1. Problem areas. Right after your holiday guests leave is the perfect time to evaluate exactly which spaces didn’t function as efficiently as they should and to resolve to make any necessary changes while they’re still fresh in your mind. Common issues include the need for improved lighting, larger work areas, and better organization throughout the home.
2. Kitchen renovations. If the holidays revealed that your oven is outdated, your disposal too weak or that you lack refrigerator space, it may be time for more than a visit to the appliance store.  First, call a professional contractor to start off on the right path! Talk to them about changing out cabinetry, adjusting the layout and upgrading surfaces and fixtures. The result will be a space that’s designed around the way you cook, rather than the same room peppered with just a few new appliances.
3. Electrical updates. Have you been tripping breakers thanks to the extra lights and all the additional activity your home has hosted over the holidays? If so, it’s probably time for an electrical upgrade to ensure that the same issues don’t return on a larger scale next year.
4. Garage storage. If your decorations are crammed into your master bedroom closet, mudroom, and just about every other nook and cranny because nothing else will fit in your garage, this project is for you! Building or buying a simple storage rack system designed to accommodate the items your family actually stores in the garage will maximize the efficiency of this space.
5. Weatherproofing. One way to see an immediate and tremendous impact on high heating and air conditioning bills is by insulating and then drywalling your garage. If you have a room above this space, you’ll notice a major change in your comfort level as well.
6. Attic storage. For really delicate items, garage storage just won’t work. (Think candles and delicate glass ornaments that would crack or discolor in extreme heat or cold.) Frame out a section of your attic and make it climate controlled for walk-up or walk-in storage.
7. Rework closets. To double your closet space quickly and easily, replace single-rack closet systems with double-hung systems. To improve their durability, opt for wood or Melamine shelving with wood, chrome or bronze hanging bars.
8. Hidden usable space.  Sometimes a closet, panty or other needed storage area can be created just by tapping into the space under an existing stairway or an area where dead space exists behind a wall. A professional contractor can help you spot these prime areas.
9. Open up the space. If your home’s flow isn’t working, it’s time to change it.  Have your contactor remove walls between compartmentalized spaces like enclosed kitchens, formal dining rooms and family rooms to create open areas that feel and live better.
10. Add it up. As family members come back together for the holidays, more people are considering the possibility of joining households. Aging in-laws, adult children facing challenges in today’s economic climate, split households and other situations are requiring new and creative solutions. Adding an in-law suite or downstairs master makes sense to accommodate these family members. In some cases, these new household members can help finance the addition, making it a practical option as well.
11. Outdoor living comes in. If you start to screen-in a porch or create a sunroom now, you can complete the project before spring and get a full season of use from the space. This is particularly true in our area, where the weather is suitable for January construction. An interesting side note, as more people work from home at least part of the time, we’ve seen an increase in sunrooms being transformed into home offices. This eliminates the traditional tradeoff of sacrificing a guest bedroom for workspace. It’s practical, too. Most times, heating and air conditioning systems are already in place, so renovations may be as simple as beefing up the wiring and removing a window or two to create more vertical wall space. The result is a functional home office that generally has a much better view than your traditional one.

While it will, thankfully, lack the drama that often goes hand in hand with many of those television shows, what our photo records do reveal is exactly what we have done at every step of the process. We capture everything from detailed before pictures to demolition, every aspect of the systems that go behind the walls, the walls themselves, and then the finishing touches that make your house a home. This digital record comes in handy for long-distance clients, as it allows them to feel connected to every aspect of their project even when they're far from home. It's a great help for business travelers, allowing husbands and wives to easily and efficiently make joint decisions when one or both is away from home. Since clients are busy and are not on site to see every little occurrence, the step by step photos give them a completely different and comprehensive perspective on the work that has gone into their home. It gives them a comfort level that the people they have entrusted with their project are doing exactly what they promised.

It’s also a convenience for our own crews in the field, all of whom have camera phones. When our tradesmen are on a jobsite and have a question or run across something unusual, they can easily communicate with the office, other contractors, vendors or suppliers and get instant access to answers and advice – saving you time and money. Since our photos are taken with high-resolution professional digital cameras that capture every detail, we can easily enlarge them on big screens back at our office, allowing our staff to see the details that make a difference as they are planning your project.

