Renovations / Remodeling Consultant
Whether it's a do-it-yourself job, or a major renovation, Let MTA save you money and time.

*** IMPORTANT ***
Never before has this service been available to the individual homeowner. I can act as a consultant on any size remodeling project in your home. You no longer have to rely solely on the word of the contractor whom you are paying to complete the work.

Are you interested in remodeling your basement, kitchen or bathroom or perhaps building an addition? Not sure what you are getting into? Not sure if you need one contractor to do the entire project or trade specific contractors? Do you feel that you wouldn’t have enough knowledge to make good decisions? Worried that the contractor would do things correctly?

Most homeowners considering a significant renovation feel completely overwhelmed by the amount of decisions that are needed to be made and have a general lack of knowledge of how the process works. Typically the average homeowner does not have the time or the expertise to do the home projects themselves. Similarly, trying to find the time to meet with contractors can interfere with work and schedules.

Homeowners need an advocate -- someone on their side to make sure the work gets done right, at the right price.

I am that advocate. Why me?---I’ve been there thousands of times. Over the past 20 years I have managed the construction of over 1400 homes from soil to completion. I know every detail of the home construction process and how to get things done correctly and in a timely fashion.

When considering remodeling, I can be helpful even with the smallest of projects. Whether you are about to tackle a project yourself or are trying to find a contractor to do the work — I can help. I will guide you and educate you through the process, helping you make the best decisions regarding your renovation. As your professional advocate, I will oversee planning and construction while keeping contractors on schedule and adhering to industry building standards and maintaining the decisions that you desire for your home.

While it is best to involve me before construction begins, I can be called upon during any stage of the process to evaluate the project or construction dilemmas.

I am your advocate, ensuring that your money is spent wisely and efficiently.

Getting started is the hardest step:

• I can help you determine what your renovation project entails
• I can evaluate the plans for your project and advise you on the design layout
• I can assess your plans for feasibility, practicality and cost-efficiency
• I can educated you on how the process works
• I can guide you on what to expect along the way
• I can educate you on:
  • What kind of contractors are needed
  • How to find a good contractor
  • What questions to ask these contractors

  ...So that you can find the contractor that meet your needs

Once you’ve decided to proceed, I can guide you through every step of the process, including:

• BE A LIAISON BETWEEN YOU AND THE CONTRACTOR
• Assess plan for feasibility and utilization of space
• Review scope of work with contractors
• Explain and assist with obtaining building permits
• Meet with contractors and building officials
• Determine potential obstacles
• Review industry standards and work specifications with contractor
• Guide you through the inspection process
• Monitor work schedules
• Continually inspect quality of workmanship
• Inspect quality of workmanship
• Trouble- shoot unforeseen dilemmas
• Reduce stress to homeowner
• Educate homeowner through out process so decisions can be made in their best interest

***Additionally, if you are thinking of (or have already started) doing the renovation yourself, I can help you with any or all of the above issues. We can discuss you skill level and comfort with the project.***

SAVE TIME!!, SAVE MONEY!!, REDUCE STRESS!!!

Home Renovations: Examples of how MTA-HBC, Inc. has helped previous clients

I was hired to help a do-it-yourself client complete his basement remodeling project. I was able to guide him in very specific phases that were critical to the function and form of the project. He had the skills to perform the labor but was not familiar with the intricacies of putting the pieces together correctly. For example, he knew how to construct a wall, assemble a toilet and run the plumbing but did not realize that a toilet needs to be placed a specific distance from the wall to allow for plumbing access. I was able to review his remodeling plans and make the appropriate revisions to ensure that the construction was done properly the first time. This saved him countless hours and money redoing things that had been done incorrectly.

One client had obtained my services to review the plans for a major exterior patio addition. After obtained estimates from three separate landscape architect firms they felt so overwhelmed they almost did not pursue their dream backyard. Each firm had come up with different problems with the design and different solutions that made the homeowners weary of what they were getting into. I was able to evaluate the needs of the client, inspect the patio site, and trouble-shoot the potential drainage problems (something that none of the landscape firms had addressed properly). Most importantly, I explained each issue so they could understand the problem and how to solve it. They eventually hired me to oversee the entire construction process. I met with the individual contractors, assisted in obtaining building permits, educated the homeowner on materials to purchase and helped coordinate the schedule. I was able to guide them through the process and reassure the homeowners along the way, giving them peace of mind that the project was completed correctly.

I often find that clients approach their remodeling project without taking into consideration the function of the existing home. The home owner might have great ideas of what they want their new space to represent or how the space should function (bathroom, entertainment, etc.) but not how to make those spaces fit within their existing walls effectively and cost-efficiently. I can help their vision mesh with the existing home in a practical manner. For example, I had a client who wanted a basement renovation to serve as a guest bedroom, a work-out room, a bathroom, a laundry room and an area for her children to play. I inspected the basement layout, assessed the location of existing utilities (electrical, heating/cooling ducts and plumbing) and discussed the clients’ needs. This allowed me to formulate a practical design layout, suitable for the space that was available, that optimized the existing utility locations. I gave the client realistic expectations of what the space could become and how to present it to the contractor to save her time and money.

Overseeing the entire renovation project can sometimes benefit the homeowner on multiple levels. I recently oversaw an atrium addition where I was able to trouble-shoot problems for the various contractors on many occasions that not only benefited the contractors but the homeowner directly. Initially, I evaluated the blue prints for the atrium and noted that the design of the addition would have interfered with the existing roof and caused water drainage and ventilation problems. I then helped redesign the pitch of the roof to optimize storm water drainage into the existing gutters (which neither the sales person nor the engineers or architects had discovered in the original blueprints). Secondly, by recommending test dig holes to the excavator, I was able to help the excavator identify difficult land/soil conditions so that correct equipment was available thereby, reducing time and money wasted having the wrong equipment. Additionally, I assessed the water drainage from the home site and made recommendations to the contractor laying the foundation. The contractor then made allowances for and adjusted the appropriate drainage away from the house so that rain water would not leak into the existing basement.

Ultimately, I was able to save the homeowner time and money by trouble-shooting problems for the contractors so that unnecessary delays did not occur and construction mistakes didn’t have to be redone and that future problems didn’t arise.