Remodeling contractors are crucial allies in your quest to improve your home.
Few homeowners have the time, experience, or ability to do it all themselves.
That’s where the remodeling contractor steps in: toorganize your home remodeland see it to successful completion.
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Remodelingcontractorsbear more than their share of complaints on online contractor referral sites.
Sometimes, these complaints are legitimate.
They Would Rather Not Work With Your People
You’ve hired the contractor for a full-scalekitchen remodel.
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The contractor is fully on-board.
And you have an uncle who will handle the electrical work.
The contractor is a facilitator at the center of a vast group of subcontractors (subs).
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The contractor has go-to people, and has others in mind as back-ups.
Second, thecontractoris depriving work from a group of subs who may depend on the contractor for steady work.
So vintage, so romantic, and evocative of a mountain cabin, right?
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You ask your contractor to pull, refurbish, and reuse them with the remodel.
Old things have that tendency.Wood flooringcannot be easily removed and reused.
Contractorsonly want homeowners to understand the full implication of reusing old, pre-used items.
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Rather than being a money-saver, it can add more cost than the homeowner expected.
Your contractor will know what can and can’t be reused legally.
Contractors might know you for two months, but often they know their people for years, decades even.
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But that’s a rarity.
While some unsavory contractors may do this, it does not represent the norm.
Really, who wants another change order?
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In a perfect world, contractors would love to have all of the intended work itemized on the contract.
Change orders are not to be feared; they are part of normal business when remodeling a house.
Can you get the permit office to approve this?"
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Contractors cannot make thepermitoffice bend the rules.
Do not ask the contractor to have a go at do this.
Doing so might jeopardize the contractor’s standing with the permit office and might actually result in fines.
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Contractors may have good relationships with thepermit officethat have often extended for years.
However, we live in a social world.
No, it’s not a vanity issue for contractors.
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Second-guessing once the project has begun won’t help anyone.
The Markup Fee Is Not Negotiable
Those remodeling contractor fees can seem high.
Any fee tacked onto an already high budget might seem burdensome.
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Should you give a shot to bargain down their fee?
Contractors can be your ally in saving money.
But the contractor’s markup isn’t one of them.
The contractor also has a business to run, and that pays for the business.
Do not be afraid to speak the truth.
Resentments that fester and turn into lawsuits help no one.
Just be civil and professional about it, and the contractor will, too.
They Want You out of the House
The contractor is remodeling the entire first floor.
Surely it’s possible for you to live on the second floor.
Isn’t that why hot plates and microwaves were invented.
Doesn’t thatbathroom counterhave room for a microwave?
True, it is your house and the contractor will not tell you to vacate your own house.
But for big projects, it’s best for everyone if you stay out of the way.
It’s a safety issue.
It’s a space issue.
The farther away you’re free to go, the better.
Most likely, the contractor wants to do business with you, specifically.
