Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

Why should you hire a contractor?

Hiring a general contractor is a good idea for many remodeling projects. Home renovation contractors have a broad range of skills to manage, coordinate and complete a project. They should help make sure your project comes in on time and within your budget as they hire and supervise all the necessary subcontractors, including electricians and plumbers. They also handle procuring all the materials required for your job. Some homeowners look to save money by acting as their own contractor, but an experienced home renovation contractor is worth the cost. They should know local building codes, be able to pull all necessary permits, and work with inspectors to make sure the construction meets local codes. Also, because they get professional discounts, they can typically buy materials at a better price than you can; better prices on materials and labor save you money, and make up for at least a percentage of the cost of the contractor.

What is a general contractor?

When starting a home remodel or new construction project, you will probably hire a general contractor. A general contractor is a professional who is qualified to take a set of building plans and construct them as outlined. The general contractor may help perform the day-to-day building, or they may just hire workers and oversee all the work activities. In either case, the job of the general contractor is to see that your project gets built.

When you have a building project, ask for bids from various contractors. The bids tell you how much each will charge and what their scope of work will be. Once you have selected a bid, you sign a contract with that general contractor outlining the specifics of the project and the milestones during the project when they will receive payment installments. Once the contract is official, the general contractor will bring in their crew to begin construction. The contractor will manage the workers and subcontractors (anyone who doesn’t work directly for their company but that they need to outsource, like a marble installation pro), order all the materials, obtain work permits, and confirm that all the workers and subcontractors are completing their projects as planned. They typically handle all the payments to the workers and subcontractors, and send you invoice. For all these reasons, it’s also especially important to follow a few smart hiring practices when it comes to finding a general contractor. If you are organized and competent to oversee construction projects, and are able to make sure everything is being built properly and meeting code, it’s possible you can be your own general contractor.

How do you choose a commercial general contractor?

A commercial contractor provides similar services as a residential general contractor but specializes in working with large-scale projects for businesses, schools, nonprofits, governments and development firms. When researching commercial general contractors, review their portfolio of work and confirm they have ample experience working in the area you need. For example, if you are building a small strip mall, ask if the contractors have experience successfully incorporating all the needed elements such as a parking lot, meeting ADA requirements, accessing the proper permits, and completing work on time.

Once you’ve identified several qualified candidates, request bids for your project and then compare the scope of work with your needs and budget. Your commercial general contractor should oversee design, permitting, construction, materials purchase, and adherence to building code and zoning regulations, as well as sticking to an agreed-upon budget and schedule. It’s important to establish clear communication with your future commercial general contractor, as this will mean a smoother process for everyone. For all these reasons, it’s also especially important to follow a few smart hiring practices when it comes to finding a general contractor.

Do I need a contractor for a kitchen remodel?

A kitchen remodel is one of the most important investments you can make in your home, and it’s critical to get the details right; that’s where a home renovation contractor comes in. A minor remodel usually includes new cabinet faces and hardware, replacement appliances, and paint, while an extensive job may enlarge the kitchen’s square footage, install new cabinets or an island, change the layout, and lay new tile or hardwood floors. Any renovation that includes filing permits, construction, or electrical or plumbing work is best completed by an experienced contractor who knows local codes.

How much will it cost to remodel my house?

The cost to remodel a home is highly variable — size and scope of the project, quality of materials, and the number of subcontractors required to complete the job all affect the total cost. The average national cost of a home renovation project is $13,500. The national average per-square-foot cost of a remodel ranges from $25 to $100. Nationally, kitchen and bathroom remodels are the most popular types of projects, in part because they typically have the highest return on investment when the home is sold. The national average cost of a major kitchen remodel ranges from $25,000 to $62,000, while the average bathroom remodel tends to cost $6,000 to $18,000. In addition to materials and labor costs, many remodeling project costs include permit fees, which, average $900 or more, depending on your location.

Chris S.

