3 Tips: How to Have a Home Improvement Project that Doesn’t Suck
We get so many calls from people who are struggling to get their home improvement project finished.
* The project is taking way too long.
* The job is costing way more than they thought it would.
* The work is sloppy and looks terrible.
* There’s a lien on their house from a company they’ve never even heard of.
Basically, they have a home improvement project that sucks.
Don’t let this happen to you. If you are thinking of starting a home improvement project, here are three tips on how you can have a home improvement project that does not suck:
1. Hire a contractor that doesn’t suck.
Here are the obvious things to look for:
* license, insurance
* lawsuits in the public records of your county and the counties on either side of yours
* licensing complaints (use this link to check): https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp
And here’s what else you should know:
* Don’t always hire the cheapest person. If you get a really low price, that may be a sign that your contractor is missing something important, is desperate for work or inexperienced.
* Know what you want BEFORE you call a contractor. An educated consumer is the best consumer.
* If your contractor shows up late, is bad at listening or returning calls when he’s trying to sell you your job, then he will be even worse once you sign and pay him money.
2. Sign a contract that doesn’t suck.
* Make sure your contract contains everything the contractor promised. If it’s not in the contract, don’t expect that you will get it.
* If the contract contains something you don’t understand, call a lawyer!
* Make sure the contract has a clear and fair payment schedule. Try to hold as much of the money as you can until the project is finished and passes inspections.
* Require permits, even if it costs you extra.
3. Manage your project so it doesn’t suck.
* Pay attention to the work so that you are not paying for work that has not been done.
* Review every piece of mail you get that looks like an official notice of some kind.
* Obtain a lien release every time a payment is made.
* Get a contractor’s final payment affidavit before you make the last payment.
* Obtain a list of subcontractors and suppliers.
This is just some of the advice our experienced construction lawyers give our clients. Even better, our construction lawyers are available to help you have a construction project that doesn’t suck. Call us today at (561) 361-8700 to find out how.