Today's meltdown is brought to you in part by Peets Coffee, little sleep and dirty contractors. Allow me to take us back a few days before my volcanic eruption of this morning, when my lava had yet to burst, to a clients home where several guys have been working for the better part of three months. NUMBER ONE KEY TO ANY RENOVATION: The homeowner must be up for it emotionally. If you can live somewhere else during renovations, DO IT. That said, many of us don't have the luxury of renovating a home, and those that do likely live through every bit of it. My advice: PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE. I've worked with a set group of wonderful contractors, architects, painters, electricians and plumbers for YEARS and I still pick up after them almost every day. I won't tell you about the toilets I've scrubbed or the other filthy things I've cleaned to keep a project TIDY (if you can afford to, RENT A PORTA POTTY for extended renovation projects...trust me, the money spent will preserve your sanity). I walked into the final stretch of a project the other day...floors are in and stained, countertops are in, lighting is finished, new furniture has arrived. In final approach tiny details (often) become big messes. I asked my lovely tile man to secure a few loose tiles in the new entry. No problem, so I thought. I returned at the end of the day to find everything I mentioned above...floors, counters, NEW FURNITURE...covered in a thick layer of dust. This lovely professional had gone outside to grind off glue from the tiles (I appreciated the fact that he went outside), sadly it was only to the front porch opposite two large open windows. With a slight New England breeze blowing, ALL of that dust wound up inside fueling the churning lava inside my mood. In the haste of my day I forgot to mention the importance of covering the countertops, new furniture, closing the windows and adding one of my favorite construction necessities...PLASTIC WALLS. While I don't have children, I do work with straight men...and no matter how gifted and talented they might be, at the end of the day I often feel like a frustrated parent. The lesson, again, is to PREPARE and stay ON TOP of your men.
