What happens after a remodel is finished?

There's a question almost nobody asks out loud at this point: what happens after they cash the last check? You've heard the stories — paid in full, gone by Friday.

So look at what came with your final invoice. The punch list: closed, every item, with photos. The number itself: the contract price plus the change orders you approved in writing along the way — nothing new at the end. And if you didn't use all of an allowance, that money's on there as a credit, back to you.

And here's the answer to the real question. The day that payment clears is the day your one-year workmanship warranty starts. If a door sticks in February or a caulk line hairlines come spring, that's one text with a photo, and it gets fixed. No charge, no attitude.

You'll also hear from me at six months whether anything's wrong or not — because I check on my work.

Tonight, take a lap around the place. You made a thousand good decisions in there. Go enjoy them.