Remodeling Contractor Services

The Only Way To Hire A Contractor
by: Dale B. Adams


Everywhere you go everybody always gives you the same advice on how to choose a contractor. They simply say get three estimates, and call the Better Business Bureau. There is a much better way to hire a contractor to ensure you get what you want; a quality job at a fair price. Don’t get three estimates.

Basically most people including contractors are fair and honest. They want to perform a service for you and get paid so they can provide for their family just as you need to provide for yours. Why everybody assumes and implies that contractors in general are swindlers simply isn’t fair or correct.

You may hear on the news that a homeowner lost a substantial amount of money from a corrupt contractor. What you don’t hear about is the other thousands of contractors providing good quality work on a daily basis.

The advice of getting three estimates for every job is bad advice. What most people will do when they get three estimates is to naturally choose the lowest bid. A few are enlightened and will choose the average bid, versus the highest or the lowest. But either way, having three contractors come do a free estimate for you leads to bad service for everybody.

A contractors time is very valuable just as yours is. Now when you get an estimate and inform this contractor that you are going to get three bids, you are implying that his ethics may be lacking, which isn’t very nice. You have also put a lot of pressure on him because he needs the work to feed his family and keep his employees working. Naturally he is going to give you the lowest bid he can to ensure he gets the job. In turn the other two contractors that follow him are going to need the job also. So depending on how desperate they are for work will depend how low they will bid to get this job. This constant form of playing cutthroat with their competitors leads them to underbid jobs just so they have work.

After they lose money on a job they are even more desperate to get the next job. What this does is leads contractors into financial problems and it leads to bad service, not being able to do the job correctly and a lot of stress for them. This can cause even a man with the sturdiest ethics to lose his footing. He will want to perform a quality job as agreed but when he doesn’t have any money to pay his employees or to buy materials he simply can’t do it.

If everybody always has three free estimates performed then it takes the contractors away from supervising their employees on your job site. You made a contract with him, and he is whom you will want to communicate with during the job. If he is off giving free estimates and not able to watch his employees, the quality of the job may suffer. In addition if an employee gets hurt, a water pipe breaks, or they run out of supplies the job will stop right there. All in all, insisting on three estimates does everybody a disservice and leads to unhappy people, including you.

Somehow people get the idea that contractors make a lot of money. I was a contractor and I know that is not correct. It is a very competitive business and it isn’t hard to lose a substantial amount of money very quickly.

The best way to hire a contractor is via word of mouth. If you need some work done and you see a contractors sign in a yard, stop and talk to him. Look at his project, the safety measures, his employees, the quality of his tools and the quality of his work. Talk to the owner and see if he is pleased with the work. Call the Better Business Bureau and ask about this contractor. The BBB can be circumvented because they register contractors by their phone number. With cell phones, unethical contractors can change their business name, get a new cell phone number and place a new ad in the newspaper. So check to see if their phone number is a home phone number or a cell phone. It is always better to locate a contractor in the phone book, if you don’t go by word of mouth.

Once you have located a contractor that you deem does the quality work you want done, ask for an estimate. Tell him you would like the estimate to be itemized with the materials and labor separate.

A good rule of thumb for estimates is that the labor will be double the amount of materials. A smaller job will be more for labor.

When he brings a contract ask him to also bring his insurance binder that certifies he has current liability insurance. If he requires a down payment inform him that you would prefer to make the first payment after a fair amount of work has been done. If he has a problem with that and indicates any sign of financial trouble you may want to rethink your choice. Before you sign the contract get a verbal or written agreement from him that he will be on site during the job.

If you take these steps your experience with a contractor will be pleasant. Do your part and recommend the good contractor to your friends. Never get three free estimates. This same advice to protect you against consumer fraud is the cause of the problem.

About The Author


Dale B. Adams

The Author and Self Publisher; Dale B. Adams of Majestic Publishers just released the new book, “Care Giving Made Easy - How to be an Awesome Caregiver,” It was designed to assist America during the massive transition of our growing elderly population.

majesticpublishers.com

Flooring Contractors Advice

Floor Basics - Floor Strength – Find A Good Contractor
by: Joel Dean Davis



>From experience and research both, you will find out that a floor would have to get into a very considerable bad shape before you really need to rip the entire structure out by the roots of your older home and start over. If a floor becomes water damaged due to sinks, bathtubs or other leakage from somewhere, and the owner is unaware of it, then obviously the affected flooring can rot and swell and might need to be replaced. In some cases it might be that some type of stain could hinder sanding and refinishing a wood floor, but this would be an unusual situation.