As helpful as these photos are during a project, their real beauty shines months or sometimes years down the line. Since we keep a library of all of our projects, our clients can call us years from now and be assured that we'll be there to assist. Want to redecorate and hang new pictures, but don’t quite remember where those electrical, gas or plumbing lines were run in the walls? Thanks to our photos, our clients can know for certain that the next nail they put in won't rupture a line. More importantly, when they are doing their next project – whether that's renovating an adjoining area of their home, wiring for the latest technological innovation, or anything else that might come up, they can see exactly how the area we worked on was framed, insulated, engineered, what’s behind the walls, etc. It’s a huge time, labor and money saver! In the end, you’ll have a beautiful home and a photo record of the project that will be gratifying to look back on for years to come.

1. Eliminate scratch and dents. Believe it or not, those seeming indestructible stainless steel sinks do get scratches and dings.The thicker the sink (they typically range from 18 gauge to 23 gauge), the less likely it is to be damaged. A small difference in quality (about a $250 upgrade) will make a huge difference in durability. (While you're replacing the sink, add a built-in soap dispenser to de-clutter the counter.)
2. Things are looking up. All too often, contractors will replace the showerhead without raising it when they remodel a bathroom. Since they are removing the tile, drywall, etc. anyway, raising plumbing lines by a few inches is a very minimal expense. The difference in how the shower feels - particularly for tall people who previously have had to bend down to wash their hair - is amazing!
3. Don’t stop short. Tiling all the way to the ceiling in a shower is more hygienic (ever looked at the gunk that accumulates on top of that top row of tile?), eases cleaning, visually enlarges the space and makes it feel more finished.
4. Right-size it. The new higher commodes are 18" – the same height as a dining room chair. This 2" lift (standard height is 16") makes all the difference for a person of average height, for older people who may have difficulty bending, as well as for those of any age who just need a little extra assistance.
5. Light up your life. Installing under-cabinet task lighting focuses light directly where you need it when you are preparing meals, thus easing everyday tasks.
6. Get connected. Never have an outlet just where you need it in the kitchen? Continuous plug mold is a strip of electrical outlets, spaced out every 12 inches, that’s tucked underneath the edge of upper cabinets. This puts a concealed electrical connection everywhere you really need and eliminates the need for unsightly outlets in your beautiful tile backsplash.
7. More power. A stronger and quieter garbage disposal speeds kitchen cleanup and reduces noise issues when family living areas are open to the kitchen. (No one wants to hear the disposal while they are trying to watch a game!) Likewise, more efficient and quieter bathroom exhaust fans are a needed upgrade in most older homes.
8. No more dropped items. Replace outdated wire pantry shelves – the kind that break under the weight of canned goods or that  items fall through. Solid shelving designed to accommodate the types of items you actually store (dedicated space for tall items, etc.) will allow you to clearly see and easily access what you have on hand.
9. Warm reception. Switching out a dated double oven to a newer model (or adding one in the first place) provides needed flexibility. Since many older double ovens were too tiny to accommodate large cookie sheets, an upgrade gives you the oven space you need when entertaining while saving your back on a daily basis.  While we're on the subject, switching out an existing electric range for a new gas model isn’t as costly as many people assume, and it can make a huge difference to the cook in the family.
10. Chill out! Oftentimes when renovating a kitchen, homeowners will replace their refrigerator even if the existing one is still functioning. In those cases, we'll run a new electric line out to the garage and install the old one there. This gives them space for beverages and bulky, seasonal or entertaining items for which you never seem to have enough refrigerator space inside.

Refinished hardwood floors and new carpeting, as well as construction of an addition for a new kitchen, walk-in pantry and drop zone.

One of the secrets to a seamless renovation may not be obvious at first glance, but it's right under your nose, or more precisely, your feet! Whether you have carpet, tile or hardwoods, getting your old flooring to blend with the new and the new to look as if it has always been there are essential elements of a well-executed project. We are especially attuned to how this critical element impacts the final appearance of your project.

Creating continuity is particularly challenging if you are blending hardwood floors. It’s quite common for existing kitchens and breakfast areas to have tile or linoleum floors while adjoining spaces – like a family room that is being opened to that kitchen – often have original hardwood flooring. Even if the renovation area originally had hardwoods, any repositioning of cabinets, walls or islands may mean that new areas of flooring – or areas without floor coverings – are exposed. Simply patching in new flooring – even if it's the same type and stain – isn't a solution, because the new areas look new, while the old flooring simply looks dated. Deep scratches from pets' claws, past scrapes from furniture feet, and miscellaneous dings all have to be properly addressed before refinishing is done. Older floors, particularly those near entry doors, tend to get a washboard look over time due to water damage penetrating through the door threshold or coming up from the crawl space.  Wet and dirty shoes as well as wet and muddy paws all work to destroy the urethane finish, especially in these heavily travelled areas. Damaged wood needs to be replaced with meticulously matched pieces, and then the entire expanse must be refinished properly. That means stain colors may have to be carefully adjusted in each area to compensate for different types and ages of wood so that the result is a cohesive blend.