Verified review

Jose did a fantastic job refinishing our ceiling and daughter's playroom. He was on time and professional, but he also went above and beyond in terms of the work. He took care of a minor plumbing issue around the wet bar he removed and told me "don't call the plumber, they'll charge you and arm and legI'll take care of it." Then he just stubbed the pipes, took care of it and didn't ask for any more money. I paid him a little on top anyways. Because he's a pro and he deserved it. I would hire 100 Joses to remodel and paint my house right now. I'm using other contractors and wishing he did it all. He just does really awesome drywall.

Vaughn B.

As most here can attest finding a trustworthy, professional and reasonably priced contractor is a coin flip sometimes. Found Rojas Contracting via this website and all of their reviews were outstanding so I decided to get a quote from them. Their quote amongst the lowest so we decided to go with them. For the entire two week job of building a privacy fence around a 1/2 acre yard they were completely professional, attentive to detail and changes that we wanted to make and even decided to redo a couple of small areas that they were not satisfied with and we had not even noticed. They cleaned up very well after the job was complete and we plan on using them for future remodeling and construction jobs as well. Cannot think of anything that was even partially negative with the experience and we would highly recommend them to anyone that has a construction or remodeling need.

Ramona M.

Michael is the owner of Rescue 1 Construction and is a really busy guy managing several sizable projects. Michael quickly responded to my Thumb Tack request and was very efficient and professional. We will definitely refer Michael Kemp to others for construction work. When we posted that we needed help, he took time from his busy schedule to help us get rid of an extremely heavy king size mattress and box springs so we could replace it with a new one we wanted to order online. There is no way 2 seniors would have been able to remove that heavy thing and take it and the boxsprings down 2 flights of stairs and haul it to the dump. He came the very next day and quickly got that thing out of our way. Thank you so much. Ramona M

Diana G.

FrameOne Construction had a big part in making my beautiful apartment home. He was professional, knowledgeable and was always focused on his work. Thank you for a job well done.

Greg G.

In North Missouri it is hard to get contractors to show up, let alone do a quality job. I was pleasantly surprised when I found TMC. They did a quality paint job on the house with minimal amount of supervision. Larry was very easy to work with and showed the utmost in customer service skills.

Lyn Z.

Jared and his crew built a wonderful deck using composite decking that we had purchased through Cargo Largo. The assembly of the product was unusual and scared off a few contractors. Jared was confident that he could make it work and he did. He found a compatible product for the fascia and kick plates. He also color matched paint for the posts. We added a small deck and stairs off the side of the house to the original bid. Jared was clear about the additional cost and time. They worked around weather and a few problems that were uncovered. They had to leave one day before they could rework a railing that was out of line. He pointed it out and assured us that it would be redone. I'm not sure I would have noticed. We are very pleased with the decks, and felt that they did excellent work for a very reasonable price.

Lana L.

We reached out to five contractors all of which said they could not start until July. None impressed us at all. David then gives us a bid by email within 48 hrs. and then we meet and discuss scope of project and set a date for start. We never expected him to work solely on this project from start to finish but that is exactly what he delivered. Timely arrival times arranged in advance with us, excellent communication throughout even while working in our home, touching base, asking questions, clarifying details. David exceeded our expectations and found a window that we only discussed verbally on the first meeting and it looked fabulous when in place. We will work with David again on multiple projects because he shows integrity with the quality of his work as well as shows up when he says he is coming to start work. He finished exactly on schedule with having to arrange electrical contractors. We are still working on other projects and looking forward to hi, assisting us with those. Lana Lee

Pam S.

I hired Jim to install an electrical outlet in my home where there was not one. First, let me say that Jim was prompt to respond to my service request. I scheduled an appointment for him to come to my home to assess the job and provide me with an estimate. Jim arrived promptly, quoted a very fair price, and came ready to do the job. I hired him on the spot even though I had an appointment set for another professional to give me an estimate. Jim is very professional, yet personable, and efficient in his trade. The install was neat and clean, and Jim was careful to cleanup behind himself. I will definitely hang on to Jim's contact information and consider him for future home projects, as he is a general contractor and experienced in various construction trades. It should be clear by now that I highly recommend Jim Mowrey, owner of Kustom Remodeling. You won't be sorry. I'm sure not!

Cheryl A.

