Heart-Centered Holidays

As the days of December darken into winter, holidays ignite magic into our hearts, creating light to find our way. Be it Christmas, the Solstice festivals, Hanukah or Kwanzaa, the time is of celebration and gratitude for all the gifts material and metaphysical that we have received.

Tinsel and glitter, red cheeks and candles, song and festivities create sparkling energy. We eat too many cookies, dance with our friends and carol to our neighbors. We give gifts and acknowledge the love for those around us.

December, unfortunately, is also a time of great stress. As if to counter the darkness, we can be caught in a frenzy of materialism that attacks with pepper spray in a Walmart to get the best deal. Strained and compulsive, while our children are all safe with visions of sugarplums in their heads, we scurry about frantically, shopping late every night and maxing out credit cards instead.

To balance the frantic motion, I offer a teleseminar conference this Wednesday December 14th and Thursday the 15th focused on creating a heart-centered holiday. Through interviews with authors and coaches, we look at the little rituals and celebrations that hold the spirit strong and remind us of the deeper importance of the time.

You can register for the program here and receive a collection of short stories about transformations of lives that can happen in an instant. Each writer will also offer a bonus gift particular to their interest at the end of their interview.

In true alignment with heart and soul, writing is a transformative process. When troubled by doubt and uncertainty, in the act of scribbling in a journal or creating a novel, answers once looming vaguely transparent in the distant mist, come more clearly into focus. We are all writers in our own ways and these conversations will encourage listeners to find your own style for a deeper understanding of what connects you to the rest of the world.

In addition to fireside chats of stories and spiritual affirmations, this webinar through your computer or phone, also celebrates the release of my transformational book “Zen & the Art of the Midlife Crisis”, a memoir about the process of recognizing and shedding the parts of life that are not working to follow a path more centered from heart and living with purpose. By looking deeply at choices and influences of the past, I am better able to steer my life into the future and encourage readers to make similar choices.

Registering for the Heart-centered Holidays Teleseminar right here and now is at absolutely no cost and ensures two peaceful evenings of insight and affirmation that the world is indeed full of love, compassion, serenity and support.

Please join us in celebration of all that glitters and is truly gold.

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Split Down the Middle

           Just like life, comparisons of Fixed Price and Cost Plus contracts have no either/or equation.  Without advantages and disadvantages to both, the argument would have been put to rest a long time ago.  It does not have to go on forever, however, when a little creativity and education can lead to solutions that combine the best of both.

            Contracts are fear based and only necessary as a resource to cover the contingencies for when and if something goes wrong.  If all the smiles and good feelings could last as the work was completed, there would be no need beyond the handshake, but in remodeling especially, surprises do occur and disagreements almost always happen.

Tough questions

            The bottom line is that owners have a budget stretched to the max and enter the project terrified it will still cost more...a whole lot more.  Quality is also important.  They do not want dust in their lives any longer than necessary and they want to know the builder will be around to fix any problem.

            The builder wants to be paid on time and fairly.  Period.

            A contract that meets these issues is the mutual goal.  The type of contract finally signed gets the project started, but more than the ground rules, the agreement subtly establishes the kind of relationship going forward.  Like love, we enter full of hope and the best assumptions and are usually at least willing to consider divorce somewhere along the way.

Plan A, B and All of the Above

                For a fixed price, the builder takes all the financial risk and races to completion with fingers crossed.  In a cost-plus contract, hands need to be held: reassurance is as necessary as the broom at the end of the day.

            A fixed price contract full of allowances or a cost plus agreement with a cap on specified areas are both ways to align what often seem like opposing needs between the home owners and builder.

Selected Items               

           Novice contractors can often be caught estimating a standard grade toilet and have to mask their surprise later or risk ill-will when the client finds the second most expensive choice in the catalogue.  A 2x4 is a 2x4, but so many features in a remodel are not generic.  The difference between painted and stained trim, for example, is a huge expense to swallow if it was not clearly defined in the price tag.

            Identifying the variables that require choice and naming a specific dollar amount--even if open-ended--grants the owner the satisfaction that the change is in their control.  Color choices, siding type, fixtures and doorknobs are all important and oh so subjective points of distinction where clarity makes all the difference.  Eliminating obvious surprises makes the rest less painful.