Even getting carpet to blend can be a challenge. If you have moisture issues in your crawl space, your subfloor may be rippled. Simply covering up the issue with new carpet won’t solve the underlying problem. Correct the moisture issue and replace the damaged floor areas before recarpeting. Sometimes a complete rework is necessitated because of how a house was built. Carpet inserts – a narrow hardwood border around the perimeter of a room with carpet in the center – were in vogue several years ago because they visually enlarge a room. However, they really date a house today. When altering these areas to either entirely hardwood or carpet, you need to make certain that you are working with a professional who understands the subfloor requirements of each and properly accommodates them. We always recommend which type would work best in clients' homes, which saves them countless hours of searching since there are so many choices available. In some cases, the existing carpet in rooms adjoining a renovation is in good shape and just needs the touch of a contractor who realizes what it takes to properly stretch and blend carpet. In one case, we joined an existing upstairs carpet with a stair runner of new carpeting and cut in a bullnose on the top oak stair tread to seamlessly blend the two. This level of expertise comes in handy on projects large and small – from an expansive great room to enlarging a closet. Having a contractor who understands what the carpet pros need to do their job smooths the process for everyone.

When it comes to tile, you also need a contractor who looks beneath the surface. If you are replacing linoleum or increasing the size of existing tile, your contractor needs to make sure that your subfloors and framing are sufficient to handle the additional weight load. We’ll often reframe a kitchen floor to make it 12" on center and step up to a beefier floor joist. These are the types of things you need to ask if your contractor is including when you’re going through the selection process. Incorporating these steps into the build may cost a little more up front, but it eliminates far more costly structural issues that will result in grout loosening and tiles cracking in the not-so-distant future.

Photo:  Provided by PCB - Carpeting Staircase & Hardwood flooring

Kitchen Remodel - Before

In today’s increasingly hectic world, faster is often seen as better. While that certainly is not always true – think of a delicious homemade meal as opposed to the fast food that you grab at the drive-thru window - in some cases, a quick kitchen redo can satisfy a craving to spice up your kitchen.

Kitchen Remodel - After

Since a complete, ground-up kitchen renovation can take 8-10 weeks - contingent on the scope of the project - and require an investment - depending on which options you as the homeowner select - it may not always be the ideal solution for homeowners on a tight budget. Making some minor changes can have a real impact on how this critical space looks and feels. Be advised that this solution isn’t right for everyone and every home. What we're discussing here are essentially cosmetic changes - so if your kitchen has issues with how it flows for the way you want to use it, this won't solve them. Likewise, we're not addressing underlying difficulties with electrical, plumbing, etc. This is, however, a solid option for those who are happy with how their kitchen works, but not with how it looks.

Here are some steps that your professional contractor can take to give your kitchen a completely new look in a short amount of time and on a limited budget:

1. Invest in a clean slate. Your countertops comprise the largest area in your kitchen; they are where you work; and they make quite an impression. If you have scratched, stained or otherwise marred surfaces, changing them out can make a dramatic difference. This will most likely be the largest chunk of your budget, so plan it well. Consider mixing granite remnants with other materials like butcher block to maximize your spending power.
2. If you're changing the counter, replace the sink that's inset into it. This is much easier to do when the counters are being replaced rather than afterward. Opting for deep, dual, under mount basins, will improve both function and appearance.
3. Switch out plumbing fixtures. Since they are such a focal point and see such constant use, faucets tend to look dated and even a bit grimy after many years. The good news is that for a few hundred dollars, you can get a very high-quality fixture that will be the center of attention and a pleasure to use.
4. Another great focal point is a custom backsplash. Get creative with inexpensive tiles or add just a few of a more costly tile (like those shiny glass tiles) as an accent to maximize their impact.
5. While you're there, have your contractor remove dated wall outlets and install continuous plug mold strips under the inner lip of your cabinets. This convenient feature puts electrical outlets exactly where you need them and eliminates those ugly switch plates.
6. Install task lighting up under wall cabinets, install additional overhead recessed can lighting and update an outdated hanging fixture. Task and can lighting focuses the light where you need it most, simplifying everyday prep tasks, while a new light fixture will dramatically update a room.
7. Use the space you do have. Invest in in-cabinet organization systems that you select based on the items you actually use and where you use them. (Choose tall storage for cereal boxes and olive oil bottles; more compact storage for kids' treats in places they can reach on their own.)
8. Dress up existing cabinets with a fresh coat of paint and hardware that coordinates with your new look.

