Have you ever had the experience of working with a contractor on a remodeling or building project and been disappointed with the result. Many people have.

But this problem is avoidable.

One of the most important things to know about contractors is that they are usually visual/spatial thinkers. They are good at interpreting drawings, but not great at interpreting verbal data. But think. How good are you at listening? It’s too imprecise and open to interpretation.

You can talk to someone all day long, but they may not get what you want them to do.

I once refaced a kitchen over a weekend. A cabinetmaker made my doors without ever setting foot in the kitchen. We measured and drew out every door and run of cabinetry. He worked from our picture and the work was perfect. Everything went in exactly as we hoped and planned. I never even met him but he did a great job.

What made it work was the picture. Talking to him would not have worked nearly as well. The pictures really were worth a thousand words and saved us big time and money. He knew exactly what I wanted and had a convenient diagram to help him with all of the details.

So quit talking and start measuring and drawing. Great thinking and planning for a job will save you time and money before any work begins. Once you have the plan on paper don’t change ANYTHING. Little changes you make delay the work and cost you more money. Planning and deciding things before work starts is important in controlling costs.

Oh, if you’re doing some work yourself even if it’s only buying new furniture, draw yourself a picture. That way you know the maximum furniture size for the space. You might even consider taping the layout to the floor. It’s a great visual tool.

So just decide, DRAW A PICTURE, and don’t second-guess yourself. It will work a lot better. If you can’t draw find someone who can. Lots of people can do it. It’s more about measurements and less about art. A quadrille pad of paper can help. It has grid lines that can help you make a scale drawing. You’ll find it helps you get what you want and control the costs.

It goes without saying that every home bathroom should have some plumbing supplies in the event of a sudden toilet overflow or clog, or problem with the shower. You never know when something might happen that causes your pipes to groan or leak, and while you don’t have to take a course in home improvement, knowing enough and using the right tool to head off a major catastrophe until the plumber arrives can save you in repair costs.

If you don’t already have these items on hand, be sure to check at your local home improvement store today. The simple investment is worth it in the long run.

Plunger: Definitely, if you have toilets, you need a plunger. For small clogs when the water won’t circle the bowl like it should, a few tugs can usually solve a minor issue.

Air Purifier: This may seem like an unusual item for plumbing problems, but if something should happen that causes a nasty stench in the house, you’ll want to clear the air quickly.

Industrial Strength Cleaner: This is for surfaces in your bathroom. After an overflow, your floor and fixtures are covered with germs and bacteria. While soap and water help, you want to be certain the area is disinfected so nobody gets sick.

Plumbing Wrench: Ask your plumber or home improvement expert for a recommendation on a good wrench to have to hold off leaks in an emergency.

Plumber’s Tape: Another good temporary leak fixer is a special industrial tape that the pros use to create a seal on pipes.

With your home emergency kit, you can help your plumber with any bathroom problem without fuss.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach plumbing.