            With no victim, no one is hurt.

Not to Exceed    
            Placing a cap on costs while still operating with the flexibility provided by a Cost Plus contract is a solution from the other direction.  Arms and legs are not threatened when limits are placed either at the top or on quantifiable areas. 

            To alleviate concerns about gauging and motivate profit incentives, the difference between the actual cost and limit can be divided between the owner and builder.  Bonuses can be placed on timelines to ensure efficiency.

            Some aspects like the roof replacement can be estimated and billed as a line item at a fixed rate while something unknown like reversing a stairway can just be estimated and billed out accordingly.  This requires a little more education for the laborers to track their time accurately, but provides peace of mind for all by being transparent and fair.

Attitude Adjustment

            Accountability is key.  Presenting a bill with labor lumped all together as a single item creates distrust while dividing them by worker and categories makes the owner less inclined to count them from behind the curtain.    

            The point of a contract is to be fair and clear, to avoid misunderstanding and provide a resource to settle disagreements.  A partnership is preferred to an adversarial relationship.  The tools are available to make it so that the owners in the end can be comfortable stepping out onto the balcony they just paid so much to have built.

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For What it Costs

          Time and material, or cost-plus contracts, first appear to homeowners as a blank check for disaster when contemplating a remodel.  Unknown conditions and unscrupulous reputations create boogies that make any Halloween night seem tame.

            As part of the decision or after deciding on a builder, the next important bullet point is the type of agreement that will set the tone for the relationship throughout the course of the project and possibly far beyond.  The consequences are potentially huge and indefinably dynamic.

            A fixed price contract is the first most obvious choice for the owner who expects to purchase a remodel like a shirt off the rack.  For the agreed price of X dollars, a list of details is established to be completed satisfactorily before payment is issued; no surprises and only negotiated pain.  While it is clean and seems risk free, the line in the sawdust, unfortunately, has less obvious drawbacks.

            With little room to cope for a surprise behind wall number two or unpredictable conditions of weather and sub schedules, the contractor, no matter how conscientious, may be forced to make compromises to minimize the damaging effects to his own best interest.  The fixed price forces a focus on profit over quality that may not be apparent until paint peels or the floor finally squeaks in alarm a few years later. 

     Conversely, if all goes well, the homeowner ends up paying much more than it actually cost.               

Shoulder the Risk

                A contract based on the actual cost with a mark-up for the contractor's efforts may feel like an open wound about to bleed profusely, but with proper bandages applied, often ensures a completed project with a more balanced result.  Better than a win-win, the contract that pays for what it actually costs can create a trust between the parties that makes an ordinary project brilliant.

            A time and material contract shows every invoice for materials and sub-contracts, adds an agreed upon percentage for the contractor's risk and warranty, and charges labor at specific rates per hour.  Bills are presented weekly or twice monthly and due immediately, providing full transparency and continuous opportunity to re-evaluate the relationship at each juncture.

            In this version, an honest relationship is critical and attention to detail ensures a good outcome.  The builder makes every decision on quality first and cost second while the owners are able to tweak the design without constant stressful and time-consuming re-negotiations.

            Assuming there is not the luxury of an unlimited budget, the builder is not forced into the position of always saying "no" to changes or having to seem like a "nickle and dimer" having to revisit the contract at every new idea.  It is important, however, to regularly update owners on the effects of apparently small changes that can actually change the bottom line significantly. 

Trust the process

                The most important concern in a time and material contract for the owner is that the labor cost will be out of control.  Owners can be quickly consumed by the minutia of pennies and lose sight of the dollars saved by efficient planning.  Animosity can brew while the carpenter whistles merrily along.

            It is easy to be swept up in a day of counting coffee breaks and judging production on the basis of over-heard conversations. Idle stances may disguise industrious calculations and a casual huddle may not show the hours saved in scaffold building afterward. After two days of absence, the quality of doors painted in a dust free environment is missed in the lack of apparent activity.    

