06/16/2022
HIRING A CONTRACTOR?
When remodeling, adding an addition, building a new house or commercial building, or need remediation plans for a problem (house sinking, sagging floors, foundation problems, etc.) there are several things you should consider and be aware of during the process. The first step should NOT be speaking to contractors. A GOOD Building Professional (contractor) will also tell you this. Begin with a Design Professional, an Engineer or Architect (there is a difference, and I will explain this in my next post) they are bound by their ethical code to look after YOUR interests not the profit to be made by cutting corners. The following are points that should raise a red flag when speaking with a contractor.
1. “We have or own Architect to do the drawings for the permit” Contractors can not afford to have design professional on staff. They may recommend one that they have worked with in the past but, you should be paying for this service separately and directly to the design professional.
2. “We will have you pull the permits for the job” Never Ever pull your own permit. This usually means the contractor is not licensed in your town, doesn’t have the proper insurances, or has had their license suspended or revoked. The contractor, or sometimes the design professional, should be submitting for and obtaining the building permit for the project.
3. “You don’t need a permit for this type of work” There are certain things permits are not required for. Some of these are replacing doors and windows (as long as they are the same size or smaller than what is existing), painting or siding a residence, minor repairs. A design professional will know what does or doesn’t need a permit. You can also call your local building department to find out what does or doesn’t need a permit (I do caution about this though, many smaller municipalities will allow things that the State does not. They are violating the law and it could come back on you, I will be posting about this in the future)
4. “We can start within a week of contract signing” Good contractors are usually booked at least 3 to 4 months out. If they can start “tomorrow” something is wrong! They either can’t get work due to a bad reputation or are not qualified to do the work at hand. Occasionally a good contractor will have an opening due to a canceled job or issues on another job, but this is not the norm.
5. When dealing with a single contractor you may end up paying more than you should for the project. A good design professional will have a list of “Approved Contractors” These are contractors they have worked with in the past and know do a good job. Bidding the job will force the contractors to “sharpen their pencils” and give you a better price. Although, the lowest bid is NOT always the best way to go. Again, a design professional can review the bids for you and make recommendations.
This is just a brief list of the big items to watch out for. RAC Engineering can help you through the construction process so it’s only an inconvenience during the actual construction period and not a nightmare. Setup a consultation today, mention this post and receive $50 off the initial consultation.
