2024-03-18 16:45:19
An ordinary apartment renovation can turn into a horror. The architect Markéta Heralecká, who founded the Girls in Reconstruction project after an experience with a dishonest craftsman, knows her stuff. In it, she advises women on what to take care of during the renovation so that they don’t lose a lot of money like she did. In the videos on Instagram, the architect also gives tips on how to defend yourself against the typical instructions of craftsmen.
How did Girls in Reconstruction come about?
The idea of starting a project first occurred to me during a session with my psychotherapist, but it was preceded by a really unpleasant personal experience. Already during my architecture studies, I started working as a technical supervisor on a construction site, because I wanted to see how it works in practice. I had the feeling that I would then be a better architect. I thought that I had gained a lot of experience and nothing would surprise me anymore. At that time, my husband and I bought an apartment in Žižkov and we needed to renovate it. A good family friend gave me a tip about a supposedly great craftsman with a small construction company, for whom he said he would give his hand in the fire. He said that it is more expensive but works well.
That sounds like a promising start…
I met him and he seemed quite self-possessed. I didn’t have a good feeling about the craftsman, but I didn’t give up on him and made an agreement with him. We paid him a big deposit, he did some work, but basically everything was redone, and then all of a sudden he stopped communicating. I was five months pregnant at the time and didn’t know what to do. I had the feeling that it was only my fault and that it only happened to me. We were looking for a new craftsman, but no one wanted to do it, because no one wants to work in a divided way. In the end, we put the apartment together with another craftsman for another year.
The child was on the way, but the apartment could not be lived in. | Photo: archive of Markéta Heralecká
How much did this experience cost you?
We’ve lost hundreds of thousands, so we’re suing. With court costs, it will probably be around 600,000 crowns. Meanwhile, we found out that the person has over 10 foreclosures on him. So even if we win the court, the real chance that we will get money from it is actually zero. On his Facebook profile, which I then found, I saw that he bought a new BMW and shared photos from his vacation in Egypt. He was enjoying our money and all this while I was about to give birth. I didn’t know where we were going to live because our apartment was under construction and we ran out of money.
How did you overcome the difficult period?
I went to therapy and took notes on what I could have done better. That helped me not to fall apart. Looking back, I saw all the mistakes I made and thought I could at least publish an e-book that would help girls like me not to end up in a similar situation. Eventually, I started an Instagram profile that caught on quite a bit, and I found out that I wasn’t the only one who got ripped off by crafters. Sometimes I get very sad stories.
I myself have never felt so helpless and incompetent as when I was dealing with something with a craftsman or a repairman. Why is that so?
This feeling is completely normal and I think almost every woman feels this way. I probably can’t say 100 percent why this is so, a psychologist would probably give you a better answer to that. But I have the feeling that when dealing with craftsmen or repairmen we get into a kind of uncomfortable zone. If a woman does not handle the trade or repairs on a daily basis, it is clear that she is insecure and does not have enough knowledge and experience. It is also difficult to judge whether the craftsman is charging a reasonable price and whether he has done the job well. In addition, craftsmen and repairmen often do not communicate adequately, and this makes us feel even worse, because we feel that we are bothering them. Of course, gender stereotypes also play a role.
How to deal with renovations better
What common mistakes are made during renovations?
I don’t know if I should call it a mistake, but it seems to me that most people underestimate planning and preparation. A person is in a completely different position when he has a good project from an architect in hand, a schedule and when he has a quality team of people around him. If he only has a rough idea of what he would like somewhere in his head and immediately starts the renovation, it often does not turn out very well. And it also seems to me that the budget is often undershot. At one point the money runs out and it is quickly decided what to do with it.
What to ask craftsmen and companies before renovation?
When choosing a craftsman or a company, it is important to check whether the company has a registered trade and whether it is insured, because in the event of damage, repairs can cost hundreds of thousands. It is also necessary to be interested in who will be responsible for the work and whether all employees or subcontractors are properly insured and have the necessary authorizations. Clear communication is essential. It is a good idea to ask how the regular inspections of the progress of the works are carried out. It is also important to protect the household during work, ensure cleanliness and protect the interior. I definitely recommend asking for references and viewing photos from the progress of the projects. With them, mainly look at how they keep order and what their work looks like. It is definitely necessary to agree in advance on the budget, schedule and method of solving additional work.
Markéta has extensive experience with construction. | Photo: archive of Markéta Heralecká
All the craftsmen say: “Who did this to you? Such a horror!”
I have already met craftsmen who praised the work of their predecessor, but I could probably count them on the fingers of one hand. Rather, I really encounter that they say exactly this. I have a bit of a feeling it’s to shirk responsibility. So that one can immediately take their work as higher quality. It’s probably also in nature, someone has a tendency to point out the mistakes and shortcomings of others.
It may happen that we hear the sentence from the craftsman: “Without an invoice, you will get it cheaper” or “It will be better for your hand”. How to deal with such an offer?
Do not accept it, rather “pay” 15 percent and have a confirmation. Without it, you have no warranty. If you don’t have a document, the craftsman will get rid of it if there is a problem, and it can hardly pay off. When a craftsman says such a sentence to me, he is simply someone who wants to circumvent the law, and I do not want to cooperate with him. Of course, it’s up to everyone to decide what risk they want to take.
Sometimes a craftsman comments on a post on your Instagram profile saying that you only know the theory, but it looks different in practice. What arguments do you have for such comments?
I’ll admit that I stopped addressing similar comments because I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. I also owe this to the mentioned therapy. First of all, I’m a full-time mom and I don’t have time for stupid comments from anonymous profiles. During those few years on the construction site, I experienced a lot and it was far from just theory, so my conscience is clear. And after all, my husband and I spent a lot of money on the apartment with our own hands, because we simply had nothing else left.
For reconstruction with optimism
But let’s not insult craftsmen and builders. How about some positive stories?
In addition to “hateful comments from well-behaved geese”, I also often receive very nice messages from craftsmen. They are happy that I point out the wrongs. One gentleman wrote to me that a customer told him that she said goodbye to a previous craftsman based on following my profile. I thought that the circle had closed nicely. And otherwise, of course, there are a lot of craftsmen who do their work really well and are still working on themselves and educating themselves. They’re just often not the cheapest. I believe that we will move from the requirement that I want it quickly and cheaply, and therefore quite often of poor quality, to thinking that it may take a little longer, it will be more expensive, but well done. Quality craftsmen exist, you just have to look for them.
In one of your posts, I read an encouraging sentence: “Don’t be afraid of reconstruction, every problem has a solution.” Is that your motto?
I meant to say that when you start to reconstruct, there is always a problem. I have not experienced any construction or renovation where it did not occur during the process. In short, it is important to realize that there is always a solution.