Accountability & Communication

            With today's software and text messaging standards, there is no reason to leave customers or builders in the dark as the process evolves and questions arise.  Fears can be quickly and easily laid out for solutions.

            Programs like Quickbooks, the industry standard, can easily tabulate every nail and hour on or off the site.  Microsoft Project and other CPM software present a schedule and chart the deviations and delays.  A spreadsheet comparing the estimate to the actual costs with projections to finish can keep anxiety under control.

            Ultimately, the kitchen table still reigns supreme at the end of the day where a cup of coffee or cold beer keeps the conversation human and on task, focused on the facts.  The ability to speak openly as partners on the project makes all the difference to the quality as egos and ownership are dormant and the goals are aligned to make it the very best it can be.

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Fixed Costs

A major decision for home owners before embarking on a renovation is whether to agree on a fixed price with a contractor or build the project on a straight cost basis. The question, in one form or another, has been around as long as carpenters have been competing for work.

                A fixed price or lump sum contract is when the builder estimates all costs, allows for contingencies and marks up for profit, presenting a bottom line to the owner.  If actual costs are below the estimates, he wins; if overages occur, the problem falls on the builder.  There is no going back to cry, "Ooops!"

                A time and material contract, also known as cost plus or T&M, arranges reimbursement to the builder for every invoice with a little extra percentage for the trouble and warranty.  It costs what it costs and the risk for the owner at the beginning feels like a potentially whopping blank check and the reputation of being a fool.

                Of course, there are variations in between these two options and no single version works for every client, builder and circumstance.  Once again, the answer boils down to the matter of trust and the comfort zone of risk each party is willing to hold.

                Fixed price contracts are every home owner's first choice.  When we go to the store to buy a shirt, we look at the price tag attached and pay it without negotiation or concern for how much each of the buttons, fabric and thread might have cost individually.

                Often the initial phone call to a builder includes the desire for a square foot price (the average total cost divided by the square footage of the area affected) which is really an inaccurate measure for a remodel, considering the size, scope and complications have no average.  At the end of the first look interview, after numerous ideas have been bantered around with no clear decision, the potential client inevitably asks for a ballpark figure ("I won't hold you to it," they promise), a wild guess that either sets the bar at a ridiculously low number against which all is measured or whacks the builder right out of the game entirely.

                After careful consideration, the fixed price contract defines the size of the field, all the rules and players, even declaring the home owner a winner while the builder never knows until the dust has settled and the green grass is grown in how well he has done.  Settled on the price, the owners can go on to deal with the physical stress of disruption and door knob decisions, well-prepared to have checks ready according to the schedule in the contract. Relieved from most painful surprises beyond inconvenience, the job gets done and they transfer the funds.

                The builder also enjoys the benefits of planning and if all goes well, packs up tools with a tidy smile and a thicker wallet.  A clear payment schedule and description of scope, defined allowances and method for change orders, and the orderly completion of tasks creates an equally seamless flow that turns each large check into countless smaller checks good to their subs 30 or 60 days later, or to employees that very same Friday.  Everything lines up and everyone is happy.

                The problem in a fixed price contract arises when Mr. Murphy appears to blow the best laid plans away.  A simple, but large line in the estimate might have been miscalculated (computers can do that, ha-ha) or misplaced entirely.  Bricks instead of wood might be hidden unconventionally inside the wall.  The customers may be so convinced they said "blue", it is better to paint the room over than to argue the point and fail to receive the check that is needed that Friday to bring the plumber back on Monday.

                To keep the labor cost under control, certain tasks are inevitably hurried and corners might be cut more quickly, a little more squarely than round.  The in-stock sink could be purchased instead of the special-ordered extra (and more expensive) myl of stainless steel, looking just as shiney upon installation, but showing scratches much sooner.  The decision to let a bad cut fit or replace the board can more often land on the cheaper side of "close enough."

                Conscientious, well-organized and financially comfortable builders do just as well as the home-owner with fixed price contracts, often better than with the less risky luxury of  a cost plus contract.  The underlying costs, however, in quality and dollars could eventually add up to far more than fabric, thread and buttons combined.

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Nailed Down

For most projects, the most important and over-looked tool is the contract. Large or small, a clear agreement in writing and with signatures can avoid more damage ultimately than the shoddiest roof.