Have just a little more cash? Then here are the next two steps that make a huge difference:

1. Replace dated appliances with energy-efficient models to save on utility bills while making your life easier.
2. Refresh flooring. There's a myriad of options out there to fit any budget - from refinishing existing flooring to modestly priced, durable floor coverings that can give you a completely fresh start.

When most homeowners initially contact a general contractor, they begin the discussion by talking about all the things they desire in a project – their wish list. Since renovations aren’t something homeowners tackle everyday, they may not have a clear concept of the true costs of construction. As a result, they may be understandably surprised when they begin to discuss price. Adding to this confusion is the fallacy perpetuated by the media that construction costs have been slashed. The truth is that despite the economy, costs for good contractors have held steady, and in some cases, escalated. Just think about commodities like gas: The last time you filled up your car, did it cost you less than it did a year ago? The cost of materials – like metal and petroleum-based building products – have climbed dramatically, along with the fuel costs of transporting these heavy products. Quality labor has remained near constant. Yes, construction industry layoffs have led many unemployed workers with varying levels of construction expertise, project and financial management skills to launch their own companies. While some are solid, others are cutting corners by not pulling permits and not carrying Workers' Compensation and Liability Insurance (which leaves homeowners open to all sorts of legal issues). Some are slashing prices to pay their immediate bills but not providing enough working capital to actually finish the job – which is every homeowner's nightmare!

Just like a good surgeon, what an experienced contractor really brings to a project is his expertise. On a macro level, an inexperienced contractor will build exactly what a client requests, without offering creative ideas or improvements. One client initially asked several contractors to bid their kitchen renovation as designed, which essentially refreshed their galley-style kitchen in the same space. We were able to explain that for very little added cost, we could reclaim and repurpose adjoining spaces to give them an expanded kitchen that actually met their needs, rather than one they merely settled for by shoe-horning it into the existing space.

That's really what you are paying a professional for: to make recommendations based on their experience and finish the project as agreed upon, with quality, on budget and on time. A qualified professional knows how to do things the proper way and will bring the unique, "high-end" touches they are accustomed to doing into even their smallest project. Oftentimes, these "extras" don’t cost any more. It comes down to creative thinking that's possible because of the diversity of projects the contractor has seen and handled. They'll also understand the long-term effects of changes that are being made and foresee hidden issues. In one renovation, we replaced plumbing valves in an unrelated space because we realized that if the homeowner had a maintenance issue with the existing pipes, he wouldn’t have been able to stop the flow of water. That simple preventive change gave him great peace of mind.

Your home is likely your most substantial investment, and far more long lasting than something like an automobile. Yet often, people who would never consider settling for a basic car will hire a bargain contractor to work on their home. A bargain contractor most likely will not have a current general contractors' license, nor will he be using experienced, professional tradesmen – like licensed plumbers and electricians. Generally, they aren’t pulling building permits, because doing so means their work must be inspected. (To pass an inspection, a contractor must be properly licensed and be using licensed plumbers and electricians.) No permit also means that a homeowner is giving up an important layer of protection designed to ensure that the work being done on their home is being completed properly and consistent with current Building Codes. Also, bargain contractors or their tradesmen most likely will not have General Liability and Workers' Compensation insurance, which is an added layer of legal protection for the homeowner. Unfortunately, we have recently seen the economy forcing even knowledgeable homeowners to take their chances by hiring a "bargain" contractor or even a handyman, and that is very sad to see when the results of their investment fall short of their dreams and may increase the cost to them in the long run.

With a growing family in a neighborhood and location they love, these homeowners decided on a home expansion above their garage area.

When space inside your existing home is getting a little too close for comfort but you want to remain in your current residence, you might want to think outside the box – and look to your garage. Renovating an existing garage to add living space above is perhaps one of the most economical home improvement projects you can undertake. Just think about it: It’s a large chunk of square footage – 400 square feet for a typical 20‘x 20’ two-car garage and even more for a three-car garage – that already has a finished bottom floor and a roof. Since the structure is already in place, finishing this space is an extremely economical choice. Even in cases where the roof must be raised and/or structural enhancements made, you still have much of the framework, along with many finishing details like siding, etc., in place.

