Is Reality TV Really Real?

Is Reality TV Really Real?

If you’re like me and most Americans, you enjoy home-improvement shows on television. I will be the first to admit that I love to see an old home restored or a dull California ranch house brought to Mid-Century Modern life. Is reality TV really real? We all love a good transformation, don’t we?I would tune in just for those last few moments, the great reveal, when they flash the horrifying “before” picture only to contrast it with the glorious, updated, beautiful “after” pictures. The clients are always overwhelmed, sometimes to tears, by the incredible changes that occurred in their homes, seemingly overnight.

Where do they go? None of them actually seem to be living IN the house during their renovations!

At Foster Remodeling Solutions, we do have projects during which the clients do have to move out, usually for major renovations and additions. It wouldn’t be comfortable or safe for the them to remain in the home.  However, the vast majority of our clientele live in their homes while we complete construction.

So let’s talk about reality versus reality TV. What is true and what is good editing?

First: IT’S DUSTY

This may be the one thing that TV gets right…demo day and dust, though we aren’t going to be attacking your old kitchen cabinets with a crowbar or kicking your walls in! We’re a little more methodical than that. Construction is messy, dirty, dusty. Despite our best efforts, you will find dust in the most unlikely of places in your home. At Foster Remodeling Solutions, we work hard to contain dust, including installation of zippered plastic door covers and taping up plastic sheeting to separate work areas from non-work areas. We install filters over your fresh air intakes to keep your HVAC system from getting clogged with dust.  We run our HEPA-certified air scrubbers during the project to remove dust and other particulates from the air. Will every day be dusty? No. Some are dustier than others.

Second: IT’S LOUD

There will be days when it’s loud as well (see above: demo day). There will be sawing, drilling, hammering, cutting. Be prepared for some extra noise in your life.

Third: IT TAKES LONGER THAN ONE HOUR

Let’s be real. They have great editors on TV, but your project will take longer than they make it seem on TV. How long will it take? You will be presented with a schedule at your pre-construction meeting. At Foster Remodeling Solutions, we have a habit of following through on our promises, so you can be sure that we will start and complete your project on the agreed-upon dates.

Fourth: THERE COULD BE A SURPRISE

At Foster Remodeling Solutions, we have our process in place to help mitigate issues. We have an intense set of checks and balances in place to ensure that your project runs as smoothly as possible, from start to finish.  However—with projects, there could be a surprise. This tends to occur in the form of something that is discovered after drywall or other wall or floor coverings are removed: a plumbing pipe or gas line in an odd location, rotted subfloor, unexpected ductwork, doctored joists.  You just never know if you will get a surprise of some sort. We are ready and prepared to meet any challenge head on. Our lead carpenters and production staff have decades of experience in dealing with surprises. And I’m pretty sure it won’t be the type of surprise where you wear a blindfold and they roll away a giant poster of what your house used to look like…

Fifth: IT WILL BE BEAUTIFUL

As I said, we won’t blindfold you and do a big reveal. Chances are good that you’ll be living in the house during your remodel and will see it from demo day to final walk-through—and honestly, that’s the best way to appreciate your new kitchen/bath/addition as the work of art that it is. Seeing a room down to its studs built back up to the dream you saw rendered on a screen months before is amazing. It will be beautiful, just as beautiful as those programs on TV. We hope you do shed a little tear of happiness, because we want you to absolutely love your new space!

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Written by: Rachel De For – Design Consultant – Foster Remodeling Solutions