Always look behind the scenes

By Herb Lagois

Behind the scenes of this award-winning custom bathroom by Lagois, "Childhood Home Renovation", every single detail has been thought of well beforehand. It's a critical part of the Lagois process, and it is at the core of my family's own renovation projects. I never say “It is what it is”. It MUST be done correctly.

When at first you don’t succeed… well, it’s what I used to tell my kids. And this month it’s turning out to be true.

Last month I tried to help our youngest, Daniel, with a bunkie renovation at his cottage. We had planned it for ages, but when the time came, we just could not find a mutual time with our chosen electrician.

Finally, this month, I was able to re-connect with him (the electrician). His name is Jim Hannah (JA Hannah & Son in North Gower). He and his son, Kevin, are experienced electricians, not to mention great guys. and I highly recommend them.

I dropped by their home and had a chance to revisit an addition I designed and Lagois built. It’s a beauty: beautiful exposure, natural light, indoor-outdoor integration. Jim and I are both in our later careers, so we have a lot in common. What made this experience with Daniel’s bunkie even more fun was that I got to be Jim’s helper. It also made me realize what an excellent opportunity our youth has for entering the trades.

Next up? We’re off to visit our son, Andrew and I’ll be helping him with his bathroom renovation. Despite earlier frustrations with bad (or no) responses from trades I didn’t know, I found the right ones and was able to connect with them. I’m looking forward to working with and getting to know these folks. It tells me yet again how critical it is in any renovation to find the right fit, to make relationships and to hang on to them.

This month I hope you’ll read the story by Lagois Project Development Manager, Sophie Villeneuve. She talks about something that has really frustrated me over the years: trying to explain the true costs of a remodel. It is so awful when the true costs scare homeowners away and they end up turning to someone who says they can do it for a lot less – but they really can’t, because they aren’t up front about what is truly involved.

How many times have I heard in my career: “If only we went with YOU!” In truth, when you’re an expert in this business, building an addition is not a big deal. The big deal is knowing exactly what goes on behind the scenes: Will the existing heating or cooling system be adequate? How much needs to be altered to get ductwork to the addition? Is the electrical service adequate? Are there hazardous materials? Can equipment be brought in to do the addition? Are there protected trees?

I often refer to this as the snowball effect. What is really, really important is to find these things out beforehand – and not rush to start. Have you heard of those cost-and-time overrun nightmares? This is where I'm proud of our carefully-developed Lagois process. It ensures our promise of being on time and on budget, in writing.

This brings me to some of the very things, in both Daniel’s and Andrew’s situations, that can go wrong if there is no process. In both cases, their existing electrical panel was undersized and way overloaded. In Andrew’s existing bathroom there is an electrical circuit, so in theory nothing there will be changing. However, the panel is undersized. I will never say “It is what it is”. It MUST be done correctly. Imagine a house fire from an overloaded circuit. The odds might be slim, but who wants to take even the smallest chance with your home and your life, your family’s lives?

What is important to note in both cases is that we know upfront what we are getting into. Imagine having an electrician arrive on site only to tell you “We can’t do it; it will cost you $$$; it will take us weeks, never mind if your bathroom is already torn apart.”

No! No way on earth. You have to plan, plan, plan. That includes finding the right fit for your project before anything else. (I sure hope I'm the right fit for our sons!)

So there you have it. Sons are looked after. But there’s more: our daughter’s kitchen renovation is coming up in 2027.

What’s happening in 2026? Planning, of course!

Stay tuned…

Herb Lagois is founder of Lagois Design Build Renovate and the author of “The Right Fit: How to Choose a Renovator”. Read or download a copy here.

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