Thinking About Remodeling? Some Contractor Tips!

Ah, yes! Us die-hard do-it-yourselfers!

If you have decided to hire a contractor for the job this time around - or if you have never swung a hammer, here are a few tips on choosing the right contractor I found in an article in Business Weekly by Alina Tugend.



1. "Check the number of projects the contractor has going at the same time. Too many at once can add a considerable amount of time to your own."

We ran into this when we were building our house and acting as our own general contractor. Some of this just can't be helped, but ask around before hiring the contractor or general contractor. If they would consistently not show up when planned, they might not have very good delegation or organization skills - or perhaps they are trying to make do with a skeleton crew and are spread too thin.

2. "What margin does your contractor take to provide materials. Perhaps you can save by buying materials yourself. A friend saved about 20% doing that for a remodeling project. Contractors aren't always keen on it, though. If you get your own windows, for example, and they're the wrong size or cracked, the problem is yours to deal with, not his."

This is something we did do when building our home. Of course, it took a lot of time, which is why contractors have to add that 20% you are saving if you do it yourself! So be prepared for the time outlay shopping around and ordering materials. And I would suggest you know a little bit about what you're doing before you try. This wasn't our first building project. Get advise before you buy!

3. "Never go on a vacation and leave contractors to work on their own. Even with builders you can trust, it's better to be available. And at worst, it can mean little or no work gets done while you're relaxing on the beach."

4. "Listen to the ways the contractor and the subcontractors, like the plumbers and electricians, interact. A friend had four different contractors come with their subcontractors to bid on a major renovation. Listening to them talk together gave her a sense of how they respected each other and worked together. In the end, they didn't hire the cheapest guy, but the one they thought was the smartest and most creative and got along best with his subcontractors."

It goes without saying that you want a contractor who respects those he works with - his crew and his subcontractors. Good luck getting an interview with a contractor and his subcontractors all at once! Subcontractors are their own bosses and to have their schedules all align for an interview is not likely. Afterall, they will not have to all be there at the same time working anyway. Better to get a good referral on the contractor's character as well as his ability as a builder. It does matter!

5. "Finally, everyone said to hold some money back until the project was completed. And that means no small unpainted areas or loose tiles or bad grouting. Too often, builders, even good ones, leave small details unfinished once they've moved on to their next project. In fact, after you've unsuccessfully hounded the contractor for weeks to do the last bits and pieces, try this: take that money and hire a handyman!"

Completely agreed! Never pay contractors or even handymen all the money up front until the job is completed. Everyone only hopefully makes this mistake once! It's usual to pay at least half up front so materials can be purchased for your project, and perhaps add more to that as the project progresses, depending on the size. But keep some back in order to give the workers some accountability.

If you need a referral for a contractor, subcontractor, landscaper or handyman, give me a call or shoot me a text or an email. Being active in the housing community, I come across people I would refer quite often and I may be able to help you out!