Home improvement is one of the areas in which consumers are often disappointed. No matter how well things start out, there’s bound to be a misunderstanding or difference of opinion at some point during the process. Here are 3 tips to help you avoid these issues.
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Choose a Good Contractor
This varies from one location to another and one profession to another. Plumbers and electricians typically have strict licensing requirements. General home contractors usually face fewer licensing requirements.
If a contractor has a license, however, you can usually assume he has:
- A certain level of education or training.
- A minimum level of experience.
- Passed an examination.
- Kept up with changes in code.
There is no absolute guarantee, but with a licensed professional you’re far more likely to have your project turn out well, and a better chance of redress if it doesn’t.
Note also that licenses usually refer to professional competence, not general business practices. If your contractor takes two months to add a new bathroom when he promised it would be done in three weeks, that’s probably not a violation of his license but of the remodeling contract. In that case, you may have recourse with a lawsuit or a bond. Source: HouseLogic
Never Go for the Lowest Bid
There are many willing to work basically for the cost of materials. The consequences of going this route are grave and there are just too many things that can go wrong. Ask yourself a few simple questions: What kind of quality will be done if the contractor is basically being paid nothing? How do you expect to finish the job when the money runs out from being underbid? What if a worker gets hurt or worse? Never put your home or finances at risk by going with the cheapest. Source: wikiHow
Obtain a Written Contract
When the contractor starts work, when the work should be finished, who pays for the materials the contractor will use and when the contractor gets paid – some up front and the rest on completion? periodically over the life of the job? – are common points of contention that are typically covered by most construction documents.
Of course, during the course of a job, the planned work may change, and the contract may not even cover some of the changes. That’s why it’s important to write down any job changes – which you can do using Nolo’s (free!) “Contractor Mid-Job Worksheet.” Expect the unexpected, and be prepared to sit down with your contractor regularly to review progress and deal with changes, like a sub-contractors’ illness.
Also make sure that the contractor is on board with your changes. Both of you should review and sign any contract modifications, to avoid costly and time-consuming disagreements down the road. Source: NOLO
Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8279 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4W1
(604) 360-2114
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