Lessons learned from a bumpy renovation I?m writing from a freshly renovated one-bedroom apartment in an elegant 90-year-old building in Brooklyn. My partner and I bought the unit at the start of 2017, inspired by its large windows, 12-foot ceilings, and friendly neighbors. On the down side, the previous owner had put in design elements, like a loft canted at a slight angle and red lacquer kitchen cabinets, that were not only quirky but now also dated. So we hired an architect and general contractor to do a gut renovation. We carved out home offices for us both, updated the kitchen and bath, added closets, and replaced unfortunate finishes on the ceilings and floors.
And while we feel very lucky to have a place where we can work, cook and sleep with some grace in New York City, the project did not go smoothly. It ran 30% over budget. It took twice as long as we expected. It doesn?t have enough storage for us, and the bathroom doesn?t look great. Oh, and it?s still not done. (The straggling bits are not minor: a shower wall needs to be replaced, one set of closet doors doesn?t work, and trim throughout the apartment is still missing.) We did a lot of research before we started. So why did we wind up spending a whole lot more time and money than we anticipated" And why didn?t we end up with exactly what we wanted"
Everyone knows that when you renovate a house or apartment, you risk running into trouble with the general contractor. The work might be shoddy,...