Indeed! What were these ladies thinking? They appear to be annoyed. Perhaps they hired a contractor who turned out the be unsatisfactory in some way. Or, maybe the contractor abandoned the job-site. Wouldn't that be exciting!
There are many reasons that contractors and their clients argue and fight. Today, I'm going to address one issue that causes problems for contractors and their customers. Just one. Its very simple: Many homeowners select the wrong kind of contractor. That's right, the wrong kind of contractor.
"How can this be", you ask? "Don't they all have the same license? They have to be know what they are doing if they call themselves contractors, right? Doesn't the State of California require all contractors who accept work exceeding $500 to meet all sorts of qualifications?" I'll begin by addressing these questions.
First, contractors must be licensed in the State of California. Moreover, they are obliged to write examinations prepared and proctored by the Contractor's State Licensing Board. Additionally, candidates for licensure must prove that they meet very specific experience requirements. Homeowners should also know that contractor's licenses are not all alike. That is to say, one might meet all of the requirements to be a General Contractor and have sufficient experience to obtain additional license classifications to perform specialized services such as demolition, house moving, glazing, hazardous material abatement, insulation, acoustical work, and so forth. The list is pretty long. In fact there are over forty 40 specialized categories! So... not all contractors are alike.
Good contractors will be adequately insured and they will not hesitate to prove it by providing you with proof of insurance. Sometimes policies are canceled during a policy period, and an unscrupulous contractor will present prospective clients with what appears to be a current certificate of insurance. If you have any concerns at all about whether or not a company is really insured, follow-up by contacting the insurer directly to verify coverage.
All good contractors will have references and they are hopeful that you will contact them. Don't be shy about asking for references. This is another area where contractors may be different from one another. If they hem and haw about references, or fail to provide them after they have promised to do so - look out!
We come now to the matter of the contractor's completed projects. You will want see actual examples of current and/or past projects and review photos as well. You are likely to see significant differences among contractor's work. You should bear in mind, though, that many homeowners are reluctant to show their homes to others, so it isn't always possible to see projects most like those you have in mind.
The most important thing can do to evaluate a contractor's work is to ask this question: In what kind of construction does the greatest part of the contractor's work consist? New custom homes, whole-house remodeling, renovation of old homes, specialist in remodeling of specific architectural styles (Victorians, Mid-Century Modern, Bungalows etc...) additions, kitchens and baths - what?
Let's say that you call Swanky Builders, Inc., a local firm with an excellent reputation. You have an itch to remodel. When you call, you speak with Lemuel Swank III, the President of the company. A meeting is arranged at your home. Mr. Swank arrives at the appointed hour and announces that just last week, his company was named California's Second-Best Builder by Really Cool Houses Magazine! Wow! He goes on to say that Swanky homes feature superb craftsmanship and top-drawer finishes. Swanky, he says, also strives to incorporate lots of green features into its homes. Let's imagine that Swanky's homes are predominantly modernist in appearance. Mr. Swank, when asked directly, says that about 80% of Swanky projects involve the design and construction of new homes. Only 10% of his projects are remodels and the remaining 10% consist of hardscape, landscape and other outdoor living projects.
Okay, now let's say that you own a California Bungalow and you want to add a second-story bedroom and bathroom.You also want to re-create the Bungalow as a "Cottage Style" home featuring a new porch and exterior trim. You are also keen to have a design and make a start on implementation of comprehensive landscape plan to better suit the Cottage Style appearance of the remodeled home. After your visit with Swank, you check his company's references and they are uniformly excellent. His clients are devoted, and act as advocates for his business. His projects are superbly crafted and far above average in every respect. More importantly, Mr. Swank really seems interested in your project!
It is my humble opinion (and it is, after all, just an opinion) that the circumstances presented in this hypothetical probably make Swanky Builders a poor choice for the project.
But, why? Swanky has a great reputation, their craftsmanship is excellent -right? They were just honored by a big, national magazine! Why not put Swanky at the top of the list? Isn't it dumb to eliminate a good company out of hand?" No... it isn't dumb and my reasoning is easy to explain.
The logic is simple. Here are a couple of analogies: All physicians complete rotations in pediatrics as medical students. Accordingly, every doctor knows something - perhaps more than one might think - about pediatrics. Still, cancer specialists take their kids to their pediatric colleagues when they get sick. It's the same with attorneys. Your tax lawyer may be terrific, but you wouldn't want him to represent you if you were on trial for murder. Its the same with contractors. When you remodel, you will want to use a builder who will bring the right combination of skills and experience to the project.
With this in mind, it should be said that there are many fine contractors who fail miserably when they take on remodeling or renovation work. They may build award winning custom homes from scratch, but unless they are experienced remodelers, the odds are certainly higher that they will get into trouble before they complete your project.
New home builders start with a clean slab. They need not be concerned with demolition of existing spaces and materials. The homes they build are never occupied during construction. They never have to worry about damaging furniture, family heirlooms, or ancient portraits of long-dead ancestors who fought brilliantly in the Spanish American War. Their work is never interrupted by the unanticipated discovery of termite infested wood, friable asbestos, mold and/or other potentially dangerous stuff. They are never called upon to match old, unusual trim or find artisans who can reproduce the pattern on a broken frosted glass pane taken from a wonderful old door. Custom home builders don't have to worry about their client's 18 year old pooch who is always underfoot or the seven darling cats that must be kept out of harm's way at every moment.
There is a world of difference between remodeling existing homes and building new ones. Moreover, remodeling contractors often develop "niches". That is, little areas of specialty that sets them apart from their peers. Some, for example, excel at concrete work - they are artists with concrete. Others are known for their superb work in framing or finish carpentry, or remodeling California Bungalows, or Mid-Century Modern homes. The list is endless, but remodelers do have preferences and unique talents. Here, it appears that Swanky Builders, Inc. - a design-build company - might well be the first choice for those who want a new modernist home. They might even be a reasonable choice to remodel or renovate a modernist home. But, the fact of the matter is that they are a niche design-build firm with a talent for designing and building high-end modernist homes - not remodeling and re-stylingCalifornia Bungalows or any other kind of home for that matter.
You, the homeowner in this scenario, would do well to look for a contractor who enjoys an excellent reputation and has long experience building second-story additions for homes just like yours.
hastenI I hasten to add that there are many contractors who have long experience building new homes and remodeling. So, this article doesn't apply to them.
One final note. I was motivated to write this post because the economic downturn has hurt many new homebuilders. Nationwide, thousands are out of business - their employees laid-off, their friends out of work. They are frightened and need work desperately. Accordingly, many have "branched out" into the remodeling field with the hope of holding on to their better employees and keeping their businesses afloat during this difficult time. Who can blame them? Unfortunately, they often find that their skills don't transfer as readily as they imagined. Many are excellent builders, but they grossly underestimate the differences that crop up when they jump into a difficult remodel. With increasing frequency, such builders are walking away from jobs they underbid and cannot complete. This leaves homeowners in a horrible position.
I nourish the hope that the economy will improve soon, and the financial ruin, hurt, and anguish that is has occasioned for so many - homeowners and builders alike will be relieved .
Till next time!
Paul MIlls .
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