Why Construction Details Are Important

One of the things that people shopping for a remodeling company may not realize is that the level of care that is put into the work is very important. This is truly a case where the devil is in the details.

In many cases, we've been called in to repair work done by another contractor. Some of the items we've seen include:

• Improperly installed shower tile causing water to leak into the basement.
• Improperly installed gutter that cause water to flow into the corner of the house. Over time this cause the entire corner of the house to rot. In this case, the entire framing structure of this area of the house had to be replaced.
• Improperly installed plumbing. In this case, the drain lines from a bathroom were not properly pitched. This meant that the waste water did not properly drain.
• In the same bathroom, the plumbing had been installed without regard to the structural stability of the floor framing. The plumber had used a sawzall to cut through the floor joists in many locations. Over time, the floor had started to sag and the tile floor had started to crack. This required extensive repair of the floor framing.
• Improperly installed attic venting causing severe ice dams. This allows water to build up and drain down the inside of the house walls.

As a homeowner, you can't be expected to know all the ins and outs of residential construction. It's not your profession and not what you do with your time. Because of that, it's important to find a contractor who is up to date on the current building code. Also, it's important to find a contractor who cares about their work. Look for pride in the details as well as a records of happy customers. Ask about occasions when there was a problem with a project and how they handled it.