The BIG Questions When Hiring a Contractor

Can I meet a client and see a project that was completed 5-10 years ago?

We all like to browse cutting edge technology and the latest and coolest design offerings, but that is what showrooms are for! Truthfully if you can see one or two prior completed jobs when you are considering hiring a contractor, see something that was designed and built a few years ago. This will give you a window into a few important things

• Brand and Durability of products offered
• Integrity and quality of the installation
• Ease of the process'
• Long term Client satisfaction
• How long the Contractor has really been in business*

*a few contractors, certainly not all contractors, exaggerate the longevity of their business, beware of this practice.

When you meet that client, it’s important to ask the right questions

• Was your Project completed on time and in budget?
• Were there many changes after the project began-surprises and extra work
• Were you permitted as the homeowner to supply any of your own material, tile flooring etc? Or did everything need to be purchased through the contractor?
• Did the contractor charge a premium?
• Was the job well supervised?
• Was the work continuous within reason (stopping for inspections)?
• Were there any issues after the job was completed, how were they handled
• Does the client feel like they got good value, and what they expected?
• Was the name of the Business hired 5 years ago the same as the contractor is using today?*

*again, changing a business name is a tactic used by a few contractors out there to hide from bad reviews, lawsuits, and dissatisfied customers. Do your homework and don’t fall for this.

None of this is to say that you shouldn’t hire a new business or a young contractor. Quite the contrary, it just does pay to do your homework to find out where they got their start, and if they are young, have they worked for someone in the past? Ask to speak to that contractor.

Some contracts have 50 clauses on the back, if they do, take the time to read each one. If you think you need a lawyer to review the contract, then get one or move on to another contractor. It's possible the contractor you're dealing with has been on the receiving end of a lawsuit. This may or may not have been warranted or unwarranted. Your contract should be in easy to read language. Make sure that you are protected and negotiate changes you want up front.
I grew up in the construction business, third generation after both of my grandfathers’ and my own dad. Many of the people who worked for my father went on to have their own businesses. They stayed in touch with us as a family, and when the work was getting beyond my father he took pride in handing the jobs down to his past employees, with confidence they would do a great job.

If someone hasn’t come up the ranks working on the job-sites, as an apprentice, then journeyman, then master craftsman they are more of a “marketing expert/business person”, their perspective on the business may be very different than someone who learned the business from the foundation up.

Finally always check the name of the business with the Better Business Bureau. Accreditation with this organization shows a willingness by the contractor to be openly scrutinized. This practice protects the consumer and the Contractor, and if the business you are looking into has nothing to hide, they will want to share their excellent rating.



Author’s note: Working for one of the top kitchen design showrooms in the country is an honor and a pleasure. I have shared with my employers at MCK+B what I have learned through my personal experiences in this business, and they know that while they chose me as the right person for the showroom, I chose them based on their impeccable reputation. I am never too busy to offer advice, or give the name of independent referrals within the industry. Follow me on Twitter for industry updates!

How Do I Choose a Good Contractor?

Choosing a contractor is not often easy, and many times fear of commitment holds homeowners back. One of the best ways to find a good reputable contractor you can trust is to ask friends and neighbors for referrals. It's even ok to stop at an ongoing job, but be careful to stay out of the way and speak directly with the homeowner. For the most part people are flattered that you noticed their project and they are proud to show off what they are having done. Strike up a pleasant conversation and you may even be invited back to see the progress.

The remodeling industry is frought with nightmare stories, so it's also important to be able to weed out the truth, the homeowner may have had a bad experience yes, but it's possible that it had nothing to do with the contractor.
One of the most daunting things about remodeling is the cost overrun factor. If you ask a neighbor who just had their kitchen remodeled and they exclaim "my kitchen was supposed to cost $50,000, but when I was done paying for the extras it was closer to $70,000...I love my new kitchen, but I won't recommend the contractor because of how the price went up." Hmmmm, what can you make of that statement, it comes down to what were the extras? Was it that the tile, which the homeowner said went completely under the cabinets really only went two inches under them?...and now with the new cabinet layout the entire floor needed replaced, and while selecting the material, the homeowner fell in love with an exotic marble tile and thought it made sense to add radiant heat, and continue the floor to the foyer?

That's a big change, they just added work and material to include:

1. Rip out and removal (contractors pay to dump waste) of the exisitng floor
2. Expanded the job to the foyer not just the kitchen ($50,000)
3. Radiant heat (will invlove either plumber or elecrtrician depending on the sysytem)
4. Labor and material for Marble floor install (more expensive than ceramic/porcelain.

