Renovation and Remodelling Considerations

While I did not start our home inspection company until 2021 (I wish I would have started years earlier but that’s another blog post!) my interest in homes goes all the way back to my childhood. I used to love helping my father do construction projects and got my first job at a home improvement retailer whose name rhymes with Rent. ​

This is the actual building I worked out of, starting in High School.

During the almost 7 years I worked at that company, I got to learn a lot about all aspects of home construction. I was lucky to have worked in almost every aisle in the store at one time or another and even spent plenty of time on home construction sites in the early 2000s (I was inside many of the homes under construction on Portland Hills Drive and Lakeshore Park Terrace in Dartmouth, for example) and got to see homes at various stages of construction but I digress. 

I have always loved hearing stories from long time homeowners and contractors and relished the opportunity to expand my knowledge. One thing I heard repeatedly was that, without fail, those who were working on or just completed home renovation projects commented on how they were always more expensive and time consuming than they could have ever dreamed. I heard more than one story of a DIYer getting in way over their heads and having to restart a project from scratch at great expense. 

Since that time, I can only imagine it has gotten exponentially worse, particularly with the explosion of home renovation shows that make renovations look like a snap! Spoiler Alert: they aren't!

Not a view you ever want to see in real life!

Tearing Out Walls – Not Just a Simple Sledgehammer
I tend to bemoan that nearly every show seems to want an “open concept” home, where many interior walls are removed. The show makes it look so easy: a few swings of a sledgehammer, a few minutes of cleanup and voila! In reality: 

• Removing drywall is dowright messy. 
• ​That wall may be a load bearing wall and removing it can cause serious and potentially catastrophic damage to a home. This is especially true on the lower level of a home.  
• Plumbing and electrical systems are far more complex than just a few pipes and wires and relocating these lines is not as simple as just redirecting them to another wall. 
• HVAC systems are generally designed for zones (i.e. rooms, walls, etc) and there is a lot of delicate building science involved in their design. 
• Removing waste is both time consuming and expensive.
• If that wall was built before the 90s, chances are it very likely has some amount of Asbestos in it. Mesothelioma, despite being the subject of sleazy late night TV lawyers is no joke!
• Sledgehammers are fun…. for the first three swings.

I am certainly not saying to never ever remove walls: in many cases this may be the best choice. However, don’t think for a second it’s a simple 1-hour job! 

Don’t Forget the Law
It is not required to upgrade your home to modern building codes, however, if you choose to do major renovations any new work completed must meet the latest building codes. In Halifax you can refer to the M-200 bylaw, however, every town and municipality is different so check with local authorities. 

Plumbing, Electrical and HVAC
There is a reason these professions are so expensive to hire and becoming a plumber, electrician or HVAC technician requires extensive field and classroom training: the systems involved are complex, and one mistake can be very costly. While I have done basic plumbing repairs, I always leave the big jobs for the professionals. One small error can lead to major water damage. 

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) systems require careful balancing that even skilled contractors can struggle to get right. Most homes are designed with zones and tearing down walls can cause an HVAC system to become unbalanced and inefficient. 

As for electrical, I consider my knowledge of electrical systems to be my strongest area as a home inspector, but I am not in any way an electrician! I know how to identify most hazards and educate home occupants, but I also know that electrical loads must be carefully balanced in a home between the two 120V service wires and would never attempt to modify the electrical system! 
​
As a homeowner, I have increased my skills in doing repairs myself (I recently did successful renovations to the front porch) but I always stop and consider if a project is beyond my skill level. Saving money sounds great until a mistake costs far more than just calling in a professional the first time.