During the courting period and initial stages of projects, everyone is on their best behavior and words, far more than actions, are setting the tone. Purposes are aligned and the satisfactory completion of the project is beautifully envisioned.

When problems arise, however, the true strength of the relationship is tested, bending and relaxing under the stress or suddenly snapped by the weight of unforeseen pressure. A well-written contract can provide the support and recourse to keep negotiations and ultimately the project itself on track.

Like a pre-nuptial agreement, many people--especially hearing that it will only be a day or two, in and out, for sure--waive the formality. The implication of distrust may create animosity and feel like an insult to integrity, but a professional with experience understands the legal binder protects the contractor as much as the homeowner. There are as many nightmarish clients as bad builders.

The size of the job can determine the complication of the document, but for any project, the basic agreements should always be in place and well-stated. Similar to the journalistic rules of a first paragraph, the who, what, where, when and often the how should be clear in every contract. Most importantly are the clauses relating to "how much and when".

Smaller jobs can be a one page proposal with space for signatures to accept the terms. The vitals are still necessary, even if stated as casually as "replace the kitchen sink" at an hourly rate of "X" plus the cost of materials (with a mark-up). The proof can be in the process as long as the outcome threatens not to break either bank or back.

In my own business, the division came at about $1,500, more than a week's worth of work, or involving several distinctive components. A mid-size contract with more detailed specifications naming the type of door, quantity of siding and allowances for choices that could be open-ended ensures the two-headed purpose of protection and flexibility.

The larger projects invite multi-page, multi-tiered documents covering the basics, coloring the details, connecting the schedule of payments with performance, and carefully delineating ways to separate should that become necessary. Room for change is still important, even as details are crossed and contingencies dotted.

Architects and lawyers often advocate a standard contract which is easily available through the AIA. While it provides valuable clarity in commercial situations without a lot of expensive negotiations, home owners can be overwhelmed by inappropriate clauses and the builder too constrained by the stringent definitions. Simple is better and a contractor with enough experience to do the job should be able to produce a tried and true document off his word processor.

With a contract so specific, the temptation is to name a hard, fast and intractable dollar amount, but all of my experience--given a strong sense of mutual trust combined with a good estimate and specifications--an agreement based on actual cost is the fairest to all concerned. With clear parameters, solid budgets and honest communication, time and material contracts work very well.

Regardless of the best made and laid plans, things change and room must be made for Mr. Murphy to show an ugly face. Allowances and change orders are important parts of any agreement and coverage must be in place in case disaster leaks through a roof, spills out of a can or is short-circuited by a wire that should have been there, or worse, should not have.

Once a wall is framed, the view might invite a window that was not originally figured into the job. While the temptation and urgency of the schedule might dictate a quick decision to proceed and figure out the cost later, postponement of the cost implications can have serious repercussions burning a deep hole in the pocket of the builder or a terrible sticker shock long after the fact.

Regardless of size, a written contract is the best tool to ensure a project goes smoothly with as few negative incidents as the law of averages guarantee will happen. The comfort and ease with which one is negotiated will often be an indication of how well the parties will work together throughout the adventure.

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Of Pounds and Ounces

Once the project has been designed and contracted, the final preparation is mostly physical. A plan to manage life in the midst of construction chaos can make all the difference in the success of the renovation.

Although it is possible to remain on the premises during construction, a whole-house makeover by its very name suggests it is best to find another place to stay. When the roof is removed for a second story addition, the risk is just too great that all relationships could be ruined with the furniture if a big storm blew in.

Besides the inordinate amount of dust, progress is hampered by the complications of co-ordination. Large projects can take four to six months to complete and like an earthquake, the stress level doubles in intensity with each increment.

Most budgets are unable to afford the luxury of a second home, so a good contractor knows how to minimize the impact and dissipate the tension that is as inevitable as the mess. Experience teaches anticipation and the law of Murphy should guide every decision.

The first question when assessing a bath remodel is if there is another sink, toilet and shower on the premises. A transformation of anything beyond paint should require the expectation of a week's disruption. When only one bathroom exists, the toilet must be reset at the end of every day and alternatives such as the workplace, a friend's home (never family) or the gym should be considered for showers.

