A General Contractor Can Improve Your Home In Several Ways

 

Whether you are preparing your house to be put on the market for sale, or you just want to enjoy it for the several years you will live there, you may be thinking about remodeling. If so, you should probably get a general contractor. This type of professional can help you gather any permits you will need, buy the right materials, and of course oversee the actual project. Consider a few ways that you can use a general contractor to improve your house.One of the best ways to make your home more appealing, either to buyers or yourself, is to update the kitchen. If you have laminate countertops, an older stove, and no island, you are probably in need of a good remodel. Hire a professional to put in granite or marble countertops if you want a surface that will easily shine and stand up well to everyday use. This update can add some elegance and a modern touch to your house. Consider adding a backsplash to the wall while you are at it. If you want to add more surface space so you can prepare food and store containers easier than ever, you should add an island, or expand your current one, and top it with the same new material as the rest of the counters. Finally, updating your appliances does not always require the help of a general contractor, but people in this field can recommend the best ones to get since they see newly remodeled kitchens often. You should also update the bathroom if you wish to make improvements to the house in general. Adding shiny granite or tile countertops is a start, but you can go further by getting a new shower or bathtub installed. These projects require a professional since they involve moving plumbing fixtures, and doing it wrong can result in you flooding your home or breaking things. As long as you hire a general contractor for this service, you might as well find out what it would take to also improve the floor, especially if there are cracked tiles or peeling surfaces. If you have a large lot, but a house that is too small for you, think about adding on. Many people add a bedroom or two, but you can also add a bathroom or den to give you some extra living space. Whether your family is growing, or has already felt cramped in the home for years, you should think about this option. As long as you have extra space on your property for some expansion, you will likely be glad you did it. In particular, you will be glad you had a professional do it. Otherwise, you risk the new additions falling apart within months or years, requiring you to spend more money to fix the issue. This could also result in injuries to you and your family. Hiring an expert is definitely worth the money when it comes to taking care of your home and keeping your family safe from injury.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A Huntington NY general contractor can design, remodel and renovate your property. Get quality professional help and visit: http://www.straightlinecustomconstruction.biz/

How to locate the best Cleaning Services Southwark

Luckily, there are now ironing and laundering services that can help in cleaning and ironing clothes (which could be helpful); however, locating a cleaning agency that is able to accomplish all of your cleaning responsibilities for you can be a lot more helpful. This post gives tips on how to find the best Cleaning Services Southwark.

 

In today’s busy and challenging world, many people find it difficult to accomplish housework due to insufficient time. One of the most common tasks that you need to do at home is iron clothes. Although this may seem like an easy task, it could be overwhelming especially if you need to iron clothes for a big family of possibly three or more individuals. Thankfully, nowadays there are ironing and laundering services that could help in ironing and cleaning clothes (which can be useful); but, finding a cleaning agency that can accomplish all of your cleaning duties for you is a lot more helpful. This article gives info on how to locate the best Cleaning Services Southwark.

1. Using referrals

One of the simplest methods of finding agencies is by asking family and friends. You can ask them for recommendations and tips on how to locate the most suitable business for you. A lot of cleaning companies can provide both laundry and ironing services – generally as a package deal – and obtaining references from past clients is an ideal method of figuring out their level of proficiency.

2. Searching on the internet

Today, the majority of businesses will promote their services using the internet. This is done because they know that potential clients search for services by using online techniques. The speediest strategy to finding a local cleaning agency is by doing an online search. You could also start searching for online reviews via third-party sites. It’s recommended that you find third-party reviews because the reviews on the respective websites might be fake.

3. Evaluating the price

It is highly recommended that you review the cleaning costs before hiring a cleaning company. Prices can vary from firm to firm, and competing suppliers might provide discounted rates to offer that ‘edge’ over their competition. One must often search for the smaller, local cleaning businesses because they will usually provide cheaper services and a bigger amount of deals.

4. Try out different cleaning services

Probably the most perfect way of determining whether the cleaning business is trustworthy and efficient is by giving them a ‘test run’. Provide them with specific instructions and determine their proficiency by how well they accomplish the job. If the cleaners don’t manage to get your home cleaned up to your satisfaction it’s best for you to start looking for a different company. Professional, prime quality cleaning companies would also offer you a guarantee for their services. For example, if you’re not happy with any part of the service, they should ask their cleaners to come back and redo the work. These are examples of the most imperative things that you need to ask your preferred cleaning firm.

As you can see, there are several matters to consider when searching for a highly effective cleaning company; but, by going through the process step-by-step it is not as difficult as originally imagined.

If you require more information about our Cleaning Services SouthwarkComputer Technology Articles, don’t forget to phone us on 020 3322 7049.

