General Contractors

Have a pro oversee your project

One comment veterans of home improvement projects often make is that if they had it to do over again, they would hire a general contractor to oversee and coordinate the project. Indeed, one of the most exasperating aspects of the mess and inconvenience of a home remodel is coordinating the work and subcontractors to ensure that people show up when they are supposed to. Without that control, a non-performing sub can throw a monkey wrench into the works wasting precious time and money.

To ensure that you hire a qualified general contractor, make sure you cover the following important points before any agreements are signed:

Licensing, insurance, and Workers' Comp. Ask for copies of the contractor's license and insurances. Verify that the coverage will be valid throughout the life of your project. Contact your state's contractor's board to make sure your contractor's license is in good standing.

References. Ask for project references from existing and past clients. There is no shortcut for finding out from a third party whether your contractor can deliver on his or her commitments.

History. How long has your general contractor been in business? How long has he been in business under the current company name?

Read the contract. Take your time reviewing the contract. Be sure to clarify and get in writing any changes or agreements that made verbally. He said, she said can cost you. Hire someone you trust, but protect yourself anyway.

What type of warranties are given? Will your contractor stand behind your agreement? Make sure you understand exactly what you're agreed to and how long you can expect product support.

In addition, find out how the project will be supervised and by whom. Ask about change orders. There's huge difference between change orders initiated by you and by the general contractor. There are inevitably a couple bumps in every project, but many change orders that a GC expects you to pay for are unacceptable. And know who is on your project and property. Your GC needs to provide a complete list of subcontractors and contact information. Do the due diligence and make sure the subs are as reliable as the general.

These few common sense suggestions can make the difference between a successful project and the project from hell.