If you’re looking to remodel your home, you’ve likely been shocked by the timelines presented.
The average remodeling project can take anywhere from 5 weeks to 10 months to complete.
And that’s just the average, which doesn’t even include delays.

You will inevitably have a few delays in your remodel. Sometimes it’s the fault of the contractor,
other times it’s not. But you can count on a few surprises along the way. Here are a few things to
keep in mind before you get upset.

What is a delay in the remodeling industry?

In the remodeling industry, a delay is defined as being late beyond the completion date specified
in a contract.
In the absence of any specific provision to the contrary, the delay will be deemed to occur when
the results of the remodeling project are ready for inspection and acceptance by the owner but
not accepted or rejected within a reasonable time afterward.

Protecting yourself from delays

Generally, to protect yourself from delays, you should include the following dates in your
remodeling contract:

1. Completion, inspection, and acceptance: The completion, inspection, and acceptance
   dates are intended to indicate how long the remodeling project is expected to take.
   Preparation works such as obtaining approvals which are necessary for commencement
   of the work should be excluded from the completion date.
2. Inspection and acceptance: This date is normally one-two weeks after completion and
   inspection and acceptance by the contractor. This allows the owner to inspect and
   identify any issues arising out of the project during the final stages of remodeling and
   take corrective action and/or make revisions where required.
3. Completion: The completion date is one-two weeks after inspection and acceptance by
   the owner.

How common are delays in remodeling projects?

The whole house remodeling process is a lengthy one. Depending on your budget, the
complexity of the project, and how busy your contractor is, it can take anywhere from 4 to 12
months to complete a whole house remodel.

The most common whole-house remodels are the ones that are done in phases. These are
typically smaller remodels that are broken up into phases so that they are paid for over time.

However, delays are more common than you think. Here’s why.

What are the key reasons for delays in remodeling projects?

1. Bad management
   Remodeling projects come with a unique set of challenges. Planning, organizing, and
   completing these projects successfully requires an effective remodeling management process.
   Without this management process, the chances of delivering the desired quality within the
   required time are slim. On the contrary, you can be sure of facing unforeseen problems or even
   failure if your contractors’ remodeling management process isn’t up to the standard.
2. Unexpected events
   It is important to remember that each remodeling project will be exposed to some unavoidable
   events such as floods from your neighbors or the roof while the remodeling takes place.
   When you do a remodeling project, you should find out what risks it may come into contact with
   and how it can be prevented from happening. It would also be good if you take an insurance
   cover for such risks. This way, you can make sure that no matter what happens, your investment
   will not be wasted and you will not lose anything either.
3. Pre-existing issues
   There are two significant categories of pre-existing issues:

• Unforeseen damage from previous construction. If there is evidence of previous
  water or mold damage, it may require extensive repairs or renovations to make it safe for
  new construction. In some cases, an entire section may need to be torn out and
  replaced.
• Unforeseen structural issues. Your contractor will check for potential problems during the framing phase by using instruments such as lasers and moisture meters to detect hidden rot or damaged joists or beams that could compromise your new structure or cause it to fail prematurely.

To find structural problems that aren’t apparent from visual inspection, you might need to have
your contractor drill into your existing foundation to check for signs of damage.

Conclusion

Delays happen, but don’t panic.
Sometimes a delay is unavoidable, and sometimes you anticipate it and plan for it.
.
You can minimize the consequences of a delay by keeping a good management framework in
place over your project and making sure that all the parties are coordinated.

You should also have the decision-making skills to deal with it effectively, depending on whether
it’s a recoverable or non-recoverable delay, and avoid any issues down the road.