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Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension
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| Yates Association |
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Choosing a Contractor or Repairman |
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It is important to know what you want done in any remodeling or repair project before you begin to contact potential companies or individuals. This will give you the ability to compare the estimates you receive. It is recommended that at least three firms or individuals be contacted. Well established companies will normally do the best work since much of their business is repeat business and much of their advertising is word of mouth. There are several sources of information available to help you decide who to hire. Check newspapers and the yellow pages of the phone book for listings. Your local public utility company, lender or local material suppliers may be able to provide you with some names. Also talk to friends and relatives who have had work done. This will give you an idea of the type of work done and whether or not the quality of workmanship is up to your expectations. Contact the Better Business Bureau, Fair Business Council or Better Contractors Bureau to find out if the contractor or repairman has had any legitimate complaints lodged against them, and if they have taken steps to correct the problems. Ask the contractors you interview for references from previous customers and be sure to check them out. As you narrow your choices down, you may also want to check to see if the contractor has liens. To do this, call the county clerk in the contractor's county of residence. If there are too many or significant liens, this is an indication of fiscal difficulty or mismanagement and you'd be well-advised to avoid that contractor. Get two or three detailed estimates for both costs and completion time. Floor plans and specifications ("specs") are the basis for bids. Specifications describe the work to be done, the materials to be used and the standards of workmanship. They should cover everything that you, the homeowner, won't do yourself. Bids can either be a firm price or a "cost plus" bid. If the cost is quoted as a firm amount of money for the entire project, you will know the total cost of the completed project. A disadvantage, however, is that inflation can lead to lower quality workmanship since the contractor might delete extras to avoid exceeding the allotted budget--or to broaden his profit margin. The cost plus bid is preferred by most contractors since the buyer pays for all materials and labor, plus a 10 to 15 percent commission to the contractor. While this arrangement gives the contractor no incentive to cut corners, he or she has no incentive to keep costs down either. Be cost conscious but remember quality is worth something too! The lowest bid is not necessarily the best bid. This may be a good time to consider the personality of the contractor. On large projects, you'll be spending a lot of time with this individual and his or her subcontractors. The job will run more smoothly if you and the contractor share attitudes about punctuality, attention to detail and how to deal with other people. Once you've decided on who you want to do the work and how much you want to spend, you need a contract. New York State law specifies that all contracts for home improvements costing $500.00 or more must be in writing and contain a number of important consumer protection measures, including the precise estimate and schedule of payments, a description of the work to be done, the materials to be used and the standards of workmanship. Do not agree to additional work being done once the job has been started unless the contract is amended to reflect the additional work. Cornell
Cooperative Extension Yates Association |
