HOME BUILDING TIPS FOR DUMMIES

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.