Frequently Asked Questions About Remodeling

Tackling a major home remodel is a big deal and it comes with lots of questions and fears.

Our initial estimate process will answer a lot of these questions but you can find most of the answers you need here as well.

 

Pro Tip: Copy and paste the URL for this page into ChatGPT (or any AI tool) and then ask any questions you have… might save time over scrolling through everything.

Common Fears & How We Address Them

Having concerns about remodeling your home is completely normal. Most homeowners start their project with at least a few of these fears…. What’s important is to work with a remodeling contractor who addresses them.

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"I don’t want my house torn apart for six months"

This is one of the biggest concerns homeowners have. They key to avoiding comes down to planning and process.

At McManus Kitchen & Bath, we focus heavily on design, product selection, and scheduling before demolition starts.

Our process driven approach allowed us to meet every promised start date for the last 10 years.

  • Decisions are finalized early
  • We create a detailed project schedule & get commitments from our trade partner early on
  • Materials are ordering in advance and stored in our warehouse
  • Your project manager is on site every day to keep things on time and on budget

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“I don’t want my house to be dusty.”

Remodeling will always involve some disruption, but careful planning helps minimize it.

We work to:

  • Maintain organized job sites

  • Protect surrounding areas of the home

  • Communicate schedules clearly so you know what to expect.

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“What if the work isn’t done correctly?”

You will have a dedicated project manager who is on site every day for quality control. We also schedule several formal walkthoughs during the project where you, the deisgner and the project manager will review details together.

We also provide a 5 year warranty on materials and labor, including a 6 month "tune up visit" to make small adjustments and touch ups if needed.

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“I don’t want to be managing contractors.”

You won't have to. Our design build approach means we take care of everything from start to finish.. design, ordering, permits, daily site visits... we manage all the trades, do all the inspections and keep you updated every day.

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"What if the results don't match expectations?"

One of the biggest emotional risks of remodeling is disappointment or post proejct regret. That's why we spend a lot of time in design and planning.... to explore all the options and make sure you can make choices with confidence.

We will make sure that:

  • They layout works well and is customized to your needs

  • The material quality and finish meet your expectations

  • The colors and patterns look great and match your style

  • The finished space makes you feel at home.

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“What if the project goes way over budget?”

Our estimates are the most accurate in the industry. But we don't rely on estimates.

After you approve your initial estimate we will choose all your materials and and get exact labor costs from our installers and trade partners during the design process.

Then we present you with a fixed price proposal to approve before we move forward into construction. That price does not change unless you change something.

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I've heard so many horror stories

Unfortunately, remodeling horror stories exist because many projects begin without clear planning, communication, or accountability.

Choosing the right contractor is not easy but it's very important. We created an AI prompt that can help: https://mcmanuskitchenandbath.com/ai-prompt-for-finding-a-contractor/

When you work with McManus Kitchen and Bath you will get:

  • Transparent communication

  • Clearly defined timelines and detailed, written project schedules

  • Detailed scopes of work and details material lists

  • Professional project management

Our goal is to create an experience where you feel informed and confident throughout the process.

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" I'm afraid I'll get taken advantage of"

If you've never remodeled before this can be a big concern and it why choosing a contractor who communicates well and has a clear process is so important.

If a contractor does not communcate clearly and reliably in the estimate process it's a strong sign that they will be unreliable during contruction as well.

You want to look for contractors who:

  1. Reply to messages and calls quickly
  2. Communicate clearly and follow up to make sure you understand.
  3. Have a clear, step by step process and explain it to you clearly
  4. Are transparent with pricing, material choices and the subcontractors they use
  5. Provides a professional contract for you both to sign that includes all the details of the project and what to expect.

 

Next Steps

If you’re considering a kitchen or bathroom remodel, the best next step is to learn what the remodeling process actually looks like from start to finish so you know exactly what to expect.

Some Tools to Help You Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

About McManus Kitchen and Bath 

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Do You Provide Free Estimates?

We don’t. We do something better.

Free estimates most contractors provide are little more than sales tools. They are not meant to be accurate or informative.

Instead we use an estimate process we call a 'design and budget consult', which starts with a home visit, then a showroom visit to review options. Includes 3D concept drawings and a detailed 'good-better-best' estimate that is accurate to withing 10% of actual project costs.

We review the estimate with you in our showroom so you can ask questions, make changes and plan your project with confidence.

Consult fees can range from $225 to $575 or more depending on the project size.

Read more about our design and budget consult here.

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How Long Does It Take To Get An Estimate?

We can usually schedule the initial home visit within a week of your initial call and the showroom visit to review your estimate about a week after that.

So you can have a realistic budget and 3D concept drawings for your project within 2 weeks of your initial call to us.

Read more about our design and budget consult here.

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What is a 'Good-Better-Best' Estimate ?

1. A discussion about your design options

When starting to plan a project you might have some idea what you want but you might not be sure of all the options. Our consult process will help you explore all the options for your project, understand the remodeling proicess and make the best decsion for your needs.

2. 'Good-Better-Best' Material Options

We’ll show you examples of each in our showroom and explain the difference so you can make the best choice for your needs.

3. Labor Options

We don't offer 'good-better-best' labor options. We adjust labor costs by adding or removing items from scope of work.

4. Pro’s and Con’s of Good Better Best

The upside of good better best budgets is you will really understand all the possibilties for your project.

The downside is they are time consuming to create and need to be reviwed in person to undertand properly.

