HOME BUILDING TIPS FOR DUMMIES
Building your home or upgrading your property is one of the
biggest investments you will make in your life.
But most people who are doing their first building project are
new to the game and the truth is that, even in countries with standards and
regulation, there is no instruction guide for making the biggest investment of
your life.
And there are so many pitfalls, that building often ends up
being a set of trials and tribulations, rather than the rewarding experience it
should be.
Most contractors are hard-working people, not bad guys, but
there is no doubt that there are some real conmen in the mix.
RAYNEAU CONSTRUCTION & INDUSTRIAL MAGAZINE realizes that
people who are new to the game need guidance. Here are a few tips that could
save you a whole lot of trouble.
1.
GET AN EXPERIENCED
CONTRACTOR: More than 90% of home improvement contractors go out of business
within three years in the U.S. due to consumer complaints and mismanagement. In
places like St Lucia and the rest of the Eastern Caribbean, there are not so
many ways to lodge an effective complaint against an unscrupulous contractor.
The only way out is to get an experienced, reputable contractor. Basically, you
will want to choose a contractor who has been in the business for a few years
under the same name. From the time you see them changing the name of their
business over and over, run.
2.
BEWARE THE ONE-SIDED
CONTRACT: Some contractors set up the deal so that you pay ahead of your work.
When a contractor has received 50 percent of the money for 25 percent of the
work, that’s probably when he stops hustling for you. Don’t let payment get too
far ahead of work. Pay 10 percent down, 25 percent when plumbing and electrical
work are done, 25 percent after cabinets and windows are finished, and 25 percent
for flooring and painting. And don’t hand in the last 15 percent on the final
day. ‘Retainage,’ as it is called should keep it for 30 extra days just to make
sure everything is working properly. If the job is a big job, invest in a few
hours of attorney fees to devise a contract that includes a fair payment plan,
with retainage, and stipulates that disputes will be settled through
arbitration (the quick and easy way to do it).
3.
When you pay a lot of
money for a job that isn’t done yet, you might lose your contractor entirely.
There are many stories of pirate contractors, dirtying the game for everyone,
who take the money and run. In America, it’s called ‘Spiking The Job’ and it’s
probably the worst thing that could happen to you when you agree to pay up
front. Now, how you avoid getting spiked when the contractor says you must pay
for materials up front? Well, first off, if a contractor has to pay for
materials up front, it’s because he has a bad reputation and has screwed up his
own credit. That doesn’t mean he does bad work, it just means you can’t trust
that one with your money. So offer to pay for the materials, cash on delivery.
4.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE:
If it sounds too good to be true, it is. When a contractor gives you a costing
that seems super low, you might think you’ve won the lottery. But most likely,
you are on a one way street to construction hell. Think about it. Materials and
labor cost just the about the same thing, no matter which contractor you go to.
So if some guy is giving you a too good to be true price, just know that later
one, he will probably tell you the job is more complicated than he thought, or
the windows he quoted are poor quality and he has a much better, but more
expensive option. In the end, you’ll probably pay more for a bargain basement
deal than a good honest price.
5.
WHERE’S MY SUPERVISOR:
Contractors have more than one job going at once, so they are all over the
place. And when a contractor has a good reputation for quality, pli worse
encore. Make sure your contractor gives you a competent, experienced supervisor
who is on your job alone from start to finish.
6.
THE LAST MINUTE CHANGE
UP: Like many politicians, there are some contractors who are trying to make
their pensions on your head. One of the trickiest ways to do this is to charge you
an arm and a leg for any last minute changes or bursts of inspiration you might
have after the deal is agreed on. Because of this, it is probably better to
just stick to your original plan. If you must make changes in the middle of a
project, do what architects do: Do it in writing. Then, you get a better deal
on what should be done, how much it will cost and how long it will take.
7.
LOOKING GOOD ISN’T
DOING IT RIGHT: Both contractors and their clients are tempted to cut corners
to save time and money. As long as it looks good, most people don’t care. But
looking good isn’t everything, especially when you are building the most
important investment of your life. Just make sure things are done right. If
they are, they will look good anyway and probably save your time, money and
trouble in the future.
8.
OMG, THE SUBCONTRACTOR
IS A MORON: Let’s say, you have a good, experienced honest contractor. You are
still in danger of attracting some seriously unskilled subcontractors. That’s
just the way it is in an under-regulated industry where a hard work ethic
counts for a lot more than training. Don’t let your contractor sub out anything
without your say so. Check out their real resume by visiting projects they
worked on. Check details, like whether margins between doors and frames are
even and whether cabinets are screwed or nailed.
9.
THE CONTRACTOR CAME TO
YOU?: Sometimes a contractor has some materials left over, looks across the
road and sees a potential job. So he comes knocking at your door with a deal.
Sometimes it’s a good deal. Whether it is or not, get a written estimate, a
working phone number, a real address and then do a background check. It’s worth
it, no matter how sweet the deal is.
10.
MY CONTRACTOR IS A
WALKING DISASTER: Ever had a contractor blast a wall near your home? The dust
clogs up the air for days, the sediment settles onto everything and everyone in
the near vicinity is breathing particles so large, they can block a hole in
your stomach. Building as always been a dirty business, but it doesn’t always
have to be. A contractor who cares will look up clever ways to make the
nastiest jobs safe for your home, your children and your neighbours. And he
will explain it all to you first.