Content @ Fast Cleaners Southwark

 

15 Successful Tips For Writing Proposals That Client Can’t Refuse Without Objective Considerations!

The fact is that every bid goes to client’s inbox is a pain to evaluate, and all the more important when your client is reading your proposal after binning a bad proposal. There really isn’t a “magical key” that works for every bid. There are, however, some basic steps you can follow while drafting your proposal to increase the chances of the prospective client considering your bid seriously.

With growing rat race it’s time to stand out of the competition, here are fifteen outstanding tricks for writing an effective proposal:

1) Thoroughly read the project requirements
If the client doesn’t feel that you understand the work, your chances of losing the bid are higher in the first review. Besides, many clients demand for specific details that you need to be aware of. In fact, clients often include a phrase or code that must be included in your bid in order to have it considered and not giving the impression that the response is a canned one. The bottom line is, client gets the feeling its worth spending time in the project.

2) Describe your terms clearly
This will give the client a chance to look at the conditions that come along with your proposal, such as payment expectations and other project related necessary conditions, so they can negotiate these points early on, if needed.

3) Requirement understanding, address concerns and specifications
While you draft your proposal, describe in detail your client what you understand from his requirement description, be upfront about any issues specific to project. Seek information where you think it can impact your client’s business. Client must get the sense all the time while gliding through your proposal that you know the exact work.

4) If the client contacts you, be sure to respond promptly
Here is a deal seizing moment, you have an opportunity to impress the client, remember don’t be too pushy, perhaps be gentle in your approach for providing the required information and more about your services. Often projects are awarded within the first 3 days of reviewing all the proposals.

5) Outline a summary of scope of work
Based on the requirement you may definitely evaluate the gap areas, the areas of improvement, include necessary information regarding project requirements or any need to negotiate any potential changes to the plan, Any necessary equipment/licensing/hardware’s/software’s to complete the work. covering the intangible aspects of the project and all that your client overlooked while detailing the requirement. Lastly, give your expert recommendations to make the project better, believe client will like it.

6) Keep your bid clear and crisp
Using the project description give your brief offerings, remember that the client definitely may have received dozens or even more proposals to be considered. It’s very likely that every word of every bid isn’t going to be read. Bids with an unnecessarily long description will be skipped over completely. Don’t invite the client to ignore your bid by making it over wordy.

7) Don’t oversell your company instead focus on services
A little self-confidence is a good thing, but over-the-top claims and too much about your organization won’t impress anyone. Client has limited interest to know about your company. Concentrate on the estimated timeline and deadline for the project.

8) Refer your work samples in the proposal
Quality of your work, refer some past projects, experience your company has and the methodology you follow are generally among few to be presented while sharing samples of your work. Ensure that your samples are appropriate for the project and that they represent your finest piece of work. For example if you are a Google Adwords Manager, you should show few sample of the ads you are running with CTR and conversions.

9) Why your company qualifies for the project
Skills/domain/technologies your company has worked, niche certifications your company holds, awards your company has bagged for excellence in the area, Patents or white papers your company has for the work.

10) Be cognizant for your clients cents
Being competitive does not always mean that you need to bid lowest. Winning in the worldwide marketplace calls for the real value add, and if your work is truly a masterpiece, you will definitely find clients are willing to pay. On the other hand, if you’re relatively new, you may need to establish a reputation first.

11) Make your proposal your brand ambassador, give yourself the latitude
few points never to miss while sending your bid to represent in your absence are
a) you cannot afford to miss your company name, logo, and contact information, website address in the proposal.
b) give your client the feeling of exclusivity by adding clients name, logo, its business, its website in the proposal.
c) add current date, the project’s name and location in the proposal.
d) include your online presence, according to latest online surveys any client before opting for your services looks at your online reputation and does a research about you on the web. You can consider a Web Design and SEO Company to build your presence on the web.

12) The overall price for the project
This is a very significant and essential section, wherein you detail the cost your company will charge for delivering the project, Include the breakdown of the total cost of the project.

13) Cover the extra mile
A bid is not just merely an info packet, it ought to be an high octane persuasive tool. Therefore, proposal should be beyond an encyclopedic description or an exercise of copy and paste. The goal of your proposal is to persuade your client to choose your services. Why are you different? What will you do for the project that others can’t or won’t? A proposal is to be personalized and tailored for the client. Yes, it’s time-consuming but equally rewarding at the end.

14) Last, but most important, proofread your bid before you trigger submit
As a general rule, ensure the proposal is very neatly drafted, free from grammatical errors, run the spell checker. No matter what kind of project you are bidding for! a poorly written proposal exhibits lack of attention to detail and shows poor presentation skills. You do want to give a professional and polite image for your company and yourself. Putting in a little extra effort will set you above other companies competing on the project.

