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!

And Speaking of Scams ...

...an old scam is making a come back.

Most of us homeowners have had our mortgage servicer changed. We get the letter telling us where to send our house payments from now on. Well, con artists have found a way to hijack a payment or two!

First comes the letter from a fictitious company that says it has begun servicing your loan. You get your new "account number," along with coupons for your mortgage payments. Unfortunately, by the time you figure out your loan has not really changed servicers, you are already out a payment or two!

So how do you know the difference between a real transfer of mortgage servicers and a con?

• Under the law, your current servicer is required to send a "goodbye" letter notifying you that your payments should be sent to a new company as of a certain date.
• A week or two later, the law says you should receive a second letter, which, by law, should include a welcome missive from the new servicer with the details of the mortgage payment, which includes a breakdown among principal, interest, and escrow. This package is also likely to include a few payment coupons, if not a brand-new coupon book, and self-addressed printed envelopes for borrowers to make payments.
• Both the goodbye and welcome letter should include the original mortgage loan number. if either letter does not, or if the information included in one doesn't match what's in the other, you should call your original servicer to inquire.
• If you receive only one letter, be extra cautious. Even if everything appears to be standard procedure, you are still advised to call the first company's toll-free number just to be sure!

Home Improvements That Add Value

We are often asked what home improvements are cost effective. In these economic times, the answer to that is more important than ever!

Homeowners concerned with making home improvements that will pay off when it’s time to sell the property, should consider the following tips.

1. The first improvement/repair homeowners should consider are those that impact the home’s basic structures and systems. Potential home buyers generally do not want to face expensive repairs, and if items such as the foundation, roof, air conditioning, water heater, or other basic structure need to be fixed, the property will be considered a fixer-upper and its market price
will be discounted accordingly. It is very hard for homeowners to swallow that their home would be sold as a fixer-upper, but that is the nature of the buyer today! And it is, what it is! We can't stress home maintenance enough! It is your home's biggest selling point.

2. Some minor replacements will produce big results for minimal cost. Replacing and coordinating bathroom and kitchen hardware and fixtures are generally inexpensive, but tend to make a big difference. The same can be said for getting rid of dated finishes, such as old wallpaper, paneling and brass light fixtures.

3. Kitchens, bathrooms and master bedrooms sell homes everywhere in the country. And here in San Diego, a well kept yard/patio/balcony is a huge selling point, as well. Minor remodeling and fine tuning of these three or four areas of your home will pay off when it comes time to sell.

Homeowners who don’t know when or even if they will be able to sell their home are advised to choose home improvement projects carefully. Unless the home is located in an upscale neighborhood and the property already is immaculate, owners can skip expensive upgrades and
focus on the fundamentals.

Call me if you have any questions regarding a proposed project, even if you are not ready to sell. I would be happy to offer you my expert opinion based on showing hundreds of buyers hundreds of homes! Happy DIY'ing!