Matt was very prompt, communicated well and was able to meet me the same day. He was knowledgable about our project and familiar with the permit process. Although we were unable to hire him at this time due to a different complication, we would have been very comfortable having him as a contractor. If we have any future projects, he will be the first person we call!

RLee B.

To this day we are pleased with the work provided by S&W Construction after our church fire. We get lots of compliments from visitors to this day. After a devastating church fire, S&W renovated and remodeled our church from the floor to the ceiling. The sanctuary ceiling was destroyed by the fire department as they put out the fire so it was very cold for them to work but they worked in the cold winter months non stop. They fixed it so we were able to have church services in the renovated and remodeled lower level while they worked or the two upper levels. They added two restrooms and an office. Restored our sanctuary, balcony, replaced windows and doors, carpeting, painting, new furnaces, new lighting, pews, new choir stand, new pulpit, kitchen and setup and installed appliances, etc. We later hired S&W Construction for sidewalk replacement and driveway reproach replacement. We will hire them again.

Chris B.

Job: Business startup/tenant finish in Shawnee Kansas What Went Well: Had a plan, had funds, how hard can it be... (Hard!)Started with City Planning, immediately determined that I was lost and in over my head, I needed expert help and needed it now! Looked for Architect and read the following profile for Bob Del Popolo: No project too small to bring your dream to reality. I pride myself with on time and with in budget and have worked with a multitude of General Contractors in the Kanas City area. I specialize if you want one stop shopping with the Design+Build experience domestically and internationally. My fees are competitive but offer a strong sense of integrity, leadership and communication skills. All true! I was blessed to find an individual that was experienced, professional, reputable, honest, tenacious, and had my (the client) best interest at the forefront of the project. I would be out of money and out of time if I had not found/contacted Bob Del Polpolo. This is the first review I have ever written for anyone and or anything! Chris Billings 4/15/15

Grant H.

I had a driveway renovation/expansion project. Arrow has financing options, so once we got money figured out they came in and did the whole project in 2 days. Project went well, crew was great, driveway looks good. Only issue I had was that they didn't backfill the dirt to the driveway. I didn't realize they would haul all the dirt away, now I gotta find/buy some. Other than that, would recommend these guys.

Susan B.

Michael renovated a bathroom for me. He was very professional and thorough. When obstacles arose, he made sure I understood all of the options available before moving forward with the project. I would definitely hire him again.

Laura S.

We have renovated three homes. Our experience with Kerby construction has been out best experience yet. Jim Kerby provided high quality work, was moderately priced and was easy to work with. He was on time, worked efficiently, and was versatile. We will definitely hire him again.

Adrianne V.

Kevin had a very competive bid and he communicated/responded quickly to questions about our Master Bath tile project. He installed tile in the shower and installed stone on the floor. He completed the job within budget and on time. The completed job is beuatiful and exactly what we wanted.

Stani H.

Excellence to details, excellence of how she handles her contractor and she is born to design. Karin is very good at listening of what you need as a homeowner and then coming u with a plan of how to give you what you want in your budget without loosing functionality! Karin Ross and Building Pro (the contractor Karin works with) recently did my master bathroom and was nothing less but spectacular! Every time I had a question, Karin was available quickly and took care of what I needed. Remodeling can be frustrating but with Karin's support and professionalism my master bathroom looks like it just come out of a magazine. Thank you again!

Judy J.

R&R construction was first to get back with me and was able to replace the faucet and under sink plumbing in the same day. Renauld is polite, professional, and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend him and his work.

Adam D.

We had a window well that flooded water into our basement and we were under a lot of stress trying to figure out what to do with it. The last time something like that happen we had a contractor come out and dry out the carpet but leave the pad wet and basically ruined our pad. I was referred to yeti restoration and they came out and were very professional gave me a good price and could do the work the same day to prevent further damage. I actually trusted this company to be be there with my wife and kids without me there. That says a lot! I refer yeti restoration to everybody now!

MT S.

The most professional construction firm that I have discovered on Thumbtack after several years of flipping houses. Words cannot describe the expertise in perfection, skill and quality but at a price that was the most reasonable. Not only that, but the down-to-earth 'old school' approach is a rare breed for a company I admire. Thank you so much!

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