Good News! I am an ideal candidate for remodeling!

Here is a fun test to see if you have what it takes to emhandle the stress of a big renovation project. The good news (for me) is that I passed - Yay!

Here is the analysis of me:

"Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out. Conclusion: You are an ideal candidate for remodeling. You are flexible, patient, can roll with the punches and remain upbeat."

Well, I don't know about all that. But I think I can agree that I am flexible, patient, can roll with the punches and remain upbeat. I also agree that you need to be all those things when renovating, and you better have it in proportion to the size of the project.

I found the test when I was reading a juicy article in the New York Times called "Building Rage" about how some people lose it when dealing with contractors. "Much has been written about contractors from hell, but comparatively little attention is paid to the homeowner from hell, who can make contractors crazy."

I think one of the things that helps me is that I work hard at finding people I feel comfortable working with - when I know we are communicating well, I have more confidence that I will be happy with the results. So far I have found an electrician, plumber, and landscaper I really like, and they are very easy to work with. There is a designer who came and measured everything last week and is working on drawings of the exterior for some upgrades and new siding. I know what genereal contractor I want to use when we undertake a big project like the kitchen or moving walls around in the master bedroom. Now I just need a carpenter who can do smaller jobs, like changing the closet doors or building a shower pan. I talked to a guy who will be coming by in a couple days to see the shower and doors and give me a bid. He seemed nice on the phone, and is currently working on a full kitchen installation in another house, so I think he knows what he is doing. Can't wait to have him come by the house.