One of the things people often find puzzling about home renovation and decor projects is the amount of time it takes to complete them.
While there are many elements of the design and selection process that can proceed relatively efficiently there are other aspects of fabricating, storing, moving and installing the many (oftentime large) and heavy elements of a project that are much more difficult to align.
The impact of shuttered manufacturing during Covid, compounded by half capacity re-openings at factories, record demand and orders, misalignment of shipping resources and challenges staffing manufacturing facilities with trained, experienced workers and craftspeople created absolute havoc.
Construction and manufacturing must often follow a linear path where one part of the job is completed before the next part can begin. In addition, the raw materials used are generally large, requiring a lot of space for storage and special handling in transport. There are also many humans involved who are not directly connected to the actual project. For example, the factory workers pulling parts at the warehouse, or cutting yardage for fabrics. These factors create a perfect environment for miscommunication and errors.
The best way to mitigate all of these elements is taking control of the decisions you can and doing that early on. Allow time for planning in your project schedule and make sure you have completed and priced your selections well before work begins. Check and double check the details on your orders. Ensure the direction to each trade or supplier is clear. Finally, assume there will be delays and unexpected developments along the way.
A sense of humour and a contingency plan helps to make these delays a little easier to absorb.
