Posts Tagged ‘room addition’

I wrote this article for all homeowners looking to remodel of hire any contractor. Tips on how to avoid a remodeling nightmare.

Having worked many years for other home remodeling contractors in San Diego, I learned a few things besides how to waterproof a shower properly or build a room addition. I learned first hand that there are bad contractors out there lying and looking to take advantage of you, the homeowner.

The bad and ugly

“Some” contractors will tell you anything to sell the job. They will make promises and make up stories, whatever it takes to seal the deal. Who wants to work with someone like that or have to deal with that guy for 3 months or so? You need a contractor that has your back. Will do whatever it takes to make the job right and make you happy. At least that is what I think a good contractor should do. The reality is some contractors look ant your project as a money making adventure and not as a one on one quality remodeling experience. I know contractors twice my age with half the knowledge. They are just wannabe business men with not much building experience.

Insider tips

Watch out for salesmen! Maybe they got the job last week and after getting fired from the used car dealer. My personal experience with sales people is that they don’t know the details and will tell you what you are looking to hear to close the sale. They will not be around when your job is being built. Who will be in charge of running your job and the workers? Talk to the contractor! You need to talk to their references too. Make sure some are current, like from last month. This will tell you what they are up to now. I know contractors that have only unhappy customers and they keep getting work. That is because they are giving out a few old numbers of a few clients who were not angry with them. Call the homeowner and ask a bunch of questions like, did they do as promised? Did they make change orders? Did they finish on time? How would you rate the quality?

Also I recommend to visit recently finished job and talk to the homeowner directly and see the work for yourself. Make sure the contractor does not go. If the client was truly happy they wont mind and they will be happy to promote the contractors business. Think about it, they were in your shoes a couple months ago.

Get it in writing!

Make sure you have the the details listed on your contract. Make sure you have a payment / progress schedule and do not pay ahead of work completion. Get a start and finish date in writing. I have seen remodeling contractors blame the homeowner because the job did not go as planned. Do not give them a budget to work with, that would be like giving a kid your credit card. You should have a set price and a detailed list of what you are getting for that amount.

Do not be afraid!

This article is to protect you, not scare you. There are many good remodeling contractors out there, but you must protect your home for the bad ones and be informed. Remember the to watch out for the wolf in sheep’s clothing or something like that.

Finally check online for reviews and the contractors board.

Happy Remodeling!!!

Tips on remodeling your home. Why people remodel. How to save money remodeling.

Sooner or later in the life of your home, you will have to face the task of remodeling. Even people who have bought brand new homes have realized that after a few years, they will need to fix some things or make necessary changes to meet lifestyle changes. Remodeling your home can add a great deal of value, and if you update it properly to suit your needs, you can make your life easier in the long run. You don’t really have to move in order to have the house that suits your changing family needs; a home remodeling will address your needs more cheaply and easily.

Simple changes, such as taking a wall down to open the kitchen into the dining area, or to make a living room or recreational room larger, can be easily tackled. A larger project such as a complete room addition, or remodeling a kitchen or bathroom will be a bigger drain on time and budget. Whether you are remodeling to make your home more useful, more attractive, or more suited to your growing family, you will find that remodeling your home will be a worthwhile investment.

You may choose to remodel for a specific purpose, or because your home is starting to show its age, and needs updating, or maybe a little of each. This is what frequently happens to most homeowners. They need a new room and bath, and then take the opportunity to change the siding instead of trying to match the old, change the front door to look better Wit the siding, etc., etc. The most popular subjects for home remodeling are the kitchen and bathroom; these are the rooms that look dated the most easily, and remodeling them adds the most value to the home. Anyone can spot a ten or twenty year old kitchen just by the colors of the appliances and flooring!

In preparing to sell your home, you may consider some home remodeling, since you want to get the best resale price you can. In this case, it is wise to concentrate on the kitchen and bathrooms; these are the rooms that home buyers look most closely at in making their decision. If you have a kitchen that is way out of date, or a bathroom with old fashioned tiles and fixtures, your prospective buyers will look elsewhere.

If you are handy, or have some friends or relatives who are, you may be able to do a great deal of the remodeling yourself. The labor involved in home remodeling is the biggest cost, so the more you can cut that done, the cheaper the project will be. Materials are usually the least cost factor, especially if you shop around for bargains and sales. You may not be able to install plumbing or put up a wall, but you can probably paint a room and haul away debris, thus saving on certain aspects of the job.

Taking on a project like this can be daunting, but if you take the right attitude, it can also be fun. Just think about how much nicer it will look and how much easier it will be to live in if you upgrade and make needed changes.