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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 Handy Canadian.com 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.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
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bathroom heaters,
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www.heateroutlet.com for these great home improvement products.
Iapsales.com LLC was established in 2003 and is the sister company to
Innovative Air Products located in historical Exeter, NH. We are a 2nd
generation manufacturers’ rep firm dedicated to providing residential &
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