Home Improvement Blog | Tilghman Builders PA

Vlog: Renovating the Tilghman Builders' Office, Part 4 - Highs & Lows

Written by Tilghman Builders Team | Sep 8, 2022 2:29:00 PM
On this project to renovate our own office, WE'RE the clients this time. Eric Tilghman walks through some of the frustrations that can happen in the remodeling process and the way Tilghman Builders works to minimize frustrations for our clients.
 
More building progress on this old house follows in Part 5.

Tilghman Builders Office Renovation: Part 4

 

No audio? Read the video transcript instead:

Hey, guys, Eric Tilghman. Tilghman Builders checking in about the office renovation. And so we're experiencing something right now, and I want to share it with you guys, and that thing is called pain. This renovation is painful. Two days ago, three days ago, the framing contractor cut our line for our Internet and Bob had spent all day two days ago having Verizon out to repair that line, and then the framing contractor returns today and cuts that line once again.

So, you know, none of our Tilghman guys are doing anything for this project. We need them on our normal projects for our clients. And so we're subcontracting everything out. Two things I want to make a point of. One, a lot of general contractors subcontract everything, framing, trim, drywall, everything, right. Which is not good because and we feel this way, it doesn't give us as much control over the expectations that we are providing our clients. So our expectations as the client here are that we would have our Internet access throughout this process. Nope, it got cut.

Also, you know, framing contractor sort of doesn't show up every day. He just kind of doesn't fill us in and doesn't show up. That's terrible. We can handle it because we're used to dealing with subcontractors and understand sort of how that works, which is why we don't use subcontractors for framing and finish and things like that. We always have Tilghman guys on site sort of controlling the orchestra. So that's one thing I want to talk to you about.

And the other thing that I want to talk to you about is I made a joke with Joanne the other day saying nobody gave us our 'What to Expect' document, which is one of our routine documents that we provide our clients at the beginning of every project. And it's basically just a list of things that we've noticed over the years of pain points, things that will make them upset if they happen. So we find that it's better to talk about them upfront rather than when they happen. And it sort of just sets a better expectation. That's why the documents called 'What to Expect'.

So I said to Joanne, Hey, nobody gave us our 'What to Expect' document for this renovation. And it was because it was just a challenging time. I mean, there was dust everywhere. They didn't do a very good job hanging plastic and things like that. And then the other thing that I want to mention, I say this to clients frequently, and we are totally experiencing this right now in this renovation. And that is that the space or your home, in our situation, the office gets smaller before it gets bigger. So all that stuff you had in all those rooms that need to now be gutted, it all has to come into the room that you have left. That's not a construction zone. In order for it to finally spread back out into a larger added-on space.

So anyway, I just want to share my points, my thoughts as we're going here. Anyway, I hope everybody is staying positive. Being nice to one another. Stepping out of their comfort zone. I know tomorrow is going to be a great day. So have a good night. Talk soon. Thanks for staying tuned, bye.

-Eric Tilghman