15) An appreciative conclusion
End with a note of thanks towards the person reading your bidFree Reprint Articles, thank them for taking the time to consider it; invite your client to reach out to you for their questions as they move forward with their evaluation process.

Takeaway
Drive this step-by-step process to create award winning proposals. We suggest you follow a homegrown or take expert services to select the best work. Feel free to take a moment to run through our checklist to see if you are bidding on the right projects for your company.

Plumbing – Before You Remodel

 

This is the service that runs throughout these areas of the home to help
move water to and from the areas you need it. Water, as one of the most
important and dangerous aspects in a home, needs planning. Before you
take on any remodeling project, it is critical to ensure the right
plumbing professional is helping you with this aspect of the home.

Where Is It?
One of the first questions you need to ask is where the current plumbing services are within the area. You need to know:

• Where current pipes are running, such as under cabinets or into appliances

• What condition those current systems are in.

When you know this, you are then able to make decisions about where the
appliances in your home need to go or where water needs repaired. The
reason for doing this type of exploratory procedure is quite simple. It
provides you with a way to know what the potential benefits are and
where the potential risks are. Here are some common things to consider.

• Is the plumbing in the right place for the remodeling project you plan
to do? If you already have a layout in mind, ensure the pipes make it
happen in their current condition.

• If not, can you move them? This is not always the easiest process and it can be impossible in some situations.

• Is the underlayment, including all wood and insulation in good
condition? It is quite often possible that a leak can cause damage that
is significant and even severe. You may not realize that the floorboards
under your shower, for example, are bad until it falls through.

• Is the plumbing up to code? This is an important situation since any
area where there is a building code will require there to be codes
followed. You need to ensure the design you put in place follows those
codes.

• Does the new proposed layout allow for the most effective, safest
method for transporting water to and from the bathroom, kitchen or other
area? Is there something that can be more efficient?

When you discuss plans to remodel any space, do think about the
plumbing. It may not seem like a system that you can actually improve
on, but it does needs your attention. A small mistake or a hidden
problem can deter any remodeling project right from the start. It can
also leave you facing a significant problem over the long term if you do
not plan for fixes and repairs now. A plumbing professional can help
you to make the right decisions.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clear up your plumbing problem by contacting a milwaukee plumbing
specialist who is skilled and experienced in solving a variety of
issues. Find out more information about one professional here: http://www.oakcreekplumbing.com

Doctor Ratings: Know Where to Find Them

 

If you seek a new physician, there are a few different resources you can check to make sure you are getting the best professional possible. One of the ways to ensure this is to look at doctor ratings, which can be found in a few different places. Find out how to check these before you make a decision. One way you can find unofficial doctor ratings is by checking with friends and family and asking about specific doctors. They might not have a scientific way to rate them, but they can say whether they were happy with their care, and let you know about any issues they have had. This can help you find a good practitioner fast, since you can start making a list of doctors that seem to continually get good remarks from people you know. Of course, you should also find out what the experts think. Another great resource is the internet, which features tons of websites that specialize in doctor ratings. Some ask patients to rate doctors based on the care they have received in the past, using a system of five stars, with five being the best ranking. Others encourage patients to not only rate physicians, but also offer details, just like a typical review site. You can find out about real patient experiences this way so that you know what to expect as far as care. Some sites that provide doctor ratings prefer to ask the experts what they think. Rather than having patients rate each physician, they consider factors like quality of education, years of experience, number of formal complaints or lawsuits, and more. These rankings might not tell you much about a patient’s past experiences, but they can let you know whether the physician you are considering is qualified in the eyes of the professionals. These sites may also show you what groups the physician belongs to, what states they are licensed in, and also the chance to pay for a background check on them. Before you decide on a new physician, it is important that you ensure that you know a lot about the one you are considering. You can check out doctor ratings on websites, or just get informal reviews from friends and family members whose opinion you trust. This way, you will have an idea of what to expect as far as care, and can have the peace of mind that you chose the best practitioner available to you.

