 You're skilled with your hands, but have no
time, or maybe you're toolbox-challenged. For whatever reason, when it comes to
remodeling, you - like most homeowners - will hire a contractor to do a major
project rather than hammer it out yourself.
You will want to find a good contractor if
you want to build a new garage, install new kitchen cabinets or have some other
construction work done that you don't feel like tackling yourself. Just as
remodeling your bathroom calls for a comprehensive plan, so does hiring a
quality remodeling contractor. It's not as simple as grabbing the phone book
and calling the first "pro" listed.
While most home contractors out there are
legit and do quality work, the "Rogue's Gallery" of bogus builders, careless
carpenters, pitiful plumbers, and the like is a vast one.
Some of your friends and neighbors can
probably relate cautionary tales, and perhaps you've even been the victim of a
contractor whose work you cursed.
With so many different contractors offering
up their services on the open market today, it can be difficult to know who to
hire. They all say the right things and they all sound pretty good in the
interview. How does a business owner decide which plumber or electrician to
use, then? There are certain things that you must look for in a contractor that
will be much more telling than anything they will say in an interview.
You need to do your homework to protect
your home and your finances.
The process is not particularly difficult,
but knowing how to proceed can lessen the frustration and time commitment. Here
are some tips on finding the best contractor for your project.
1. Plan out the project.
Everyone starts with a "visual"
of the completed remodeling project. Put yours down on paper. The more details
you include, the better.
This will help you explain to prospective
contractors exactly what you want. The contractors can provide a realistic bid
based on the same building specifications, materials, labor and time needed to
remodel your kitchen, unfinished basement or addition. You'll be able to
compare costs before committing your pocketbook.
2. Who are you going to call?
The phone book isn't necessarily your best
first option. Turn to family, friends, and neighbors for contractor referrals.
They'll honestly tell you whether a certain contractor provides quality and
timely work. Collect as many referrals and recommendations as you can from
friends, co-workers, neighbors and the folks at the local lumberyard. The best
contractors often keep busy not by advertising but by finding work through
"word of mouth" referrals and repeat customers.
Pay attention to job-site signs in your
neighborhood. You'll be able to observe a contractor first hand. Talk to the
homeowner about whether they're satisfied with the workmanship.
Choose pros you know. Our surveys have
indicated that people who hire contractors they had worked with before were
happier and had fewer time and cost overruns than those who hired someone new.
While readers who hired pros recommended by a friend or neighbor were more
satisfied than those who hired strangers, they rarely faced some delays or/and
extra costs.
Local newspapers feature jobs under way, as
well as the special qualifications of local contractors. You can also refer to
the phone book, mail solicitations and advertisements.
3. Pare down your list
Solicit bids from at least three
contractors. Cost is important, but so are reliability and quality. But don't
jump at the lowest bid; our surveys have shown that people who hired the lowest
bidder generally got poorer work. Dissatisfaction with home improvement
contractors account for a large proportion of consumer complaints. You need to
educate yourself to find the best contractor for your remodel job.
Contact the city, county, or provincial
housing authority to find out what licensing and bonding criteria contractors
must meet. Scratch any contractor off your list who doesn't meet the
requirements.
Contact all of the referrals who interest
you. Keep in mind that good contractors often schedule work well in advance, so
you may have to call several to find someone available when you need them.
4. Do phone interviews
Once you've assembled a list, make a quick
call to each of your prospects and ask them the following questions:
- Do they take on projects of your size?
- Can they give you a list of previous clients?
- How many other projects would they have going at the same time?
- How long have they worked with their subcontractors?
The answers to these questions will reveal
the company's availability, reliability, how much attention they'll be able to
give your project and how smoothly the work will go.
5. Meet face to face
Based on the phone interviews, pick three
or four contractors to meet for estimates and further discussion. A contractor
should be able to answer your questions satisfactorily and in a manner that
puts you at ease. Clear communication is essential.
Now it's time to ask more specific
questions. Ask questions and follow up. Call references; verify insurance, talk
to suppliers. Professional contractors will expect your questions and already
have the answers at their fingertips. Red flags should go up if they can't.
Their responses will help you gage their work and business ethics.
Here are key points to clarify when
interviewing a potential contractor:
Full name and address of the company
You want to deal with a reliable company
that you can contact readily both during the project and after the work is
complete.
Where does the contractor conduct business?
All people are different in their preferences, so you shouldn't make any
blanket assumptions about a contractor because of his office situation. Be
aware that most legitimate contractors will have an actual business office and
address at which they work. A home office is sometimes alright, but it doesn't
bring the same measure of credibility that an actual office does. Beware of any
contractor who has no office.
Length of time in business
Find out how many years a contractor has
worked in the remodeling business as well as how long he's worked under his
business name. A contractor just starting doesn't necessarily equate with poor
quality. But you'll want to carefully check a contractor's referrals if he's
been in operation less than three years. Also scrutinize contractors closely
who've worked under a lot of different names - this could indicate a trail of
unhappy clients.
Look for proper licensing and insurance
Make sure the contractor is licensed to do
business in your province and that he has proper general liability and
workers-compensation insurance. Check with your local government for permit
requirements and confirm with the contractor who is responsible for paying for
permits.
Only hire a contractor who is insured
against workers' compensations, property damage and personal liability in case
of an accident on your property. This protects you!
Be a stickler - ask for proof of coverage,
then call the insurance carrier to verify that the coverage is up-to-date.
Referrals
Check the references you've collected from
your interviews. Go directly to the source. Ask the contractor if you can visit
a current job site or look at a portfolio of completed work. Better yet,
request a list of names and phone numbers of recent customers and call them.
