how does that make you feel? house therapy to the rescue

There have been many moments in the renovation journey in which I was certain I needed therapy, medication or preferably some lovely combination of both in a tropical resort far, far away from any real estate I own.

Turns out I’m not crazy. And I’m not the only person who seemingly needs an official interpreter/mediator/Vito with a large bat to take on the general contractor and the other players in this renovation.

Enter the house therapist.

The New York Times has an interesting article today, titled, “Calling in the House Therapist,” by Kristina Shevory.

She writes:

Renovating a home can be as fraught as negotiating a difficult marriage. So it is perhaps not surprising that coaches like Mr. Irving — many of them former contractors — are proliferating. Remodeling coaches often act more like marriage counselors than like building consultants, and, like therapists, they are best when brought in as early as possible. They can help homeowners figure out what they want in a renovation, and can make sure that the project is actually carried out.

They can help diffuse disasters, act as intermediaries between contractors and homeowners, and help owners set a budget, put together a timeline, navigate competing bids, pick a builder and get discounts on materials and supplies. Once a project starts, they can keep an eye on the contractor, monitor the quality of work and mediate conflicts.

You can read the entire article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/garden/13coach.html?pagewanted=all