Article Tags:
Doctor Ratings

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Doctor ratings are out there oto help you find the best doctor for you. For more information, visit http://www.doctorreviewsonline.com./

Home: Selling your own home

 

Home sweet home. We always feel comfortable in our own home. Like they say, “there is nothing place comfortable like home”. Yes, that is true. But what if you want to sell your own home? Selling your own home can be difficult at one time, because you cannot see your own home as a property to sell. You are used to the way of your home looks and functions and there be no problems with that. But homebuyers see things differently, they is if the house is still proper to live in, is the house is clean and tidy, is the house has spacious area for the whole family, is it a secure neighborhood, etc.Selling your own home can be a fun or maybe exhausting activity because you have to prepare your home and fix the flaws or defect of your home. You can choose by yourself whether you want to sell your own home by yourself or you may want to use a real estate agent to sell your home. Every choice has its own advantages and disadvantages. Because it is your home, you can decide it by yourself. One thing you should also remember that every choice that you make should gain more benefits to you.If you do not want to bother by this “selling home” matter, then you can use a real estate agent to sell your home right away with reasonable price that you or the agent suggest. The real estate agent will take care all of the documents and arrange the meeting between you and the buyer. The agent also prepares the open house if you don not have much time to do it. At the end of the closing time, this agent will cut your home price up to 6% for his service to help you to sell your own home. Even tough you will loose some dollars for the agent, at least your home is sold with the price that you want and you do not have to think about the documents and the permits either. Everything is prepared and finished by this agent.But what if you want to sell your own home by yourself? It still possible, as a matter of fact, you will save more dollars because you do not have to spend more money on real estate agents. However, selling your own home by yourself need extra works and extra time and extra energies since you will be doing all things from a to z in selling your own home. The fun fact is that you can stress up your home’s best points to the buyers and negotiating the price directly with them without any third party such as the real estate agent. You can find information about selling your own home by yourself on the web or newspaper about the price of houses. You have to be smart in selling your own home. Do not sell it at low price so that it will cost you more money, or at high price so that the buyer will be scared away and leave.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Submit your articles and get a PR4 backlink to your website! Submit Articles! We provide free articles and information. Check us out at Free Articles!

Hiring a General Contractor: Checking for Complaints

 

No general contractor can be in business for any length of time without angering a customer or two. A wise man once said that you can’t please everyone all of the time. That said, if you were looking to hire someone, you would be equally wise to make sure there is not a plethora of complaints against that person or company. One or two complaints is one thing, especially if they are minor. A pattern of complaints is quite another thing, especially if they are major issues that could speak to the company’s integrity and trustworthiness. Being ignorant of these issues is inexcusable in today’s age of information. Here’s how you can check for complaints.The Better Business BureauA lot of companies like to promote the fact that they belong to the Better Business Bureau. This is nothing to brag about, however. Any company can pay for that honor. While membership in their club may not mean much, the BBB does give customers a place where they can make public complaints about how they were treated. When it comes to checking for complaints against a general contractor, there are few better places to start. Go to the section on companies in your area, enter the name you want to research, and their search engine will direct you to any relevant complaints.Consumer ProtectionEvery state has a department concerned with consumer protection and consumer affairs. You won’t get any less biased a source of information than them, so make sure you make them a stop on your search for complaints against a general contractor. Not everyone thinks to contact the government when they have issues with work they had done, so don’t treat this as the end all, be all of resources, but it always helps to be thorough. Many state governments have all of this information online, so you can go to their website and follow the directions to get what you need. If they don’t have it online, they should have a Contact Us link you can follow.Online ReviewsThere was a time not long ago when it would have been much more difficult to find out what people in your community thought of a particular general contractor. Today, however, online review sites have become very popular. Because of this, a cursory search can easily turn up reviews from people just like you. Look through the most trafficked sites and see if any information comes up about the companies in your area. People don’t hesitate to shout when they’ve been wronged, so you should be able to find some dissenting voices.

Article Tags:
General Contractor, Complaints Against

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Finding the right general contractor for your next project is easier than ever. Find the right guy for the job by checking the reviews at http://www.angieslist.com.

Roof Repair for Your Home

 

Owning a home can be exciting and enjoyable, but it can also be a fearful thing when sudden leaks begin to show up here and there. If this is starting to happen, you will want to quickly begin searching for a roof repair company to help you discover the cause of your leaks. As you look for the right company, be sure to find one that is licensed and insured. It is also important to find one that will do free written estimates after examining your home. The company you choose should use products in their work that are quality, and they should also have programs for continued maintenance.There is a lot of variety when it comes to roofing companies. There are those that are individually owned small businesses, and there are large remodeling companies that do this type of work as well. Doing some research into the company and owners might be a good step and then you can look into details such as the company being licensed and insured. This aspect of a company is important because it protects you as well as your home if there are accidents during the building process. As you are searching for a roof repair company, look for one that is willing to give you a free written estimate of what needs to be done on your home. If you find any that do offer this, make sure and have them go through with this, so that you will have prices to compare with no cost to you and no obligation to hire the company.The products that a company uses are another important consideration as you look for a roof repair company for your home. As you speak with each of the companies, find out the brands of products they use, and then take the time to do some research into those brands. You could call construction supply companies to find out about the products to see what roofing company uses the best quality at the best price.Another consideration as you choose a company for roof repair is to look for one that has programs for continued maintenance even after the initial work is done. This is important because you never know what could happen. There could be a large storm that hurts your shingle job or an ice storm that creates ice dams causing some damage to what has just been repaired on your home. There are probably many other important attributes you might look for in a company that repairs roofs, but this is a start. Take the time to talk to friends and neighbors that you might know who have needed work on their home. They may have some more things to consider as you look for the right company to help you.If your home has some leaks that pop up whenever it rains, you are definitely in need of some work on your home. You will want to look into this very soon because the longer you wait, the more damage there may be that could necessitate another professional coming in to rid your home of mold. So at the first notice of an issue, get started on your research into roof repair companies near you.

