I have noticed, planning is everything for successful construction. As I got into real estate budget was super tight so I did most work myself. It was fine as I was working on houses that I lived in myself during the renovations. Now, when working in apartments that I want leased as much of the time as possible, there is no room for me to do it all without ending up loosing money. I therefor hire carpenters. (There are actually two more reasons for the carpenters. I’m not very good at building and I think it’s boring.) So. In order for the carpenters get the job done efficiently, I need to have everything figured out before they even begin.
This time I’m dividing two apartments that has been leased as one unit. That means putting up walls, installing a new kitchen, adding and restoring a room, some painting and installation of a new shower. Should take a few days if I have all material ready as the workforce arrives tomorrow. So that’s what I’m doing today. Plans and a shopping list. I then need to feed them with proper instructions, all material needed and some encouraging words to maximize the pace of their work. Getting it done quickly keeps down costs as time is usually the most expensive factor in Sweden today. I have found that it costs more to be involved in the build myself as that usually leads to carpenters running around looking for stuff they need or does something wrong because of misunderstandings and so on.
So. Top Tip. Make sure to have everything planned out before you get them started. As the work is being done, make sure to hang around and keep an eye on stuff so you can make sure everything is coming along the way you planned it. Saves you more money and keeps you clean :)