Kitchen renovations also are complicated. In the best scenarios, for a week to a month, the main appliances if functioning at all are often around different corners and countertops are shared with dirty tools. I recommend lots of pizza and the husband can earn major points planning a surprise dinner out at a critical moment (not too fancy if the bathroom is out of commission as well).

Most often the area under construction can be isolated with care. Modern invention provides contractors with stretch poles to make plastic barriers easy. Large air filters demonstrate care and concern even if they fail to collect all the dust.  Make the door nearest the work easily accessible from the inside and out.

No matter where the work is performed, dust permeates every thing.  Furniture near the work area can be covered with light 1 myl poly and removed again for living at the end of the day.  To stay fresh, laundry should be done more frequently. Dishes often need to be washed before as well as after every meal.

If the work is upstairs or at the back end of the house, it helps to put drop cloths along the path to keep muddy boots from scratching or staining. Clear the hallways of clutter and flower pots and even take the family portraits off the wall because the workers will likely come through with plywood or sheetrock, a tile saw and open cans of paint.

The constant rattle and clatter of hammers and thumps of lumber sends a vibration through the house that creeps items on shelves precariously close to the edges. Work in one room can drop a painting off the wall on the other side. Even if the contractor knows, the worker might not realize the fragility of something, so precious items are best moved out of danger ahead of time.

Financially, it is vital to have clear specifications in the contract about amounts and stages of payments and be prepared with money available when those points are nearing. The builder may push a particular item forward to benefit his cash flow and expect an immediate check while owners may need advance notice to transfer large amounts of money. The more clarity between the parties ensures the work flows without rancor or interruption.

No one can think of everything, heading in to a project, and the simple replacement of an upstairs sink may unwittingly turn into replacement of the hardwood floors below, but looking around with an eye that expects the worst can avoid some simple and irritating problems. A full pound of prevention when preparing your home for a renovation may ensure the unexpected catastrophe weighs far less.

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Orange Apples

If we could just imagine our best dream home and blink it into being, life might be wonderful, but a significant segment of our workforce would need to learn another occupation. In the natural order of things, the planning stage of a renovation, often rushed, is just the start of a process, long or short, that can result in a home full of frustration or a work of joy, depending on how the details are approached.

needing room to move

Houses can be like a model airplane, a kit purchased at the drug store with a set of directions and snapped together as easily as following steps one through ten. Renovation of a home, in comparison, is a much more complicated and amorphous process, custom fit to the needs, taste and budget of the owners, but characterized also by the skills, personalities and preferences of the people hired to accomplish it. Truly a work of art, a remodel reflects the energy of all involved.

Because of the stress, complications and inconvenience, many homeowners accept what is or choose to move to what works, avoiding the potential disruption and mayhem that a remodel may produce. Others, by inclination or necessity, undergo a renovation to create a home as close to their dreams as they can manage.


No matter how beautifully conceived and well-planned a project might be, it inevitably changes for many reasons during the process. Inclusion early on of the builder who ultimately constructs the dream out of the nails, paint and trim is well-advised.


Act with Discernment
Once armed with a set of plans and pages of specifications, conventional wisdom recommends to put the project out to bid and pick the best apple out of a few. The bid process, however, even if between pre-qualified contractors, might ensure the cheapest price, but rarely identifies the best fit.

Prejudice openly admitted, as both a builder and client, I have countless experiences of how the dollars saved in the rosey bid-process are often quickly overwhelmed, even in the easiest of projects, by the thorny issues of misunderstandings, miscalculations and miscommunications. Translation from paper to reality is difficult enough to accomplish in the best of circumstances without the added insult of adversarial interests that arise out of agreements written on stone foundations.

The most important ingredient to a successful project is the chemistry between the participants.



