Not all contractors are created equal. If you’ve never remodeled or you worked with a contractor on a project that left a bad taste in your mouth, we consider these 5 facts important to know before you begin working with a remodeling contractor.
#1 – A Contractor Should Offer Clear Cost Estimates
We always give our clients extremely clear pricing before we ever begin construction.
Our advanced estimating system allows us to pinpoint costs and show customers how changes before and during the construction process can alter the price – whether in a good way or a bad way.
For both our remodeling and new construction projects, every client gets a contract, a set of specifications, and a cost analysis. Because we’ve trusted this process for 40+ years, we feel confident pricing any custom home or remodel.
Our process creates complete transparency and trust that is not always found with general contractors. Our system also easily allows us to make cost revisions that can be challenging for other builders.
#2 – Contractors can help with permits but must also uphold laws
Say, you want to add another building onto your property. A contractor can usually obtain the permit to accomplish this for you. Because some contractors have a rapport with permit offices, that may even help expedite your process.
However, there are times a contractor will tell you something cannot be done. We’d argue that’s another sign of a good contractor because they don’t want to jeopardize you or themselves.
We’re proud of our extensive knowledge of codes and standards, and we’re committed to business integrity. This value is important to find in a contractor because it will ultimately impact your experience with them.
We’re also proud to have a very high customer satisfaction rate. We’ve helped many clients come up with out-of-the-box solutions for designs where the first iteration wasn’t possible because of existing codes.
#3 – Some contractors won’t reuse your materials, but we will!
We’ve had clients who purchased old stones from a demolished, historic building before they began their own home project and wanted to incorporate this unique material into a new fireplace. In another instance, we had clients who wanted to use the wood from a large tree on their lot.
These personal touches are meaningful – and even symbolic – to a client and we are happy to make that dream come true. This is a huge way we stand out from a “run of the mill” builder or remodeler. We like a challenge!
We only ask clients to understand the extra effort and cost that will likely go into restoring the material or reconfiguring a design to fit the material’s specs.
As any good contractor would, we will also inform you if the old material will not hold up for its new purpose. Just keep an open mind as we will always try to do the same with you!
#4 – The best contractors want you to be specific about requests.
Similar to point #3, we definitely like you to be specific with your requests. That’s why custom work has become our niche over the years.
The more specific the better because unlike new construction (a project that begins as a blank canvas), you already have a building and objects in front of you every day while you’re making the decision to remodel your home. You’ve likely spent months – or years – not just dreaming but visualizing and measuring the potential changes.
The only way we can ensure our estimate matches your budget and our work match your expectations is to get all the details lined out as clearly and as early as possible.
#5 – It’s best to vacate or at least rearrange your home
We won’t say you have to temporarily move out of your home in order to remodel, but it may help. Especially with bigger projects, it’s best if you stay out of the way because it’s certainly a safety issue as well as a space issue. The more distance we can put between you and our work the better so that our construction doesn’t halt your daily life and vice versa.
However, we don’t want to dissuade you from going after your dreams when it comes to your home. If vacating isn’t an option, we’re happy to work together on rearranging your space and routines in a way that works for all parties.
Do you have other questions about using a contractor for a specific remodeling project? Talk with us anytime using the chat bubble below or schedule a call with us to get a free design consultation.
