Summary:
A contractor can turn your home into a dream retreat or a renovation disaster. Fortunately, you can protect your home, and your bank account, from bad contractors. This article outlines several points you should consider before you hire a contractor.

Details or Sample:
Undergoing a home renovation is like delving into the unknown. Most home owners know little about the inner workings of a house, so they rely on an expert to deal with the plumbing, the electrical, and the structural work. But trusting a home to a contractor can be risky. Some experts believe that as few as 20 percent of all contractors are skilled enough to renovate a home to code. The remaining contractors simply lack the skills and knowledge needed to complete a job; even worse, a few are con artists looking for a fast dollar. Needless to say, finding a reliable contractor can seem impossible. Fortunately, a home owner can take some simple steps to safeguard their home and their wallet.

First, a home owner needs to research a group of contractors. Most people wouldn’t hire the first doctor listed in the phone book without investigating them - the same should hold true for contractors. First-hand testimonials can be invaluable tools. Ask friends, neighbors and co-workers which contractors they would recommend. Once you have a short list of contractors, check online to see if any complaints have been filed against them; several sites allow you to view comments made by a contractor’s former clients. If the comments are all positive, ask the contractors to evaluate your home and give you a quote. They should be professional when viewing your home - they need to be on time, knowledgeable, and respectful of your opinion and your home. Ask about their certification, their work experience, and their references. The contractor you hire should be the most experienced, and they should be someone you feel comfortable with having in your home.

Trusting the contractor you hire is important, but you should never rely on blind trust alone. A contract is a legal document that may protect you and your home should your contractor prove to be untrustworthy. Without a contract, a contractor can claim they were never paid for work they completed; they may even be able to place a lien on your home. A contract will often prove a homeowner’s innocence, protecting their finances and their house. Your contract should include a description of the work to be completed, an agreeable time line for completion, and an outline of the payment schedule. Often contractors will require a payment when they sign the contract, but you should never pay the contractor in full before work begins. Always make payments to your contractor in installments. This protects your finances in case your contractor disappears or walks off the job before completion.

A home that is not built to code could jeopardize a mortgage refinancing or a home sale. It can even endanger the lives of everyone living inside. So before any construction begins, a home owner should make sure that all the necessary building permits are in place. Once a permit is obtained, a city inspector will examine the building project periodically to ensure that all work is structurally sound. Without a permit, the quality of a contractor’s work cannot be critically examined, and the finished project may be a safety hazard. Call your city hall to determine what work needs a permit; most plumbing and structural and electrical work requires one. If your contractor tells you that a permit is not necessary for any of these jobs, demand that he apply for one. Permits should be posted in a window visible from the street. If permits are not posted, and if inspectors do not come to examine the work, then your contractor has no permits. All work needs to be halted immediately until your contractor obtains a permit.

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Written by: Amy W
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