Congratulations! You’ve come to the end at last – your dream home is finally (finally!) finished. Here’s a list of things to keep an eye out for.

It may feel like forever and a day, but you will get to the point in your home remodel where home is in good enough shape to use and just a few details need finishing. Which means it’s time for your final walk-through. 

Here are the guidelines for making change orders as painless as possible – and for knowing the difference between change orders and changing the deal.

Even the best laid plans…well, you know the rest. Here are a few guidelines for effectively and efficiently handling disputes on your remodel when they pop up. 

Why do remodeling projects go over budget so often? The answer can vary case-by-case, but often it’ll be due to the “upsell trap” — once you start remodeling your home, you get excited by the possibilities and sobered by the fact that you’re making decisions about fixtures, tiles, etc. that you’ll have to live with for years to come.

Your architect or general contractor assume the bulk of the responsibilities on your project, but what must you do to ensure all goes well?

Learn the truth about advance paymentsThis is an issue of great controversy in the remodeling industry. Almost every website and resource out there, especially the various state contractor licensing boards, advocate that giving a remodeling contractor an advance payment any greater than 10% is perilous and completely unnecessary. Those in the know, know that to be false.

Don’t do a remodel without a written contract – period

You want to ensure that the bids you get are easily comparable. Here we explain how to do just that.

You May Be Thinking Of Ignoring Permit Laws. Don’t. 

The following documents are less common on small projects however they are important for your record keeping and in some cases can have very important legal consequences.

Choosing the right contractor is a critical milestone in your remodeling project. But how can you, the homeowner, be sure you’re hiring the right person?

The beginning of a home remodel can seem like an onslaught of questions that all have to be answered at once. One of the most important of these questions is, do I need to hire an architect?

The Bolster team has analyzed A LOT of remodeling bids. While helping homeowners get a fair price for their project, they've spotted a bit of a phenomenon... That there are two things present in each project, that massively affect the cost (one by up to 225%), but are rarely mentioned in any bid!

You know there will be loads of people involved (many of whom will be in your house on a regular basis), but you may not know who they are, or what they do. Here’s a quick guide to all the parties you’ll be dealing with over the next few months.

Here are a few things you may be doing to avoid a renovation nightmare — that may well lead you straight into one.  

All remodels are different, but there are some consistencies you can hang your hat on. Here is an attempt to describe the typical remodeling process from start to finish so a homeowner can better understand what to expect.