’t quite level, and you can’t really do anything about it without doubling the cost of the project, you just have to go with what you have and make whatever you do as right as possible. With additions, it’s fairly simple to do, Just start from the crooked part and build level, plumb and square. But if you are using the existing structure and space, sometimes you have to fudge things a bit, and make calculated decisions.

Match existing

We can’t get too serious with this, but for the most part you want whatever you do to blend in with what is already there. If the window you are replacing is in a wall that is out of plumb, and the jambs and casing are all skewed, you could pull it all off and redo it, or just put the window in the hole and make it work. Many things like this go unnoticed, it is a matter of what catches the eye. It is also a matter of the budget. Some might say this is a “quick and dirty” building technique, which, I suppose it is, but if the owner can get a functioning new window in an existing location with minimal cost, I think it is appropriate. Aesthetics are important, if you can afford it.

It is also tempting to save money by using less expensive materials than what is already installed. Say you have an older house with lap siding, but want to add on a new room. You could use plywood siding and save quite a bit over trying to match the lap style, but the result would be quite noticeable. Same goes for window treatments and finish trim. The value of the addition will be greater if it blends with the style and materials you already have.

Expect issues

So you want to open a new doorway from the dining room to the living room. Great, just knock down the wall and patch the floor and ceiling right? Oh, wait, what is that wiring doing there? And what is that pipe for? Why is the roof sagging since we took the wall out? Bearing wall, what’s that? Why don’t the two floors line up? Why is this brick flue here?

Ah yes, the unseen. Even the most thorough pre-construction investigations can miss important details that can make the project balloon. Having an experienced remodeling contractor will save you much headache, but even we can miss things too. and often you never know what is inside the wall until you open it up. Most people figure at least a 10% contingency into their cost estimates. I often go as high as 15% in my bids, and owners should plan for needed extra work to be covered.  There are just some things that no one can foresee.

Be flexible

One of the great satisfactions I get doing remodel carpentry is addressing the daily issues that come up. It is a constant battle coming up with solutions for all the new considerations. How do we deal with the fact that 2×4 lumber was one quarter inch wider in 1950 than it is today? Dose it matter that post is in the wall? If we put the window here, does it interfere with the cabinets? I want the door to be bigger, how can we do it?

Try not to be too constrained in your original ideas. Once you get into a project, things change, but it is ok. There is often more than one way to accomplish a design goal, and sometimes there have to be trade-offs. One thing I try do with any project is figure out what the most important design element is to the client. Once I figure out what that is, then any other considerations can become secondary. I was bidding a house for some people on a lot near the ocean. The owner kept talking about two things: He wanted a conditioned room to store his instruments; and his wife wanted a platform above the hallway where she could look out the living room windows and see the ocean. Those were the keys to the project. As long as I got those things right, everything else could be negotiated.  As an owner, try figure out what the most important thing you want done is, then be flexible with everything else. It will make the project go smoother, and you will end up with what you want, but maybe done in a different way.

Expect dust

Anyone who tells you they will do your project without creating some dust in your living environment is lying. Most contractors will do what they can to minimize the dust, but if you are set on living in a jobsite, you will get dust in places you never thought you could get dust in.

Keep your sense of humor

Remember, it’s only money. And at the end, you get a great new space, window, door, bathroom, kitchen, floor…

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