11/14/2017
Let's talk about hiring a contractor.
Some quick points on how to decide who is going to do work on your home and some things to expect:
1. Put ideas on paper, regardless of how rough they are. You
don't have to be DaVinci to do a quick design. And there are
lots of free and almost free apps and websites out there that
can help. This will give a contractor a general idea of what
you are looking for.
2. Can some of this DIY? Or do you need a general
contractor? What can you do yourself and what is out of
your comfort (and experience) zone?
3. If it's going involve demolition of the structure, make sure
to involve an engineer or architect.
4. Ask for referrals. In this day and age of Facebook and other
social media platforms, it's really easy to get others
opinions.
5. Once you've gotten some names, research them. Use
resources available to you to find out about the quality of
work that they do. The contractor should be able to provide
you with the names of previous customers (with their
permission, of course) and call them. If they aren't willing to
give you any, that should send up some red flags.
6. Licence Insurance, and permits. There are many parts to
that and can include; bonding, certificates for different
situations (Fall Arrest for work performed higher than a
certain number of feet off the ground, for example),
plumbing, electrical, etc. If they don't carry one specific to
the job are they subcontracting that part to someone who
does?
7. Budget - add a buffer of 10 -15% in the final total for
potential unknowns. Most contractors will do that anyway.
8. Deposits - it's your money, ask for a receipt. Your initial
payment should generally be for materials.
9. Review the contract - if there are changes that need to be made during the
reno, how is that going to be handled? Appliance installations? Don't wait
until a situation comes up, try to anticipate.
10. Realize the change of daily routine - a big enough project will mean that
your personal day to day schedule is apt to change. Working hours, safety
precautions that need to be taken (i.e. where the materials will be kept) -
important, but oft overlooked, considerations.
11. What happens when it's done - the nitty gritty final items at the end of the
job. To make sure they're done, one suggestion is to figure out the costs of
those items, double that amount, and hold that back from final payment
until the list is completed.
Have an open and honest discussion with your contractor. He's there to realize your dream. The more everyone communicates, the better the relationship is going to be and smoother the process.
