Home Remodel & Addition Contractor

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. WHEN DECIDING ON A CONTRACTOR

Questions you should ask a contractor before signing in to a contract.

*Is the contractor licensed? Ask to see a copy of it. Check with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry at 651-284-5065 or www.doli.state.mn.us to verify license is still active.

*Is the contractor insured? Ask the insurance company to send you a certificate of insurance. Also, ask to see the subcontractors insurance. Is there enough coverage if something should go wrong?

*What type of schedule do they keep?

*Does the contractor agree to furnish references of comparable work? Ask to look at their previous work and talk to the homeowners.

* Do they seem organized enough to handle your project?

* Do you trust this person and/or the company they represent? Do you have faith in their ability to perform? You must feel comfortable with them as your contractor.

* Ask for the names of 3 major suppliers they have done business with in the last 5 years.

* Is the proposal detailed in its content? Does it list all the specifics so you do not any questions as to what you will receive?

* Who applies for the permit? The contractor should be the one who applies for the permits.

* When will construction start and how long will it take?

* How much of a deposit is required and when is the balance due?

* What is the contractor's warranty? What things are covered?

* Is a lien waiver provided?

* Never assume that ALL of the contractors bids are providing the same services for a different price, you must ask questions if you are unsure.

* When making your decision to hire a contractor it should be on more than just the lowest bid. The lowest bid will get done, but will it be on done on time ? What type of quality will it be done in?
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A contractor can use their experience and expertise to work for you or against you. You, unknowingly, get to choose only one or the other.
A good contractor's proposal may feel high but they will only produce remarkable projects. It goes against their principles to use subcontractors or suppliers just because they had the lowest quote.
A bad contractor, on the other hand, only has the ability to produce a substandard project, since their only goal is to have the lowest proposal. Unfortunately, they do not know the difference between GOOD and BAD work, therefore they will only use the lowest priced subcontractors or suppliers. Your search for the "most economical" proposal, which has been instilled in us as Americans, makes you his target.
With several materials suppliers and subcontractors involved in any given project, the contractor can select either the ones that can do the best job on time, or the lowest bids that will get it done sometime. Believe me, marriages have gone on the rocks because there were subcontractors who did not show up, did not show up on time, did not do the work correctly and according to specs, and then do not stand behind their work.
So if you are looking for the lowest bid, there is no magic to producing one. There is, however, a lot of magic if a low bid project is pulled off without a log of delays and cost overruns. In home remodeling, you truly do get what you pay for.
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It cannot be repeated too often: When the contractor has nothing to lose, the homeowner stands to lose everything.

When you finally get a contractor who passes the Questionnaire and you enter into a contract, you should treat your contract like a partnership. Your contractor shouldn't try to short change you, and you shouldn't short change your contractor.
If a contractor won't give you GOOD upfront service, it's merely a preview of the way they work and will work on your job. Call someone else.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CONTRACTORS


A contractor can use their experience and expertise to work for you or against you. You, indirectly, get to choose only one or the other. A very good contractor can only produce very good projects. It goes against his grain to use low bids from subcontractors or suppliers. His bid will feel high.

A bad remodeler, on the other hand, doesn't have the ability to produce a good job. He just doesn't know how. He uses the lowest priced subcontractors and suppliers because he doesn't know the difference between GOOD and BAD work. He never will. His goal is the low bid. And your search for a "bargain," so engrained in us as Americans, makes you his target.

With over 50 materials suppliers and subcontractors involved in a given project, and at least 10 of each to select from locally, a contractor has 500 subcontractors and vendors to choose from. He can select either the ones that can do the best job on time, or the lowest bids that will get it done sometime. Believe me, marriages have gone on the rocks because there were subs who did not show up, did not show up on time, did not do the work correctly and according to specs, and then do not stand behind their work.

So if you are looking for the lowest bid, there is no magic to producing one. There is, however, a lot of magic if a low bid project is pulled off without a log of delays and cost overruns. In home remodeling, you truly do get what you pay for.

It cannot be repeated too often: When the contractor has nothing to lose, the homeowner stands to lose everything.

When you finally get a contractor who passes the Questionnaire and you enter into a contract, you should treat your association like a partnership. Your contractor shouldn't try to short change you, and you shouldn't short change him. The first one who tries to nail the other will provoke the other to do the same. Then you have an adversarial relationship you didn't want or expect, and from there on things go downhill very quickly.

If a contractor won't give you GOOD upfront service, it's merely a preview of the way he works and will work on your job. Call someone else.