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If you needed heart surgery, would you ever consider asking three
surgeons to submit bids and then go with the lowest price? The
rhetorical answer is an emphatic, "Of course not!” However, many
Pittsburgh homeowners think nothing of spending tens of thousands of
dollars and opening up their
home to a contractor who they have selected based solely on his
price. Granted, a
remodeling project is not a life threatening operation. But it
could have a definite effect on your family's well being and
financial health. Many factors other than price need to be
considered before the best contractor for the specific project is
found.
A common tactic is to solicit three contractors for bids. The
Pittsburgh homeowner will often throw out the high and low, and take
the middle, confident he's minimized his risk by dropping both
extremes. Price drives the selection. As an afterthought, the
homeowner may or may not check the company's reputation, references,
insurance and licensing documentation.
No job interview begins by negotiating salary, and
hiring a contractor should be no different. Before you get to
compensation, you want to be sure you have a qualified applicant.
One of the first things to check is reference. It's important that
you talk with people who have hired the contractor to do jobs
similar to yours. A beautifully
remodeled kitchen or
bath sheds little light on the contractor's ability to
add
a second story to your home. You'll want to ask the references
if they had any problems with the quality, payment schedule,
employees or completion time. The most telltale question you can ask
a reference is, "Would you
hire this contractor again?" Some people will be hesitant to
make negative comments, but the enthusiasm with which this question
is answered can usually tell you everything you need to know.
After you've spoken to the references, take a close look at the
work. Check the quality of the craftsmanship and materials, overall
aesthetics and creativity, and how the project blends in with the
rest of the house.
Also, verify the contractor's licensing and insurance. If you
hire a contractor who doesn't carry workers compensation and one
of his employees falls off your roof, you could be held liable for
the medical bills and lost wages.
One indication of a professional contractor is their membership in a
national trade association such as the
National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB) or the National
Association of The Remodeling Industry. .
Another indication of professionalism is the type of warranty a
contractor offers. Most contractors offer some sort of a warranty.
But remember, a warranty is only as good as the company backing it.
Once you have done your homework and feel confident the contractor
has a proven track record of quality and service, then it's time to
discuss the project's details and price.
As with most job applicants the decision may very well come down to
feeling comfortable with the contractor and being able to
communicate. The contractor will be spending many hours in your
home, so it's important you feel comfortable with him from the
beginning. You should be able to work together combining your ideas
and his expertise to turn your vision into a final product.
When you purchase a new car, you're purchasing a product and can see
what it looks like, and test-drive it to see how it feels. With a
remodeling project,
you're purchasing a concept and don't see the finished product until
well after the contract is signed.
This is the reason why bid shopping works for automobiles but not
for remodeling projects. You can ask three dealers to price a
specific make and model car, and be fairly certain you are comparing
like products. But with remodeling, the products could differ
significantly. There can be many reasons for a low bid, including
poor quality materials, poor craftsmanship, inadequate safety
precautions, and lack of insurance and licensing. Or perhaps, the
bid may just be from an inexperienced contractor who's never done a
job like yours before.
Once you have
selected a contractor to work with, make sure the proposal and
contract are as thorough as possible, including material
description, payment schedule, procedure for change orders and
completion time.
If you like the contractor and are confident with his work, but he
comes in with a bid that's beyond your budget, all hope is not lost.
Ask him what can be scaled down to meet your budget. It could very
well be something simple, such as using quality stock
cabinets instead of custom designed ones, or selecting a
different type of tile, countertop or trim. |
