Tips for Selecting and Contracting a Home
Remodeling General Contractor
Are you considering a home remodeling project for your property?
Most remodeling projects involve either structural or aesthetic
aspects which might require several specialized technical skills.
If this is the case, you may want to enlist the services of a general
contractor.
A general contractor negotiates a contract for the entire remodeling
project, and either completes the specialized work with his own crew,
or sub-contracts to other various house remodeling contractors. Some
of the specialized areas might include planning/architecture, concrete,
plumbing, electrical, roofing, dry wall, cabinetry, or painting.
The Planning
To get an accurate bid from a potential general contractor, it
is very important to plan carefully, with much thought and consideration.
You may want to involve an architect or draftsman to generate the
blueprints for your project. Remember that any home remodeling features
not included in the plans will not be included in the bid.
Once you have detailed plans for your project, you need to start
the selection process for a general contractor. Canadian residents
can go on-line to for a list of qualified, licensed contractors.
The Contractor
It is a rule of thumb to get at least 3 bids from separate remodeling
contractors. Provide each with an identical set of plans. Be upfront
about your expectations, and request they be realistic about time,
cost, and interruption factors. It is wise not to make a selection
based on price alone; other considerations are equally important.
Before you accept a bid from a contractor ask questions: What experience
and references do they have from projects similar to yours? Will they
be working on other projects simultaneously with your own? If they
will not be personally working at your site, how much time each day
will they spend supervising? Will they use their own crew for some
or all the work? How available will any sub-contractors be? What licenses
and insurance do they carry? And what is the time line of the project,
start to finish? These are questions any reliable, qualified general
contractor should answer and outline in the contract. The
Contract
When negotiating the contract for your home remodeling project,
be thorough and accurate. Include complete names and addresses of
both parties, a detailed job description, material specifications,
start and finish dates, any warranties on work or materials, and
payment options.
It is fairly common for a general contractor to ask for 10-33%
of the estimated cost in advance; most contracts provide for payment
as work progresses.
A reliable, reputable contractor will agree to contract terms which
help protect the interests of both parties.
By being thorough in your research, planning, and contracting process,
you can look forward to enjoying the results of your home remodeling
project for many years to come!
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