We’ll go over your remodeling estimate in detail together in our showroom to make sure you understand it completely.

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When Can The Project Start?

We typically have a 4-6 month backlog of work. But there are several steps to the process.

1. The Design Process can usually start with a few weeks of your initial consult. The design process typically takes 4-6 weeks.

2. Then we need to order all your materials, it can take 6-8 weeks to have all your materials delivered to our warehouse.

3. We schedule your project to start for after all materials have arrived to avoid any unecessary delays during construction.

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How Long Does A Remodel Take?

Once construction starts a typical bath or kitchen remodel can take 6-10 weeks depending on the scope of work.

Kitchen Remodeling Timeline

  • Expect to spend 6 weeks in design (2- 3 design meetings)
  • 7-8 weeks to receive materials
  • 6 – 9 weeks in on site construction

Bathroom Remodeling Timeline

  • Expect to spend 6 weeks in design
  • 6-8 weeks to receive materials
  • 5 – 9 weeks in on site construction

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How Much Does A Typical Remodel Cost?

Bathroom Remodeling

  • Hall bathroom remodels range between $35K – $50K+
    • 5 x 9 bath with small vanity and tub/shower:
    • Larger bathroom remodels range from $65K – $95+
      • Large shower, separate toilet room, tub separate from shower, 2 sink vanity

    Kitchen Remodeling

    • Small kitchen remodeling costs range from $65K – $85K+
      • up to 200 sq ft, 30 sq ft of counter, 10-15 cabinets, no island.
    • Mid sized kitchen remodeling costs range from $75K – 95K+
      • 250-300 sq ft, 45 sq ft of counter, 15-18 cabinets, small island
    • Large kitchen remodeling costs range from $85K – $150K+
      • 300 sq ft +, 18-25 cabinets, large island, separate buffet, multiple sinks

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    Do I have To Buy Everything From You?

    Most people find everything they need from our showroom but we do work with other local suppliers as well.

    During design if you can’t find what you want with us we can visit other showrooms with you or you can visit them on your own and share the selection with us.

    We will purchase the materials for you and store them unitl needed.

    If you want to purchase all of your own materials that is possible but you will be responsible for any warrarty issues, shipping damage, ordering mistakes or costs assocaited with material delays. Any owner supllied materials would not be eligible for our 5 year warranty.

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    Do I Need To Move Out During the Remodel?

    Most of our clients remain in the home during the remodel.

    We build a detailed project schedule during the design process and discuss ways to minimize the disruption of your daily routine.

    Of course if you do choose to move out or go on a trip for all of part of the project you’ll be able to keep up with the project and see progress pictures in our daily logs, which we post 2-3 times day during construction.

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    Do I Need To Be Home All Day?

    Not unless you want to be. Your project manager will handle all the day to day running of the project and supervise everything.

    He will do daily progress reports and send them to you thru your online project portal so you know what’s happening whether you are home or not.

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    How Do you Keep My Home Clean ?

    We use HEPA fitlers, air movers, drop cloths, plastic covers and dust barriers around the work area to separate and keep the jobsite clean. Our goal is to make staying in your home during the remodel easy and enjoyable.

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    How is day to day communication handled?

    We use a project management program called BuilderTrend to manage our projects. This provides you an online portal to access all your project information including schedules, payments, daily logs and messages.

    Your dedicated project manager is on site every day make sure things run to plan. Each day he will do 3 daily logs, which you will receive as emails, to keep you updated on progress and who to expect in your home each day.

    Any time you have questions or feedback you can comment on a daily log or send a message and our whole team will see it and be able to respond quickly. Of course if you are home during the project you will be able to speak with your project manager directly

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    How Are Change Orders Handled?

    We spend a lot of time and effort in design making sure things are planned in detail so we do not have to rely on change orders during the project.

    If a change order is needed we will put together a proposal that inludes the costs of the change and the affect it will have on the project timeline. That is released to you for approval before any additional work is done.

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    Do You Guarantee Your Work?

    Yes we do. We have a 5 year warranty and follow up process for all our work.

    About 6 months after your project is complete we contact you to see if there are any small adjustments or touch ups needed. After that we check in with your annually for the duration of the warranty period.

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    Who Owns McManus Kitchen And Bath?

    Paul McManus is the Certified Contractor (lic CRC1331326) and sole owner of McManus Kitchen and Bath.

    About Paul:

    Paul fell in love with remodeling in college. He was studying architecture at the University of Florida and took a job as a house painter on the weekends to help pay for school. He loved the hands-on work as much as he enjoyed the design and that put him on a path to become a remodeling contractor.

    He wound up running his own painting company while in school and after school that evolved into a handyman service and would eventually become a remodeling contractor. He attended various trade schools all over the country to gain experience and in 2006 earned his residential contractors license.

    In 2015 he opened our kitchen and bath showroom and started specializing in kitchens and bathrooms with our current design+build approach.

    The showroom and adjacent warehouse has been a game-changer for us. It allows us to display unique products that were previously unavailable in Tallahassee and it has increased our ability to serve our customers significantly.

    On a personal note, I love to travel and have visited more than 38 countries, many of them during my time in the US Peace Corps in Zambia and also during a 4-year stint as an international bike tour guide.

    Get Started with a Design and Budget Consult

    Our design and budget consult will help you clarify your design ideas and understand the remodeling process. You’ll get a 3D concept and a realistic ‘Good Better Best’ Budget with your consult.

    Schedule A Consult