Do the Work
Pre-judgments about the dented truck and paint-stained clothes might show less about indebtedness and miss out on the man who actually uses his hammer as much as his sharp pencil. A successful look in this business may be more of an image than actuality. Some prefer to have recourse to an office and staff that never get dirty, while others want to shake the hand of the one who will do the work.

under construction

While websites offer the freshest look and most information about a builder, the Yellow Page ad still demonstrates a professionalism that does not come cheaply. Names on the side of trucks and attractive signs on job sites show an attention to detail that might reflect the care that could go into your home.

Ask neighbors, family and friends for referrals to begin the search and follow up privately with a phone call or even a visit to see the homes suggested by the prospective builder. Naturally, they will want to show off only their best jobs, but asking them to talk about projects that did not go so well offers the chance to gauge their honesty, flexibility and, most importantly, their comfort level in dealing with the tough stuff.


Trust your Heart
Just as a renovation requires room to move, rip and tear with well-placed protections like dust barriers and drop cloths, so does the relationship between builder and client. For the time being, the home will be invaded by carpenters as busy as ants and a lot noisier. Precious dollars are going to fly out the door and new windows like so much saw dust in the wind. A contract with fixed prices and specific details is a good place to start the conversation, but is ultimately only as good as the contractor hired to complete it.

Often defined as the way to separate apples from oranges, the bid process fails to address the differences between Granny Smith and Macintosh. No historical information can predict the particular circumstances of the impending project. Even the very best might still trip and stumble in the months ahead for hidden reasons in his personal life.

dream delivered

In actuality, there is no magic formula to guarantee the perfect project. At the time of decision, it is vital to set all the information aside and take a close look at the invisible messages that intuition contributes. An art that is inherently flawed nearly by definition, it is vital for home owners to align themselves in a relationship of trust, respect and even partnership, something that is often discovered only in the leap of faith from heart to heart.

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4 Ways to a Successful Renovation

Stress in the renovation of a home--no matter the size of the project--is inevitable. At some point, feelings of invasion are sure to develop and sleep is lost to nights of fear that the construction will never end.

 The pre-construction phase is the most important because decisions made in advance can create a project that runs much more smoothly. While there is no specific formula, the larger the project benefits from more time in the planning stage.

Taking informed measures early in the process to ensure the dust has somewhere to settle eases the impact of many of the problems and keeps everyone talking to each other. There will be surprises, but anticipation of what is predictable makes the discovery of the rest just a little more fun.

Observe, Observe, Observe
As the decision to remodel is being considered, it is crucial to observe and gather information from as many sources/resources as possible. Blogs, television shows and articles like this can help, but talking with friends, family and even strangers who have experienced their own projects gives ideas and experiences more specific to your particular situation. Look for real stories, rather than the quick and clean impressions that portray an easy and seamless transformation.

More than any other time, communication between partners can determine the quality of the project. The success of a well-designed home is in the movement between rooms, the flow of sound as well as bodies and the interaction between occupants. Dance your dance and notice. As you live in the one space, share a constant dialogue about what life could be like in the new.

In addition to dreams, observe the reality and ask a lot of questions. Begin with the most important functions like cooking, eating, relaxing, sleeping and working. Consider the laundry, the lawnmower and the libraries of books, knicknacks and DVDs before picking out the linoleum. Location is critical, function absolute.

Browse magazines, the internet and ask for a peek into your friend's closets. Talk together about what you detest as much as like. Be open, clear and make sure to listen carefully because once the walls are installed and freshly painted, it costs a lot to take them out.

Visualize and design

Some projects are easily imagined and communicated to your builder and can make a huge difference in the way life works in the home. Others are too overwhelming to conceptualize beyond the certain knowledge that things need to change.

There are many ways to go about the design and no hard rules beyond making sure you are comfortable with your choice. The plan will change your life as well as the details changing along the way, so it is imperative to work with someone who can understand and respect the intimacies down to the toothbrushes, your mother's antique snow-globe collection and the lingerie in your closet.

Architects have an education, license and authority to command leadership in a project, and often the experience and creativity to be worth the cost. Designers may have the same experience without the credentials, usually with the passion to make up the difference. Often the guy in the truck who knows how to fit the pieces of the shelf under the stair has the best sense for what really works and how much it will take.

  Regardless of who and what, their conception, communication and quality must be in sympathy with you who will ultimately live in the renovated space. Make sure the design is what will work for you.



