Home Improvement Estimates

What You Should Know BEFORE You Sign a Contract

It is not really too hard these days to go online or view yellow pages etc. to get the names and addresses of contractors who are in the business. Be sure to ask for the same exact services or products from EACH of the desired contractors. This will insure that you receive home improvement estimates that can be compared to see which company is excluding or including the necessary items you need accomplished.It is imperative that you read all the fine print. Many times problems arise late in the workbecause someone, namely you the customer, did not read the fine print where if you had, you might have realized that certain fees (like building permits, etc) were not included. Look out for other problem areas too. Who pays for Waste Container pickup? Who is responsbible for clean up of the premises and when?

Understand the terms of the 3 estimates and compare to see which one makes the most sense for you. It is common to be asked to place a downpayment up front before the contractor will begin work. It is NOT common to allow this downpayment to become anywhere near the entire amount of the contract. Don't even consider using a contractor if he is requiring more than 50% of the total amount agreed to. Balances owed should be paid along the way as the work progesses. You should never pay any amount after the downpayment until you are 100% happy with the service.

Realize that your pocketbook or check is the ONLY tool you really have when working with a contractor. It's not fair to be unfair with these guys, but don't allow them to walk over you either.

You need to be protected with insurance. Insurance paid for by the contractor NOT YOU! It is absolutely a MUST that you receive a Certificate of Insurance from his insurance carrier BEFORE any work is started. It must include Workman's Compensation Coverage as well. If you don't have this certificate in YOUR POSSESSION and someone gets hurt while working on YOUR HOUSE, You Could Be Liable! You may be in for an expensive legal fighting the courts and this is not acceptable. STAY OUT OF COURT! Get the Cetificate of Insurance Before the Job Starts!

Another thing to do to insure a pleasant experience is to ask for referrals of past customers. Don't just ask for them, CALL THEM! Ask specific questions about how was he to work with, was he there when he said he would be and were the workers he used competant and polite. You are hiring a group of strangers to come into your home and possibly tear it apart. Don't you want to make real sure that they can put it back together again CORRECTLY. Home Improvement Estimates will save the day!

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