This change could easily add $10,000 to the bottom line on a job. If the homeowner was warned that uniform flooring throughout was key reusing the exisiting floor in a new layout, and advised of the costs of a potential new floor, gave the go ahead, then the contractor was completely upfront and the homeowner just has remorse over the expense. The homeowner picked beautiful natural stone and wanted warm feet, no wonder they love their kitchen! Give the contractor a break here, he was doing his job.

Now take the same floor, same homeowner, they told the contractor the tile only went under the cabinets by two inches and they wanted to replace it with marble throughout the foyer and add radiant heat since the tile was cold in the winter. The homeowner still ended up with almost $8,000 in additional flooring costs, then you would look at the allowances the contractor included for labor and material, were they enough, did they include the foyer at all?? Probably not or at too low a rate, in this case the homeowner has a right to feel upset.

Unforseen conditions and exposed code violations have to be brought up to code at the homeowners expense. If you bought Pandora's box, it's unfortunate, but it's yours. In this case, the key to a good contractor is that he helps you through the process, with the right subs, and getting the work done quickly and inspected so you can put the situation behind you and your mind at ease.

Remember if you told your contractor your entire wishlist and that you wanted to spend $50,000 on your kitchen, you have to carefully read the contract that everything you want is included at your number. Full disclosure is they key to an honorable home improvement contractor. Ask for a list of what is not included in the job, or what is covered by an allowance, how much is it, and can you go to any store? What good is a $750 allowance for an Exterior French Door, when the least expensive one they sell at the approved vendor is $2000? Well, it $750 worth of good, now add $1250 to your personal bottom line.

Items typically covered by an allowance only or not included:

• flooring material
• cabinetry upgrades (premium woods, finishes, drawer glides, plywood const.)
• faucets
• appliances
• specialty windows
• exterior doors
• exotic granite
  

Remember it IS reasonable for the contractor to cover these items by allowances, after all, you don't want to have the cost of Blue Bahai Granite built in to your kitchen when what you want is a Blue Sapphire or Blue Opal. If you know the stone you want ahead of time, you can ask that it is specifically included in the contract to avoid questions later. When it comes to a kitchen faucet you could spend anywhere from $120.00 to $1200.00, if the contractor offers you a credit to supply your own, believe me there will be noisy days you won't want to be at your house, and they will be perfect for faucet shopping!

Three reasons not to base your decision to hire a contractor:

1. He/she said we didn't need permits or contracts because my project just direct replacement etc.
2. He/she looked the most professional.
3. He/she stayed for hours going over the reasons we should hire them.

You may feel more comfortable and friendly with a contractor who doesn't want to deal with paperwork, let call it a "handshake deal", but the truth is, a contract is to protect everyone and your state has laws by which the contractor must abide. This is important for both parties, and it should clearly outline all of your project specifications, allowances etc as well as your obligations for payment and cost overruns. A well written contract can save the project for all involved. With regard to permits, allow the town to tell you they aren't needed, even if you are just upgrading from electric cooking to the evermore popular dual-fuel range, you will need a plumbing inspection. This is in your best interest to get.

It's fine and good to clean up and present well after a day on the jobsite, but when a contractor sits in your home for 2-3 hours in a pressed shirt and slacks and says "you know how I know all this, it's because I make this presentation to homeowners four times a day." Now ask yourself, if that is the case, when will he/she find time to be on my job. You are talking to a professional salesman. If he really does this schpeel that many times a day, how would he ever find time to manage or supervise your project? BEWARE.

This "contractor" who took 2 1/2 painstaking hours selling you on the reasons to sign with him/her surprises you and then jams through the paperwork so quick you don't remember what you bought. Now should now sit down and read the paperwork before your time to ask questions is up. Often under the sense of relief that the commitment is made and the process is underway, homeowners tuck the contract in a drawer, unfortunately the next time they pull it out is when they face the first unexpected add-on of something they thought was included

Lastly, online contractor referral services, they are paid for and supported by the contractors. Not all the feedback customers post remain online for your eyes to see. These services are not necessarily bad, just make sure you check references carefully. Always consult the Better Business Bureau, local trade associations, ask for references, speak with the subs if possible, meet directly with the kitchen designer and go see at least one job!

I wouldn't like to make it sound like one industry has it tougher than another, but if the landscaper scalps your hedges and they look terrible, you can still take a shower and sit down to a home cooked meal. A troubled home renovation can affect how you live for many months so take the time to make a wise choice, you will be happy you did!