Sometimes a floor can sag in a corner but appear to be in good shape otherwise. This could mean that the seal plate on the foundation or the foundation itself has become rotted or weakened. Don’t be totally alarmed! Many times the seal plate can be fixed or part of the foundation can be repaired without too much hassle. You can add a floor jack (floor stand, floor support, what ever you want to call it ) under the floor for added strength too as well as lift the floor up some to level it back.

This brings me to another quick note that I should add. If the floors look sound, but you know you are going to put a water bed or some very heavy furniture or equipment on it, then adding floor jacks can save you some headaches down the road if the house is really old or your not sure.

Adding additional support can’t hurt but here are some facts to consider. Older waterbeds can weigh as much as 2000 lbs and if a house has been inspected and passes all modern building codes, then it should be able to handle the weight of your waterbed with no problems. This is because the weight is distributed over a broad range. Approximately 50 lbs per square ft. as a general estimate, therefore it exerts less weight per square foot than some of the other items in your home. You could have a refridgerator, fish tank, or even a book shelf that weighs more per square foot than a water bed. A good fact to know.

On the lighter and brighter side of things though, it is incredible what can be done to older floors to cover them or restore them. As a general rule, if the floor is structurally sound and stable, then it can be restored and the products and options available are countless. Just walk into a local home renovation or hardware store and you’ll soon see what I’m talking about. Wood floors can be sanded and refinished to look like new. Concrete floors can be sealed, repaired and painted to give either a smooth or rough style finish depending on it’s main purpose.

Without a doubt fixing floors can turn into some serious and back breaking work, but there are many tools available to get the job done right. If you need some heavy duty tools or equipment, it’s practical to go somewhere and rent what you need. Floor finishers, sanders, scrubbers… it’s all there and you don’t actually have to buy it knowing that you might only use it this one time.

What’s that you say… you would rather have someone else do it… is that it? I have said it before myself. I would rather save myself the frustration and prevent the act of bringing myself that much closer to hell by letting someone else do it..!! (Whatever “IT” is at the time.) Like a lot of people, I can carry on like a sailor without a boat, and I know that being in that state isn’t good for my health. Get someone that knows what to do..!!

Well of course there are tons of contractors out there, but finding the right one can seem tedious maybe. Or, maybe not if you know how to go about it the right way.

To find the right contractor has the same guidelines if you are remodeling the kitchen or giving the floors a new facelift. However, there probably are contractors that may specialize in floor replacement and repair and maybe choosing one for a specific type of job is practical.

As everyone should know, we can’t trust someone’s advertisement alone. We have to investigate at least a little to find out more. I know you have heard it before, and it still stands true in our modern days. Word of mouth is the best indicator and you can talk to some of your associates and friends to help with finding a good contractor. You might even get to see some of their work first hand which would really be a plus.

Call up some contractors after you get some potential ones chosen and get a quote from them and also use that time to talk to them extensively as much as possible. Don’t be in a hurry, and write down some potential questions in advance of getting a quote. I’m saying this because this leads to the next important thing to consider in the process.

An extremely important factor in your decision and quite possibly one of the most important when it comes to a pleasurable remodeling experience, is the personality of the contractor you choose. This person will be in and out of your home and maybe even have access to it at times while you are out and away from home. You are going to be seeing a great deal of your new contractor for at least a few weeks or more, (possibly), and you should be comfortable with that person. It stands to good reason that the stress and hassle of remodeling in itself will be easier if you are compatible with, and actually like the person who is doing the work for you.

Find out personal as well as professional information. Simply ask while having a conversation during the quote. Find out how long the contractor has been working in the field and how many jobs he has done. Will he be doing the work, or is this the last time you see him, and all of his crew comes over to do the work? Does he supervise first hand when other workers are there? Does he have a family? Take note of the vehicle he drives up in when he comes for the quote. Believe me, using common sense is always best. Even if he drives an older van or truck… how organized does everything look? Making small talk and learning about a person can go a very long way. The more you know the better and that goes deeper than the work at hand that needs to be done. That’s just it, you want the work done and done right. _ As always… Good Luck In Your Home Projects..!!



