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Planning Your Home Renovation

We have discovered a water leak in the foundation of our house and there is some damage to the interior. Luckily our insurance will cover some of the interior damage but not the leak in the foundation.

Here are the steps I follow to figure out what work will be done, when, by whom and how much it will cost.

Step 1 - Determine The Best Course Of Action

After meeting with a few contractors, it seems there are two ways to repair the leak and get my house back in order:

Repair the foundation from the outside - A trench is dug around the outside of the house and a rubber membrane is attached to the foundation and a new drain tile is installed. Repair the foundation from the inside - All of the interior basement perimeter walls and studs are removed. The floor is opened up and a new drain tile is installed and a rubber membrane attached to the inside wall.

Both have their pros and cons. The outside repair means our interior living space is not disrupted but is very expensive. The interior repair is disruptive may be less costly.

Step 2 - Create A Project Plan

If you are going to schedule the contractors yourself or even do some or all of the work yourself, a plan is essential.

A project plan is a list of activities that are required in order to complete a task. The plan describes the general tasks required and assigns time lines to each. It is used to identify which contractors I need (electricians, plumbers, drywall installers etc.) and when they will be needed.

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