Find out if the contractor stuck to the
promised budget and schedule. Were the homeowners happy with the work? Ask
about the quality, whether the job was completed on time, if they maintained a
punctual work schedule, were easy to contact and resolved complaints
satisfactorily. Would they hire this person again?
Discuss bids.
Bids should include estimated costs of
materials and labor, a schedule and any other fees. Make sure that each bid
offers details on handling change orders and penalties the contractor will
incur if the work falls behind schedule. Be suspicious of any contractor who
offers to do the same work as others for considerably less money.
To compare bids, ask everyone to break down
the cost of materials, labor, profit margins and other expenses. Generally
materials account for 40 percent of the total cost; the rest covers overhead
and the typical profit margin, which is 15 to 20 percent.
Go into detail with each contractor. You
want to thoroughly understand the price factors of each bid offered to you,
especially if they differ significantly from the other contractors.
Higher-priced materials may mean better quality, and higher labor costs may
mean thorough craftsmanship. Hire a contractor based on skill, reliability,
understanding of your remodeling job and cost - not just the lowest price.
Who will do the work?
Ask whether the contractor will do the
work, his employees or subcontractors. Check whether the subcontractors working
on your project are licensed, bonded and insured properly.
Contact his subcontractors and suppliers to
verify that he has a good credit history. He needs to pay his bills on time and
in full. You don't want to be liable for unpaid work done on your home when
you've already paid the contractor in full.
Work schedule.
Ask them when they'll start the project and
how long they'll need to complete it. But don't forget the day-to-day work
schedule: When will they arrive in the morning? When will they quit each day?
What days of the week will they work? Do they work on holidays? Will the room
being remodeled be in service or out of service?
There are plenty of good contractors out
there if you take a while to look. When choosing the right one, don't believe
everything that you hear. Make sure that the contractor has the ability and
willingness to prove their legitimacy. When you do this, you will have a much
better chance of hiring a reliable person.
Take the time to ask each contractor if
they have any special training, offer any warranties on their workmanship, and
how they handle customer complaints.
Once you're ready to hire, it's time to set
up a payment schedule and write the contract.
6. Set a payment schedule
The payment schedule - when the
contractor is paid for the work - depends on the project. Most likely, a
contractor who takes one or two days to finish the job will bill you for
payment in full when the job is complete.
A primary contractor who expects to take a
month to build an addition onto your house will set up a payment schedule. This
schedule may be weekly payments, monthly payments or payments at the end of
specified phases. You might consider negotiating a provision for placing your
scheduled payments into an escrow account until the work is completed.
Payment schedules can also speak to a
contractor's financial status and work ethic. If they want half the bid up
front, they may have financial problems or be worried that you won't pay the
rest after you've seen the work. For medium and large projects, a schedule
usually starts with 20 to 30 percent at contract signing, three payments of 20
percent evenly spaced over the duration of the project and a check for the
final 10-20 percent when you feel every item on the punch list has been
completed.
Never pay a contractor in full before the
work is completed, warns the Better Business Bureau.
Double check your contract to make sure
it includes the payment schedule that you understood and agreed on.
7. Put it in writing
Draw up a contract that details every step
of the project: payment schedule; proof of liability insurance and worker's
compensation payments; a start date and projected completion date; specific
materials and products to be used; and a requirement that the contractor obtain
lien releases (which protect you if he doesn't pay his bills) from all
subcontractors and suppliers. Insisting on a clear contract isn't about
mistrust. It's about insuring a successful work relationship.
The written contract is essential for your
protection, as well as the contractor's. Read the contract from the nuts and
bolts on up. Ask questions about any clause that is unclear. Know what
information needs to be written into your contract.
First, verify the basics: the contractor's
full name, business address, phone number, professional license number and the
starting and completion dates.
Carefully read the description of the
remodeling job. It should thoroughly detail all the materials to be used, right
down to quality, quantity, weight, color, size and brand name. You want it to
include everything the contractor will and will not do - the inclusions and
the exclusions.
If debris needs to be removed when the job
is complete your contract should specify how this will be done.
Check for the total cost of the remodeling
project, including a breakdown of labor and material charges. It should include
the agreed-upon payment schedule. The Better Business Bureau recommends that
you request a release-of-lien clause to protect you from liens against your
home if the primary contractor fails to pay subcontractors and suppliers.
Any workmanship guarantees and product
guarantees need to be clearly spelled out. Most reputable contractors offer
either a full or limited warranty on materials and workmanship for one year.
Take the time to understand the terms and conditions and length of the
warranty. Be sure that you agree to the terms written in the contract. You
don't have to feel pressured to accept the terms if you're not comfortable.
There are a lot of contractors willing to meet your needs.
8. Stick with the plans
Finally, remember that as soon as a change
is made or a problem uncovered, the price just increased and the project just
got longer.
Making changes to plans after work begins
could lead to cost overruns and delays.
9. Final payments
Make final payments only when the work is
completed to your satisfaction. A reputable contractor will not threaten you or
pressure you to sign documents if the job is not finished properly.
Tips:
- Do the hiring yourself. If you don't have
a commercial or a bigger renovating or building project where you need a
general contractor, do the hiring yourself. Your project is more likely to
stay within budget and on time if you hire pros yourself than leaving the
hiring and supervising to a general contractor.
- Do your part. Good contractors show respect to their clients, but they also deserve respect.
- If you are happy with the finished project, let others know.
Contractor Related Articles:
Top Ten Mistakes Consumers Make When Hiring a Contractor
Tips Before You Sign a Construction Contract
Note: MyCanadianContractors.com offers these
informative articles as resources to help you understand better some
construction related issues. MyCanadianContractors.com does not warrant the
accuracy, safety or legality of any content. MyCanadianContractors.com shall
not be liable whatsoever with respect to use of any content. Please read the
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