One of the best things you can do to ensure your remodeling project in Lisle goes smoothly is to treat your relationship with your contractor like you would any other relationship. After all, this is a person to whom you’ll be entrusting a significant amount of your time, money, and, of course, your home.

Strong relationships are built on a foundation of trust. The more open and communicative you are with your remodeler, the more trust you’ll have in the process. That said, don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. A good remodeler wants you to ask questions so that you both can be sure you’re on the same page every step of the way. Withholding questions or limiting your communication can have costly consequences as it makes it very difficult for you to be sure you’re getting what you want, and what you’ve planned for.

Whether you’re remodeling your kitchen, bathroom, or the whole house, if you’re stumped as to what questions to ask, start with these:

1. What is included in the price?

Remodeling a home involves a lot of different elements and moving parts, all of which can be difficult to keep track of. A great way to ensure nothing falls through the cracks and everything you expect to get done actually gets done is to ask about what—exactly—is included in your remodeler’s pricing. The last thing you want is to come to the end of a project only to find that things you expected to be completed will cost extra time and money that you have no plans for.

2. Can you get the materials I want?

A remodeling project is a major investment, both financially and time-wise, so you definitely don’t want to end up with a final product that doesn’t look like what you had in mind. To prevent that from happening, it’s important to be clear on the types of materials you want to use. Don’t make the mistake of letting a remodeler talk you into using materials that are almost what you’re looking for, but not quite. Be open about the specifics of the look and feel that you’re after and bring photos to further illustrate your ideas.

3. Is the company going to be around in the future?

The most beneficial remodeling relationship is one that can last a lifetime. That’s because the remodeler you hire is going to become intimately familiar with your needs, desires, and style sensibilities, which will make him/her far better equipped to make any changes or updates you’d like to get done in the future than if you were to enlist an entirely new person. So, you want to be clear on the future of your remodeling company and feel confident that if any issues, problems, or projects arise in your future, they’ll be there to have your back.

4. What factors can affect the timeline?

A primary challenge of a home remodeling project is waiting for that project to be completed. There’s no way around it—quality renovations take time and, more often than not, a whole lot of it. For a strong, realistic handle on your project’s timeline, ask your remodeler what factors will affect it. It’s almost inevitable that unexpected obstacles will arise, but if you stay informed on how those obstacles will impact the length of your project, you’ll be able to plan accordingly and rest easier.

5. How will you stay in touch with me through the process?

We can’t emphasize enough the importance of strong communication when it comes to making your remodeling project run as smoothly as possible. As mentioned, it’s an inevitability that unforeseen obstacles will come up throughout the process, and as we all know, time is money. Especially with regard to remodeling. To make sure those obstacles don’t slow down the project is to keep an open line of communication so that you can answer questions and make important decisions as soon as they come up.