Going through change in our homes can be stressful, especially when it comes to remodeling a kitchen or bath. With the recent graduations of our children from college in the months of May and June, change enters our home as they leave the nest to make their mark in their own lives. With that kind of change comes the itch to do a room or two or three over. It’s almost like we need to shed our skin now that we become alone in our home again. Remodeling any part of the home can be expensive, but there is a certain feeling of renewal that takes over our being and we morph into this new dimension.
One of the main concerns most people have when they remodel is whether they can trust the workers they invite into their home to tear it apart, and top on the list of their wants is happiness. Unfortunately, most people drive down the same path as they embark on their new remodeling journey and sabotage that long-sought-after gratification of happiness. It’s been bred into us early on in our childhood by our family to make sure we get a deal. It sounds good but at what price? I hear many clients in the early planning stages that this or that will be fine in their home if it will save them a few bucks. Easy to say at that stage but when the job is done, happiness eludes their space. There is nothing worse in life than being disappointed with whatever we have purchased when the results don’t match our end vision. I think we have all experienced that phenomenon once or twice in our lives.
My book Dream First covers this same subject and helps a client see ahead before making these same mistakes. I frown when the word budget enters into the conversation early on in the planning stage. I have seen over and over throughout the years how that one word can break up marriages. Budget is a good thing when brought into the picture after options have been explored and dreams and ideas have been discussed. I try to explain to other sales people, no matter what trade you are in to use the things God gave you two of twice as much as the things he gave you one of. I’m truly amazed at how much I find out about my client when I just listen to what they have to say and dream about rather than showing them product and pushing them down a road of blindness. To be honest, budget doesn’t even come up in those early stages. Getting to know each other first brings out the dreams, ideas, and answers so much quicker than if we started with budget. Budgets stifles ideas and in a trade that can be somewhat untrustworthy, pain and suffering drown any happiness that we were hoping for.
When a client rushes to budget too early on, emotions like unhappiness, frustration, and anger enter their life. I don’t care how little you spend, there is no cure for those emotions for many years to come. Lost time can never be made up again. Once the time passes, you will never see it again. Life is too short to be unhappy with our results, especially after all those years of child rearing. It’s our time now to enjoy our life and the labors that we expended. A job that matches our vision in the end is a job well done.
The next time you go to buy a car or a pool or remodel your home, take the time needed to plan, dream, and exchange ideas before you ever think of a dime. Happiness is worth more these days than we ever give it credit for. Dream First and the rest will fall right into place. Happy remodeling!

Bon Apettit!!

Tim Holick

 

This entry was posted in Inspiration on May 28, 2015 by THblog.