Greetings from the tardy blogger –  My blogs haven’t been very consistent lately due to “stuff happens”.  It’s been a summer of family health issues, and a massive home renovation, which is almost completed.  With respect to health, all is well.  Easy for me to say; I wasn’t the one going under the knife, enduring pain, and now beginning physiotherapy.  Happy to say full recovery is around the corner.  As for the second distraction?  Entering the unknown – insert the theme music from the motion picture Halloween – a home renovation.

There’s an old saying, ignorance is bliss.  Numerous people over the years have shared their home renovation survival stories with me.  And when I hear those stories my inner voice always said the same the thing “it wouldn’t be that way for me… I know better”.   Truth is I knew squat about enduring home renovations.  There’s always a gap between theory and reality; when it comes to home renovation it’s not a gap, its chasm, the size of the Grand Canyon.

Here are few things that I’ve learned about any kind of home renovation-

Creating a dream master bedroom, bathroom, basement, loft over the garage or a complete renovation, requires a good dose of cynicism.  When the builder says it will cost “X” amount, immediately add 30%. Trust me, if you do this the hyperventilating you will experience will be somewhat minimized.  Please note I said minimized, and not eliminated.  Also, whatever timeline you have, automatically add another 50%.  Example, our builder gave us a range of 6 to 8 months to complete our renovations.  As of September 1st, it will be 11 months, and counting.  And finally, if you do a complete Reno, you are the General Contractor.  The reward for doing that is you don’t get paid but you get the pleasure of paying everyone else.

 I’m sure by the end of the renovation process I’ll say, “it wasn’t really that bad, and it was all worth it”. But until then I feel like a marathon runner who can see the finish line, but is trying desperately to fight through leg cramps to finish the race.  I’ve learned a lot going through this process, and if I do it again I would do a lot of things differently.  Did I just say “if I do it again?”  Clearly I suffer from R.E.A.D.D, Real Estate Attention Deficit Disorder.  One thing for sure is that from now on I will have a lot of empathy for anyone going this process.  From now on when I drive through my neighborhood, and see a couple standing of their front lawn staring blankly at their construction site of a home, I just may stop and give them a hug.  And simply say, “I know…I know”.

Until next time,

Cheers.