You're asking the right questions. But I must ask, from where did these reviews come from? From his great website or have folks that you know have had work done by him and recommended him? A great website means nothing more than he hired a talented website designer or he knows someone who made a great website for him.........has absolutely no bearing on his "contractor qualifications".
have you checked his credentials and standing with the contractor licensing board? Have you checked with the BBB for any complaints? have you checked with the courts clerks office to see if there have been any civil suits brought against him (public records) by clients who were dissatisfied with the quality of his work or performance.....?
As to the contract, these are the items that I have always included in my contracts with my clients:
1. The clients name, address, phone number, point of contact numbers, emergency numbers, the name of a client identified representative for emergency purposes.
1a) Site location (address, parcel number, subdivision, etc., etc..)
2. My information - company name, qualifying agent name, phone numbers, emergency phone numbers, address of company, email address, contractor license number, insurance company name, bonding company name and references to attached exhibits ( builder's certificate or license, bonding cover page, insurance cover page).
3. A detailed summary of the scope of the work to be provided, work to be provided by sub-contractors (referenced exhibit - list of sub-contractors and their scope of work), work to be provided by myself or my crews, any work or materials that will be provided by the Owner.
4. A list of major materials to be used ans/or supplied by myself or by sub-contractors.
5. A construction schedule summary identifying the start date, major bench mark dates and a completion date. ( I will usually reference this as an exhibit and attach a detailed gantt chart schedule).
6. A payment schedule showing the deposit and periodical payments tied into the progress schedule of the phased elements of construction (i.e. foundation, ground out, framing, dry in (exterior doors, windows), plumbing and electrical top out, insulation and dry wall, interior finishes (trim, flooring, doors, paint), cabinets and plumbing and electrical finish out. I use an AIA Payment Application(G702 & G703) form with attache lien release forms from all subs..........yes, I know this maybe see as over kill by some. But, I've never had a bank refuse a pay application and as I explain it to the client...........it protects them and me at the same time.
7. A summary of the design documents (style, size, physical description, etc., etc...) and a reference to the design documents (makes them a part of the contract)
8. Warranty information as to period and coverage particulars.
9. Conflict resolution remedies and procedures.
10. Termination terms.
A lot of the particulars concerning any job are dependent on the size and scope. Smaller jobs may only be a single sentence or two, but this is basically the bare bones of what you should expect to see in a contract from your contractor............if you don't, you need to ask questions, if he objects to your questions........don't walk...........RUN!
As too observations of actually construction work........have you ever inspected construction work? Would you know quality or deficient work when you saw it? Would you recognize short cuts..... and trust me, there are more than a few contractors out there who will take short cuts. If you are doubtful about your abilities to do this portion of the work, then I would seriously suggest you hire a construction manager to act as your representative, possible a family member who is knowledgeable about construction or your designer (if he/she is qualified).
Acting as your own general contractor can save you money...........it can also double your cost and your schedule in a heart beat if you don't know what you're doing.
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Floor tileprep
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