How to Avoid Mistakes When Choosing a Foreman for Apartment Renovation

A responsible construction team is already fifty percent of success in any renovation. We learned from a professional how to choose a good foreman and what to consider when signing a contract.

Olga Dukven, an expert in interior design and head of the 'Domostroy' studio

Who will actually perform the renovation? More precisely, what specialists work in the team? This is the first question you need to ask a potential contractor. If a master guarantees that all workers in the team are generalists, limit yourself to getting acquainted. Assigning different types of work should be handled by specialists in their respective fields.

How many projects does the contractor have in their portfolio? Find out how many projects a subcontractor has completed in the past year. If it's 1–2, you're dealing with a novice or an incompetent renovation team. Such teams will likely not meet deadlines and lack the necessary number of specialists.

Although the last two points are understandable: due to reluctance to share orders with other masters, only a few people work in the team. They stretch the renovation over a long time, especially in large spaces.

If the foreman answers all previous questions well, ask him a few more detailed ones. To make it easier for you, we've written the correct answers below each question.

What cable is used in work with small residential areas? For lighting — power cable with PVC insulation VVGng (A)-LS 3X1.5; for outlets — VVGng (A)-LS 3X1.5, circuit breaker at 10A.

What primers are used in renovation? The type of primer depends on the material of the surface to be treated.

What technological gap should be left between the wall and laminate? It's better to leave a gap of 8–10 mm. But based on experience, you can leave up to 15 mm for a deformation joint. More than that is not necessary.

What is the allowable deviation in horizontal and vertical directions when applying plaster per meter? No more than 3 mm. Anything above that is poor quality work.

What height should a door opening be for installing a standard interior door? With a correction screed of 0.01 m — 2.06 m. Otherwise, problems with door installation and additional financial costs will occur.

Should polystyrene be used for sound insulation? No: polystyrene only amplifies sound, not dampens it.

Does the foreman have the necessary tools for performing renovation work? Professionals always have them, while novices pretending to be pros don’t. By the way, having good professional tools only speeds up the work of craftsmen.

Let the contractor describe the stages of renovation work. Also clarify a few more details.

When are interior doors installed? After finishing wall plastering. When is the assembly of gypsum board ceilings and niches done? After completion of 'wet' finishing works. If you do ceiling cladding or niche assembly before these are completed, you might damage the gypsum board. It behaves like a sponge and absorbs moisture.

How and when is payment for services made? If the company is confident in the quality of their work, they accept payment upon completion of the renovation.

How to ensure that you're dealing with a reliable team? If the foreman answered all questions correctly — you're at the finish line. There are just two more points that will help make the right choice.

Review reviews and portfolios. A company or team with a good reputation won't hide their completed projects. Look at photos of finished projects and customer reviews.

Call several clients at random and ask their opinion about the foreman. And let these be people who had renovations done several years ago — that way, you'll get more objective information.

Visit completed projects. Website photos may not reflect reality. Ask to personally visit one of the completed objects, even if the work is still in progress. It’s a great opportunity to see intermediate stages, assess quality and craftsmen at work.

So, you've decided to go to the site. What to pay attention to:

• Are the specialists neatly dressed;
  
• How many people are working in the team in total;
  
• How they communicate with each other and with you;
  
• Do the masters smoke on site;
  
• How clean the project is: tidy or cluttered;
  
• Is the finishing material covered and how they treat it;
  
• How the windows and sills look.
  

You're signing a contract with the foreman. What to consider? If the company is registered as an LLC, check the registration time and the amount of charter capital. To avoid ending up working with a company that exists only for one day, has no office, and has a questionable director.

By law, an individual entrepreneur is liable for work with their personal property, while an LLC is only liable by the balance on the bank account and charter capital. Sometimes it's as low as just 10,000 rubles. Therefore, if the work isn't completed or materials are damaged, it will be difficult to get your money back.

By the way, a big plus is if the company has its own website. It should show the office address and the company’s business form. And, of course, the office address must match the actual company address.