Well it’s been a couple weeks now since work began on our new condo remodel and things are going along great (KNOCK ON WOOD)!  Demo is done, design direction decided, all new walls are in and rough in is done, YAY!  Now comes the fun part of any remodel, shopping for all the beautiful fixtures and finishes for the newly configured clean slate.  Using the design board you’ve created with your designer or by yourself as the guide, start to stage your purchases in the order they will be needed for installation.  Be sure you take into consideration fabrication time in your plan, as in the case of any cabinets you are purchasing, and making sure that when the crew needs an item it’s there for them.

Nothing is worse than a delay in the schedule because YOU forgot to order the bathroom cabinet in time, UGH!  Leave the décor and furniture pieces for later in the schedule as you don’t want them in the way of the construction crew and you don’t want them to get all dusty either.  But again, remember if that fabulous couch you want is a custom order, make sure you order it in time for when you expect most of the heavy build work to be done.

I usually use a physical calendar to visually plan the timing out so I can keep the build work in sync with the parts and pieces needed to keep it running smoothly.

For your reference and so you can create your own, here’s a portion of my “time to buy” guide I’ve used for all my projects.

Remember, don’t stress if some things don’t go as planned.  This is construction after all and there’s no such thing as a “fool proof” construction project.  Just as long as you’ve prepared and planned, you will be ready for any of those unforeseen issues that may arise.  Have fun and happy shopping!