Investigate

As the design is conceptualized, check with the local zoning administrator about what is allowed and required for a project of that size. Even in the same municipality, rules and requirements can vary from street to street depending on use and historic designations (no matter how non-descript your home might seem).

It is their job to ensure compliance with the regulations, so no question is too much or too trivial. They have the authority to remove a window or require a roof is rebuilt three inches lower to conform. No matter who is at fault, once having gone through the renovation, you certainly do not want to do it all over again.

Decide
With the design in hand, many more decisions can be made and included in the contract before construction begins. Fixtures such as toilets, cabinets, door styles and paint colors are all important parts of the process. The choices are sequential and sometimes interdependent. They can be easily overwhelming and rushed if put off until the day the builder says, "I need them now."
Think ahead and work with your builder to make choices in a timely way according to their priority and timeline of installation. Cabinets often take six to eight weeks to deliver though often installed towards the end of a major renovation. Door knobs can be purchased immediately, but still require decisions commensurate with the style of the home.

Modesty is not an option

Some projects are so invasive, if the budget allows, it is better to move out, allowing the builder to "have at it" with no restrictions. Most often, keeping one bath and the kitchen functional at all times are logistics that must be figured into the plan. It is not unusual to be barged in upon various moments of undress.

The builder should be willing to accommodate special needs such as adjusting work for the nightshift worker trying to sleep in the back of the house or getting a portapot to reduce heavy boots across the softwood dinning room floor. Make sure they are able to focus on your project without having to come and go according to the needs and whimsies of other clients.

 This is your home and you are the one paying the contract. There are enough problems that leap out from hiding places in the walls without having to surprise yourself with disgruntled adjustments because the refrigerator is too close to the stove. Anticipating what can be figured out and getting it down on paper is the best chance to get in reality the home of your dreams.

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Whole Life Make-over

No matter the degree of our comfort level, the world has become an unsettled place. Riots and revolutions, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, tornados and economic collapses can be seen as the apocalyptic precursors predicted and parodied to culminate in 2012.

The housing market that has been blamed for much of the downturn of the last few years still struggles to come back and is forever radically changed. Sub-prime mortgages have resulted in a banking industry too focused on profits to take a risk on the common family just wanting to buy a home. Stuck with an inventory, developers are hesitant to bulldoze fields into suburbs, making renovations to existing homes the most viable option for bettering our quality of life.

In the good times, our culture tends to be mobile and impulsive. As an expression of success, the standard has been a bigger home in a better neighborhood easily accomplished by a quick move across town. Proceeds from the sale of one put the money down on another and payments remained largely the same. Assumptions that values would continue to rise made playing as easy as the game of checkers.

Sub-prime mortgages changed all that and it can no longer be the expectation that anyone who works hard enough can earn their own home. Real estate is accumulated by fewer and fewer people who rent it out to the many. Ownership is less a right than a pride and privilege.

Staying put and renovating to meet expanding needs for many reasons is a wonderful way to spend a lifetime. Deep roots, relationships with neighbors and the creation of traditions are just a few obvious reasons. Nothing better than a well-established home life can assuage the discomfort of global uncertainty.

On the local level, the decision to stay put and improve the home can be a terrifying prospect to those of us raised in a lifestyle that used houses as commodities so easily bought, sold and left behind. Often brand new, we have not stayed long enough to enjoy the shade of the trees we planted, nor shared the celebrations and sorrows from births to graduations to weddings of our neighbors' children who are friends with our own.

Renovations are dusty, inconvenient and hugely stressful, lasting one or many months. The contractor and workers invade the castle, often becoming part of the family in that time, sometimes the enemy. He might turn the corner and catch you in your underwear or arrive at three AM to tighten the tarp in a rainstorm. Homework still has to be done; holidays arrive; visitors want to tour and advise.

Marriages are seriously tested living through remodels, often stripping and re-painting the relationship in unexpected colors for better or worse. At the design stage, one man's recreation room bar is the woman's whirlpool spa. The screaming saws of construction might sound like the pitter-pattering little feet to the other. Constant decisions as small as round or lever door handles create relentless strain when all he really wants to think about is a round of golf.

