How to Hire a Good Contractor
Ruth and Wade needed to convert their garage into an extra bedroom. Ruth’s father had passed away, leaving Ruth’s mother, Maxine, to fend for herself after 65 years of marriage. To help ease her grieving and loneliness the family decided that it would be a good idea for Maxine to move in with them. They wanted to give Maxine a maximum amount of living space, privacy and personal freedom so converting the garage was the most logical solution.
Wade, a very handy man in his own right, did not have the time to handle the project, so they turned to a contractor for this major home improvement. It was a time-sensitive matter, so they carefully took the following advice and precautions to make the renovation go as smoothly as possible.
- Know exactly what you want renovated before tackling a home improvement project. Consider the interior and exterior of your home. Do you want the add-on to look like the rest of the house? If you have a brick home, will you want to use vinyl siding or wood on the exterior? If adding a room, do you want to add windows? If so, how many? Will you be adding a bathroom?
- Consider hiring an architect. If there will be major structural changes to your home, as in the case of Ruth and Wade, an architect is trained to make the addition visually flow with the rest of the home. You don’t want something that still resembles a garage.
- Do not rush. Take time to ask friends and family if they have ever used a reputable contractor in your area. Find at least two. If you know someone who made the same renovation(s), ask to see the finished product.
- Accept no less than two bids. Multiple bids would be ideal. You don’t want to be ripped-off. To help cut costs, tell each contractor that you are taking multiple bids.
- The contractor should be a member of at least one trade organization, and have property damage, personal liability, and workman’s comp insurance. He should be familiar with State and county laws pertaining to home improvement.
- Know that a general contractor should be able to do the entire job and that a subcontractor has an area of specialization.
- Once you select a contractor, you will need a contract. If you do not understand or have the time to read a contract, find an attorney.
- Ask as many questions as possible and discuss the materials that you want, the time in which you want the job completed, and the total price for the project.
- Avoid the common Bait and Switch scam in which the contractor will guarantee a job using specific materials and a certain price. Sometime after the onset of the project, the contractor will try to either upgrade the material or will tell you that the project is going to cost more than originally planned.
- Oversee the project as much as possible. Don’t get in the way, but remember that it is your property. If the project is not going as you think it should, call the contractor. One reason that this project went very smoothly for the Richardson’s is because they lived on-site and were present during the renovation.
What could have easily been a nightmare for the Richardson’s and Maxine went very smoothly because they followed these home improvement rules and are quite happy with their new living arrangements and the renovation.