About The Author

Joel Davis has been a Do It Yourselfer since an early age, and has an extensive amount of knowledge of working with tools, plumbing and renovation projects. For more articles similar to this visit this site: http://mostlikable.com/forhome/ Good luck!

Home Insulation – Should You ‘do It Yourself’ Or Use A Professional Contractor?

by: Alex Perry



Insulating your home well can save you a small fortune on your energy bills, by cutting the amount of heat you lose through your walls, doors and roof. But should you try to do this home improvement by yourself, or hire someone to do it? This article weighs up the pros and cons of using a professional contractor versus doing it yourself.

The Energy Saving Trust in the UK estimates that the average home can save several hundred pounds off its annual heating bills, and prevent the emission of over two tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, by installing insulation throughout. Insulation is the single biggest measure you can take to cut the amount of energy you use in the home. Plus this will also make the average home more comfortable by making it warmer in winter, and cooler in summer. It’s no wonder that hundreds of thousands of people a year in the UK are getting their homes insulated.

When thinking about insulating your home you are immediately faced with the choice of employing a professional contractor to do it, or attempting a bit of DIY. At first the DIY option can appear tempting. For example, some types of insulation, such as loft insulation, are not normally technically difficult to fit. The materials are readily available in most DIY stores. Plus many people automatically think that DIY is going to be cheaper than employing a professional contractor, because with a contractor you are paying for their labour.

However, in many cases they will be wrong because using a professional contractor is either cheaper or roughly the same cost as DIY. This is because installing insulation in the UK is now heavily subsidised by gas and electricity suppliers, in order that they can meet their carbon emission targets set by the government. These subsidies are funded by the power companies regardless of household income, and currently amount to between 50 and 70% of the cost of having the insulation installed. This usually means that using a contractor becomes price competitive, or in many cases even cheaper, than DIY.

Plus if you receive certain benefits from the government in the UK, you can get your insulation installed by a professional contractor completely free. This is because the government tops up the grants from the energy companies with its own subsidies to cover the entire cost of the work.

As well as financial considerations, there are other reasons why employing a professional contractor can be attractive. Firstly, some types of insulation do require special technical expertise. For example, to install cavity wall insulation – filling the space between your outer walls with insulation material - requires special machinery, as well as training. You should always use a reputable contractor for this. Although not technically difficult, installing loft insulation is often still a challenging DIY job. The working conditions in a loft are often cramped and unpleasant. Employing someone else to go up there is in many cases a much more attractive option!

As well as the technical challenges, DIY can also have a number of safety issues. For example, the mineral wool that is commonly used to insulate lofts can be hazardous. It is extremely important to handle it with care, as it can severely irritate the throat and skin. You need to wear protective clothing, including face mask, safety goggles and gloves. You also need to make sure that you do not expose the living areas of the house to the material, either when you unpack it, or dispose of any waste material.

If you use a reputable contractor, you can be sure that these issues will be taken care of, with much less hassle for you. You also know that the job will be done to a good standard, because of their training and experience. In fact, cavity wall insulation carried out by professionals in the UK comes with a 25 year guarantee if they are registered with the Cavity Wall Guarantee Agency, which most reputable firms are.

Given all of these advantages, we recommend that most people use a professional contractor to get their home insulated. It’s generally competitive on cost or cheaper than DIY, safer, less hassle, and will be done to a high standard if you choose the right contractor. There are many reputable firms who can be accessed through the Internet They will offer you a free no-obligation survey, after which you get a quotation. They also give you access to the attractive grants and subsidies mentioned above. If you like what they tell you, then you can simply go ahead and get a date booked for the work, and look forward to a warmer home and lower heating bills.

http://build-yourhome.blogspot.com/ http://carlsbadconstruction.blogspot.com/

About The Author

Alex Perry is a founder of http://www.downwithco2.co.uk/ , a site dedicated to making it easy for people to save energy and cut their personal contribution to Climate Change by giving them information and putting them in touch with companies that can help.