The new space added a large bonus room, a bedroom, a full bathroom, two large storage closets, a separate staircase and a very functional mud room.

What can you do with a finished second floor above a garage? Many people use these spaces for bonus rooms, expansive offices that offer a degree of privacy from the daily activity occurring in the rest of the home, play rooms that can grow and evolve with kids as they move from childhood into their teen years, art studios and other types of dedicated hobby areas and even exercise rooms. Many families who are pressed for storage space find that this area offers ideal climate-controlled storage for delicate items that would melt in the heat of summer and freeze in winter.

Regardless of what you intend to eventually do with the space, there are several universal issues to consider. First, most garages are not insulated - even if the walls have been sheetrocked. We highly recommend that homeowners insulate all garage walls and install insulated garage doors. This simple change will make a huge difference in your comfort and energy bills year-round. Just think about it, no matter how well-insulated and finished your second-floor room may be, if it’s situated above an uninsulated space, your HVAC system has to work twice as hard to combat a large mass of cold air in the winter and hot air in the summer. In many cases, no matter how hard your system works, it won’t be able to maintain your desired level of comfort.

Which brings us to taking a hard look at your existing HVAC system. Consult a qualified professional to determine if your system can cope with the additional load. Although the initial cost may seem daunting, depending on the age, type and condition of your existing unit, you may opt to replace it rather than adding on, since the energy efficiencies you gain may more than offset the upfront cost.

One last thing to consider when you are finishing this space is how to maximize your home’s resale value – an important factor even if you plan on remaining there for many years to come. Regardless of how you plan to use the square footage, if you incorporate a closet and a window, the space can be classified as an additional bedroom, which increases the value of your home more than say, a bonus room. If you add a bathroom, the space can classify as a master suite (and a HUGE one at that!) That’s not only ideal for resale value, it’s also a great option for families who are dealing with moving aging parents or adult children back into their homes.

Here are our Top 7 projects to consider now:

1. Converting screened porches into sunrooms. This is a project you can really enjoy now, because closing in these areas helps to eliminate summer pollen and keeps you out of the heat as well as winter’s chill. Do this project now and then enjoy the additional enclosed space on a year round basis. A sunroom is really an economical way to increase both your heated and cooled square footage and thus, the value of the home.
2. Outdoor living areas - particularly backyard patios, BBQ areas and masonry fireplaces. Why now? In summer, we simply have better access to your backyard. Your lawn tends to be much drier, so heavy equipment won’t be as damaging to your grass. Plus, you can enjoy the improvements this summer!
3. Extensive additions that require opening a wall or digging footings. Beginning these long-term projects now is easier and much more energy efficient. (Imagine opening up a wall in your kitchen and trying to keep the rest of the house warm when it’s 20 degrees outside!) Once again, since the ground is drier, it’s also quicker and less costly (in both time and labor) to dig footings and a lot less mess.  Also, with more hours of daylight, work can be completed more quickly.
4. Kitchen additions.The kitchen is the heart of your home, and these projects simply take time to complete. (The average kitchen remodel takes approximately 10 weeks, depending on the extent of the project and the level of customization of its components.) If you plan it now, order what you need early, and avoid the rush when everyone else is frantically trying to squeeze it in, you’ll be certain that your project is completed on time. The bonus is that you’ll be familiar with your renewed kitchen, new appliances, etc. well before the holidays, which will make entertaining go much more smoothly.
5. Dormers put on or having a garage roof removed to add an upstairs. Even in the south where our winters are mild, snow and ice storms still can be a concern. So if you plan on opening up a roof, do it well before there’s a chance of severe weather.
6. Exterior upfits. If you want your home to make a great first impression on guests, make repairs now. May and June are great times to paint the exterior of your home, because the paint cures better than in the extreme heat of August/September or the chill of November/December. Summer is also the time to replace garage doors, because track adjustments go more smoothly in warm weather than when it is cold.
7. Inside jobs.  Common projects like opening up a wall between rooms to improve the appearance and flow of a space, or floor refinishing are best planned now. Why? Because the sooner you get them on the calendar, the more quickly they’ll be done. Anytime a project involves engineers, subcontractors like electricians and plumbers, multiple permits and inspections, and moving furniture, etc., it makes sense to plan ahead. Remodeling and the holidays can both be stressful, so why add a worry about whether your project will be finished on time? When you are not pushing a contractor to complete the job, they’ll be able to take their time and do it right, which ultimately will make you and your family much happier with the results for years to come.

