![]() 1) Does he have a license? Make sure the contractor has a California state license. He must display his license number on his business card, in his ads, on any signs promoting his business, on his website and on his bids and contracts. 2) Is his license valid? Check the license number online at www.cslb.ca.gov or by calling (800) 321-2752. Sometimes a contractor may have a license number but has had his license suspended or revoked. You can find out the status of his license by checking with the CSLB (California State License Board). Ask to see the contractor’s pocket license and a picture ID to ensure that the person you are dealing with is indeed the contractor whose license number appears on the paperwork. ![]() 3) How does his bid compare? Get at least three written bids. Compare the bids. Do the bids include everything you are expecting to have done on the job? Do they include exact and detailed specifications for the materials and fixtures that you want? If something is not included in the written bid, then you could be charged extra for it later or you might get an inferior product substituted for the one you verbally specified. ![]() 4) Can he give you references? Don’t be afraid to ask each bidder for the names, addresses and phone numbers of at least three previous customers. If the contractor is reputable, he will give you this information. Call the references and ask them how they felt about their remodeling experience. Did the contractor answer their questions? How did he handle any problems that come up during the job? Was the job site kept clean? Was the job completed on time? Are they happy with the finished product? ![]() 5) Is everything in writing? Once you accept a bid, make sure that everything is in writing and included in the contract. Read the contract and make sure that you understand all the terms. 6) Does he have workers’ compensations insurance? The contractor must have workers’ compensation insurance for his employees. If he doesn’t, this could put you at risk legally. Some general contractors don’t have employees. They hire sub-contractors (plumbers, drywall, insulation, masonry, etc.) to do the work. In this case, make sure that the sub-contractors are carrying workers’ comp for their people. 7) Is he asking for the legal deposit amount? The contractor will ask you for a deposit. By law, he is not permitted to receive more than 10% of the total cost of the job or $1,000, whichever is less. Never pay a contractor in cash. 8) Does he provide and stick to a payment schedule? Ask the contractor for a payment schedule. This will show the progressive phases of the work and how much you are being charged for each phase. Only pay what the contractor is owed based on what had been completed. ![]() 9) Are there unhandled problems during the progress of the job? Create a file for the job. Keep all paperwork in this file. During the job, it is a good idea to keep a record of all verbal agreements between you and the contractor and/or job supervisor. Check back to make sure these are met. If it is a big job, keep a daily log of everything that occurs that you might want to reference later. Note all problems and track when, how and if they were handled. ![]() 10) Is he interested in your complete satisfaction? Once the job is done, take the time to do a thorough walk-through, inspecting the job for anything that might not be to your COMPLETE satisfaction. Do not make the final payment to the contractor until he has handled any and all issues found during this inspection. If he is an ethical person, he will be more than happy to oblige. He should even offer to give you a one-year warranty on his work, meaning that if you find anything wrong within one year of completion, he will fix it at no cost to you.
7 Comments
6/9/2021 05:03:32 am
Apresentar solucoes de decoracao que encaixem harnoniisamente nas devisoes da casa
Reply
9/30/2021 08:15:21 am
I like your contractor tips. I need a house built. I'll have to hire a contractor.
Reply
11/15/2021 12:56:02 am
These are great tips, it's important that once the job is done, take the time to do a thorough walk-through, inspecting the job for anything that might not be to your COMPLETE satisfaction.
Reply
1/18/2022 05:40:10 am
I appreciate your contractor recommendations. I require the construction of a house. I'll have to hire a handyman.
Reply
1/24/2022 04:45:39 am
Excellent advice! While you may have a clear vision of how you want your home to look, you may be unfamiliar with the details, such as drafting plans, obtaining building permits, and sourcing labor and materials. That's where a general contractor comes in handy.
Reply
5/16/2022 05:02:36 am
After you verify credentials and get a list of projects the contractor has worked on and some current and former customer references, it’s a good idea to investigate those and get the inside opinion on how the homeowner liked working with the contractor and whether or not they were satisfied with the job.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorRocha Construction Archives
April 2021
Categories
All
|