Thinking of Renovating? Here are a few questions that our Production Manager, Nick Ramsay, gets aske
Q&A With our Production Manager Nick Ramsay
Q: Should I live in my home during the renovation?
Nick: It all depends on what type of renovation you would like to do. Basement renovations are often the easiest on you and your family. Being able to have the renovation secluded in the basement often helps limit the noise, dust and the stress. For these types of renovations, you can absolutely stay in the house. For larger, more complex renovations (whole floors, additions, etc) it is much harder to stay in the house. When electricity, water, and gas may need to be cut for several days it is not recommended anyone occupy the space. The key is to speak to your renovator early on during the design phase to set expectations. This will allow you enough time to make arrangements if you are required to move out.
Q: How do we know the schedule?
Nick: Just Basements and Artium Design Build uses a proprietary custom scheduling program. This allows you to log in from your computer or mobile device to look at the schedule. Also weekly site meetings are set up between you and the Lead Carpenter. This meeting is to go through what work is coming up over the next week and what to expect.
Q: How do we prepare for the renovation?
Nick: Renovations can be a large undertaking and should not be taken lightly. The first step of preparation is to speak with your renovator to understand what areas will become “construction zones”. Then you should move all personal belongings (furniture, paintings, antiques, etc) out of that space. If there are items that cannot be moved, it should be brought to the attention of myself or your Lead Carpenter. Secondly don’t be afraid to ask questions! The more you know, the less surprises there are. We have done hundreds upon hundreds of renovations and will have the answer for you. Finally, renovations are noisy and dirty. Knowing is half the battle and we go out of our way to help you prepare for the renovation. This includes providing documentation on what to expect to setting up meetings on site to show you what will be done.
Q: How long can a renovation take?
Nick: The length of a renovation depends on multiple different factors. The type of renovation (is it a single bathroom or a whole home?), material availability, labour availability and even the weather. The length of the project is initially discussed during the project development phase. Then it is discussed during the different milestones throughout the actual renovation. It is our goal to keep everything running smoothly and on time. If something changes that could affect the schedule, we strive to adapt to try and limit the impact as much as possible.
Q: Can our pets stay in the house?
Nick: Often, yes they can! Pets are very important to a family’s dynamic. They help lower our stress, even through renovations. Normally if you can stay in the house, so can they! If there are any special requests you have for your pet during the renovation, let us know. We will do our best to accommodate their needs.
Any other questions for Nick, please don’t hesitate to contact us, info@justbasementsottawa.ca