Despite it all, the process of transformation, with proper planning, care and room for breaks, can be a time of great joy, anticipation and satisfaction. Lives are changed by taking the wall out that has separated the kitchen from family. The extra bedroom can save a marriage or unite sisters who could not share the same space. Staying in the same school system avoids the traumatic disruption of having to make all new friends all over again.

In thirty years as a contractor, my best of many moments is easily identified in the eighth month of a year long project that doubled the size of the house and touched every room existing, centered upon a massive restructuring of the kitchen. With a two year old, she had been washing dishes in the bathtub, the heat was off for the day in February in Vermont. The entire first floor of furniture was crammed into one room with a tiny path to the computer where she huddled in a down jacket.

"I love it!" she exclaimed, mist on her breath.

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How to Grow Your Own Home

Three and a half years ago, in a commitment to honor my passion for writing as well as run a construction business, I started this blog as a tool to market. Rumors surged on the internet that thousands of clicks could generate income as well as clients. It helped that some basic education about the working reality of the industry (kitchens are not renovated in a week!) could be useful. Simple logic, curiosity and desire justified the experiment.

Changes in my personal life, the passion for writing from my heart and the closure of my construction business all combined to cement my focus on my other site, leaving this one long dormant. The ads were not generating the revenue anyway and the terms "SEO" and "back-links" were not yet common, so the effort was easy to lay aside.

More importantly, the transition to a life with pen instead of hammer was developing at a rapid pace. Fortunate to still have all my fingers and with rotator cuffs strained but functioning, I felt lucky. Twenty years earlier I had promised myself to not be carrying plywood at this age, but when it looked like I might continue accepting contracts, one day my scaffold suddenly collapsed, the choice no longer mine, landing me on the sofa to sit still until I reached the inevitable conclusion that I should not be working with my hands any more.

Once again, the need of some quick dollars in exchange for so many hours charged enticed me. Intuition was strong that morning to finish the essay I was writing, but integrity compelled me to go to the site and finish the work. In a safety harness earlier on the roof, after lunch, work at gutter height off of ladders with a plank in between seemed another easy dance I had been stepping for thirty years.

I always imagined, were I to fall, there would be time to jump away and go limp, roll to cushion the blow, but this was all much too quick. As the ladder slipped out, I immediately blacked out, an unconscious act of protection so intense I remember actually thinking I had died before landing hard on the pavement, straddling the extended prong of the ladder jack.

The chipped bone in my wrist was the over-riding pain, but ultimately nothing in my life compared to the ruptured urethra that forced me to live nearly two years with a catheter (a tube out of my belly into a plastic bag strapped to my leg) before it could be properly repaired. Added to the insult was the injury that by divorce my health insurance had terminated just a few days earlier, compounding the problems.

The details are well-documented at "Zen & the Art of the Midlife Crisis" and a forth-coming book tentatively entitled "The Peequel", while the most important fact is that after surgery this past June, I am well-healed and emotionally fit to take up my pen again (as well as being once again insured and more careful about the scaffolds upon which I choose to dance). Determined to earn my keep with more words than nails, but loaded with knowledge and experience of the construction business, logic dictates again that the two worlds should blend.

Lately, my hands have gotten dirty with several projects for myself and others. In breaking out the tools and balanced gingerly on a ladder, pondering the low cost and high convenience of self-publishing, essays constructed here can easily be produced into ebooks. By a few simple key strokes, they can be readily available to the transformed demographics of this new generation of home owners who are comfortable with computers and less skilled with their own hands.

By economic necessity and less abundant resources, the expansive developments of new houses are dwindling and renovations of the huge inventory of existing homes become the attainable standard. Transformations of smaller capes into beautiful colonials are more easily financed than skipping about from neighborhood to neighborhood.


The need for education is profound and the internet has become the resource from which all else flows. People are more empowered than ever to make their own choices, but need impartial guidance to learn the way. In seeking a contractor or before taking a sledge hammer to their own walls, it will help to find information about the processes physical and emotional they may have to endure. With this site and ebooks to follow, I can weave some experience into a supply that can feed the demand.

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