contractor
How To Find A Good General Contractor
You will spend a huge amount of time with a contractor and put complete trust in him to do your home renovation or remodeling. How do you find the right contractor for your job? Get recommendations from friends, neighbors, even architects who have recently completed a construction or renovation project. Their experience will be a good indicator of what you can expect. Watch this Expert Real Estate Tips video for more ideas to get started on your home renovation project.
Get Competitive Bids From Contractors
Before hiring a contractor to do any home remodeling or home renovation, you need to get competitive bids from several contractors. A contractor will take all the information you give him about your house, what you want done and any other information from the architect or interior designer, and put together a bid of the estimated cost for your job. Watch this Expert Real Estate Tips video for more help on hiring a contractor for home renovation.
Use Your Contractor To Your Advantage
A general contractor can do a lot more than basic home repair and fix it projects. Use a contractor for home remodeling, rehab, or new construction. A contractor can recommend an architect and work with the architect you pick from the beginning. Have your general contractor help with zoning issues, and look at all the plans to see where you can save money. Watch this Expert Real Estate Tips video for more ideas on how to use your general contractor to the best advantage.
How To Pay Your Contractor
You should never pay your contractor in full before the entire job is completed. Not that he’s going to run off with your money, but you want to keep some incentive to get the job done right. You should give a deposit of 5 to 10 percent of the budget before work starts to pay for expenses like fencing and beginning supplies. The billing process can vary, but make sure you are getting a full accounting for your own records and for your lender.
Contractor Fakes Out Title Company
A contractor submits fake documents to a title company and then gets paid. The home buyer asks if he has any recourse for when a contractor submits fake documents. Ilyce says it depends on the type of escrow account involved in the home purchase and that the home buyer should consult a real estate attorney to sort through whether the title company is liable for accepting fake documents from the contractor.
How To Find A Good Handyman Or Contractor
Have you decided to go with a handyman or contractor for your home repairs instead of DIY? You want to find the best handyman for your home repair job. Check sites like Angie’s List or get a referral from a hardware store. Watch this Expert Real Estate Tips video for how to find a handyman to help sell your home faster.
Why Hire A Professional Handyman For Home Repair?
Are you a homeowner thinking, “How do I sell my house?” When trying to sell, or after the home inspection, skip the DIY home repair and hire a handyman or professional contractor. A professional handyman can help finish those home repairs quickly and without the stress of DIY. Watch this Expert Real Estate Tips video on professional handyman services.
New Green Remodeling Website From NARI:
Who says it’s not easy being green? It seems like everyone is getting more environmentally conscious and so is the remodeling industry.
The National…
How Many People Are REALLY Unemployed?
The New York Times has a story in this morning’s edition about how badly off the “official” jobs number actually is. I’ve been saying this for a long …
Foreclosure After Contractor Botches Home Remodeling
What can you do when a contractor fails to live up to his contract in a kitchen remodeling project? Hire an attorney to go over the contract with you to understand your rights in this botched remodeling situation. It’s especially hard if you later face foreclosure on the same home.