Believe it or not, that can and does happen in Mecklenburg County, thanks to a January 1, 2008, code change that is only recently being enforced. The North Carolina state code change states that an existing house will be subject to the same smoke alarm requirements that new homes must abide by whenever there's an "addition, alteration, [or] repair to any dwelling unit or when one or more sleeping rooms are added to an existing dwelling unit." The code goes on to say, "This includes but is not limited to kitchen and bath remodels, finishing a basement, adding a room, or garage addition."

What are those requirements? They include that a smoke alarm be installed in each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every additional story of the home (with some technical exemptions for split levels). Prior to this change, smoke detectors could be installed in the common hallway area outside of each bedroom, but now they must be installed in both locations. The code goes on to require that smoke alarms shall be hard wired and interconnected and that an electrical permit is required for their installation. However, in some cases, battery operated smoke detectors are acceptable. There are a few additional exemptions for essentially exterior work and interior renovations that don't involve the removal of interior wall or ceiling finishes, thus exposing the structure, but as you may imagine, it takes someone familiar with the code to properly apply it.

While the code change is designed to ensure the safety of residents, it's the type of regulation that also can cause headaches for do-it-yourselfers. While some homes built in the last few years already comply with these regulations, many homes do not. Thus, it's very important to check all of your bedrooms for functioning smoke alarms. Otherwise, your project may be delayed for a week or possibly longer as you install smoke detectors consistent with the code and then wait for a re-inspection. Remember, the county inspectors will not finalize your building permit until compliance is achieved.

Why do things need to be changed? Changes in electrical code, just like other building codes, are driven by innovations in the field, what we learn about safety, and yes, even insurance companies who want to safeguard their investments. Here’s a real world example of why seemingly inconvenient code changes make sense: As recently as the 90s, it was common practice to tie all of a home’s garage and exterior outlets into a single GFI (Ground Fault Interrupter) circuit in a kitchen or bathroom. Code changes just this year now require that those external circuits not be linked to internal circuits and that bedrooms and bathrooms be on their own AFCIs (Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters). Why the change? Think about the conditions that exterior electrical outlets are exposed to – there’s a good chance that at some point they will be exposed to moisture, which could damage the circuit or even cause a fire hazard. The new ACFIs will automatically shut off if they detect even a slight bit of moisture or other problems in the circuit – before the problem can cause a fire. Which means that your bedrooms, and the people who reside in them, are much safer.

When do things need to be changed? Many people have a misconception that their house should be “grandfathered in,” or exempt from changes in code. While certain things may be, the general rule is that if your contractor is working with the circuit, wall, pipe or any other element in question, it has to be brought up to current code. Let’s consider those electrical circuits again. In one kitchen renovation, we had to split one of those outdated circuits that was connected to an exterior outlet. Since we were dealing with that particular circuit, it came under the new regulations. Why? Because a building inspector has to come out, look at the work that was done and sign off on it stating that it meets current requirements. If there had been a similar circuit in another area of the house that we were not working with, it technically would have been fine to stay as is it was. Whether you’d want to make the change for your own safety would then be your choice, (and at about $250, it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind).

How do changes need to be made? For the safest and most efficient results, your project should always be completed by a licensed, qualified professional who is well acquainted with current codes. If you hire someone who is not, your project could drag on much longer - costing you time and money - as your contractor redoes work just to pass inspections. It should go without saying that hiring an unlicensed contractor or handyman is always a bad idea. These people may tell you that you don’t need to pull a permit or pass an inspection and that they are trying to save you money by not doing so. This is really a red flag that they don’t know what they are doing, and therefore don’t want to go through an inspection process they know they would fail - especially if they are not properly licensed and insured to do so.  These types of people don’t save you money, they cost you safety. We recently were in one house that had exposed electrical wires dangling outside the garbage disposal, a damp and thus dangerous place for exposed wires. What was most troubling is that this family had a young daughter – imagine what would have happened if she had reached under the sink and touched those wires! Another young couple hired a friend to handle their wiring. We found exposed, raw hot wires that had not even been capped inside their drop ceiling. What these families gained in bottom-line price savings, they more than lost in safety. So be sure you hire a professional who understands current building, electrical and plumbing codes for your next project, and you’ll never dread that phrase again!