How to hire a contractor or 10 steps to avoid a nervous breakdown

15 years ago

I am a regular follwer and contributor to this forum and some 30 others. One of the most frequent questions I see and discussions that people have is problems with their contractors, pricing, planning, etc. Over the holiday week I took some time to do some research and along with my own experiences wrote a small article about 10 steps to follow in hiring a contractor. It is everything you should know? Probably not, but is it a good start? I'd like to think so. No advertising involved,no spam, no product recommendations just pure simple info. I hope you enjoy it and that it will help you. Link to article is http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-hire-a-contractor

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Comments (5)

lucky32
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
#1 DON'T hire a family member OR friend!!!!
sushipup1
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
#2, don't assume that the contractor will ever be your friend, at least not until a year after your job is finished.
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OP : speaking as someone who has been on both sides of your dilemma in the same neighbourhood, first by going through the demolition and building of a house, and then by being surrounded by demo/ building projects, here is my advice, for whatever it's worth. First, don't stretch or bend the local rules. You don't want to be known as the one who " got away" with something. Don't build a house totally out of keeping with those around you: one of our neighbors built a house that is literally twice the size if any other house on our street, but he kept it to a single story, so it doesn't overwhelm the houses around it. Don't go overboard about sharing details of your plans or delivering cookies: the former will open you up to discussions you may not want, and the latter is unnecessary. You're building a house, not asking for a favour. Do ride herd on your construction crew (or make sure your builder does): make sure they follow the rules on hours for when they can and cannot work, make sure they keep the site tidy when they leave for the day, ask them to keep the music down, and warn the neighbours if any asbestos removal is planned. Tro to keep noise, dust and inconvenience to a minimum (you can't eliminate these things entirely, of course). And be very, very clear about site boundaries: one builder/homeowner on our street informed neighbours he was going to tear down an existing fence and they would have to move a meter box serving three units because it was on his property: he apparently got quite aggressive about it. The neighbours hired a surveyor who confirmed that the meter box and fence were both on their property, not his and he backed off, but the neighbours are still angry about that (and a few other stunts, including damage to their homes caused by his demolition crew).
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faucetman886
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Both points well taken....THANKS
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kitchenredo2
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Also, check to see if the contractor has been sued, either personally or as a business, and if any charges have been filed by your local jurisdiction/state. Court records reveal very interesting information. Do you want a contractor who has been arrested multiple times for DWI? Hasn't been paying child support? Filed for bankruptcy? Is on the Sex Offender Registry? All good things to know BEFORE entering into a business relationship.
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petra_granite
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
-are they licensed & bonded?
-get three references from jobs they installed that year: --or people they have worked with:
ask if you are able to view the work at a customer's house completed. (we allow this when asked: I have to get on phone & ask nicely a former customers to open their home & let a stranger see the work we have completed in bathrooms: floors and kitchens: and usually they open their homes for viewing)

-how many years have they been in business?
-do they have a current customer photo book to look at?
-have they been sued and who won!!!?

Sometimes: you get what you pay for: keep that in mind. Cheaper is not always better. The "cheap" contractors and installers are really hurting the business of long time business owners doing a better job!!!! all based on cost lower with the cheap guy no one has heard of.

One of our former customers who we installed Dec 22, 2007: who lost money to a contractor and had a 1/2 finished kitchen, torn apart fireplace, due to contractors who "disappeared" in the night! She had NO running water in her kitchen for 3 months because her contractor took her kitchen apart and then disappeared!!!! She gave him $2,500 down. Left a mess at her house with 1/2 a kitchen of granite that had to be matched by us! not an easy granite to match; Portofino. And my tile guy had to Double Rock her walls because of the mess that guy left in the kitchen and the gap on the other counter top!!!!! it was crazy!

(also: I don't believe in the BBB: because the customers who have reported negative things about my boss in the last 2 years: we tried to help them and they refused to reason with us. We tried 100% to make them happy. They were completely unreasonable. Seriously, my boss would not be in business today with a store front on the highway for 15 years if she did bad work) People who are drama starters who don't get their way: and who are completely unreasonable go vent on BBB. I responded to all the complaints: but they are still on there. Doesn't seem fair really. If they really cared, they would take us to court, but they can't because really they have no grounds and would lose. I still try to help people no matter what, but some people are just unreasonable. It's sad.)

Be open minded when you go into a project.

Do lots of homework on your project, and you could video tape the install, but don't make the installer nervous.

Ask the contractor to go over every thing: NEVER assume anything!

Do I need a glass company? Do I need to call a master plumber? Let them know that you don't want any surprises. Get every thing in writing! If you get to pick a slab for coutertop at stone yard: write down the serial number and ask to see the slab on the cutting table day of fabrication. We allow this. We allow customer to watch templates being laided on stone before it's cut. Ask first.
(I personally would buy my own sink for my kitchen)
(also, if you are getting natural stone in your kitchen: I would tell them not to seal the stone: and seal it yourself with an industrial commercial VOC sealer off a website. Then you really know the facts!)

Also, ask the contractor and get it in writing what he DOESN"T DO. Also, if you want to save money: do the demo yourself: tear outs: If in a kitchen: always tear out the walls were your existing back splash is and install Durrock: easy to do! If my 60 year old aunt can do herself: anyone can! Durrock is way better than what you have existing: it's updated and the best board! In tile section at lowes or home depot! Durrock vs. hardibacker! seriously!

Hope that helped.

Beware!

Happy New Year!
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How to hire a contractor or 10 steps to avoid a nervous breakdown

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lucky32

sushipup1

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faucetman886
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How to hire a contractor or 10 steps to avoid a nervous breakdown

Comments (5)

lucky32

sushipup1

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faucetman886Original Author

kitchenredo2

petra_granite

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faucetman886
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