Article Tags:
Roof Repair Company, Roof Repair, Repair Company, Research Into

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

If you need anchorage roof repair, come to http://www.sourdoughroofing.com.

Bathroom Vanity Cabinets – Considerations Before Buying Bathroom Vanities Online

Bathroom vanity cabinets are an essential component of any bathroom and can add drama to your design and decor. Bathroom sink cabinets provide countertop space, a place for the sink and faucets and great storage below. It is amazing how often bathroom cabinets and storage are left out of the planning process. It is important to have a place for everything in your bathroom that is easily accessible to everyone. Bathroom vanity cabinets and storage provide home organization and reduce clutter. You never can have too much bathroom storage!

Here are some considerations before buying bathroom vanities online or in stores:

Bathroom vanity cabinets are available in widths of 18 inches up to 48 inches and in increments of 6 inches. When looking for bathroom vanities online or in stores, shop where you can find a wide variety of styles and sizes. From traditional to contemporary, you should be able to choose from vanity cabinets made of woods such as walnut, oak, maple, cherry and finished with high-gloss lacquer that showcases the natural wood finish.

Here are types of bathroom storage cabinets:

1. Cabinetry – bathroom vanity cabinets, wall cabinets, recessed cabinets and medicine cabinets.
2. Open shelving – recessed shelving, corner shelving and surface mounted shelves.
3. Over the toilet cabinets – cabinets that use the wall space over the toilet for storage cabinets.
4. Linen closets, towers with baskets, built-in closets and cabinets or freestanding bathroom sink cabinets that often extend from the floor to the ceiling and provide excellent bathroom storage for linens and other bathroom items.

You should be able to find bathroom vanity cabinets in these two styles:

1. Face-frame vanity cabinets. These bathroom cabinets will give your bathroom a more traditional and formal look. The frame and panel doors are designed to frame the cabinet box, and hinges can be either hidden from view or visible.

2. Frameless vanity cabinets or European style cabinets. These modern bathroom vanities will give your bathroom a more contemporary look. Frameless vanity cabinets will provide you with heavy-duty cabinet boxes and hinges that are hidden and easily adjustable.

When selecting bathroom sink cabinets and door hardware, make sure you match the period cabinets with period style knobs and pulls. You can sometimes find the antique type of knobs you may be looking for at flea markets. Knobs for your cabinets can be $3 to $5 each, and some can run $20 or more each, perhaps creating a problem for your budget.

For your bathroom vanity cabinets countertops, you have several options. You can choose from laminates, ceramic tile, wood, composite materials or solid surface materials such as stone, stainless steel or concrete. Laminates, composite materials, solid surface materials and stainless steel are more susceptible to scratches. However, composite or solid surface materials can be repaired and replaced very easily. Stone countertops are beautiful and durable, but they can stain easily and are expensive.

Ceramic tile is the most commonly used countertop surface. It is durable and you can select from a wide variety of sizes, colors and textures. However, the grout used between the tiles can stain and the tiles can have irregular surfaces. Wood surfaces are beautiful but can stain or mildew if not maintained well. Concrete is a durable and heat-resistant countertop surface, but it can discolor or crack.

Whether upgrading an existing bathroom or planning a new one, the bathroom is one of the best home improvement investments you can make. You, your family and guests will enjoy the bathrooms in your home every day. And should you ever sell your home, attractive and functional bathrooms add to the desirability and to the selling price of your home. Before you buyFeature Articles, read as much as you can on choosing the bathroom vanities online or in stores that will be the best for you and your bathroom. Learning as much as you can will be time well spent.

Content 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

Your Home Renovation Project Checklist

Are you dreaming about hosting your next Christmas party in a better setting? Maybe swap out that old carpet in the living room, re-do the kitchen, or just give an allover facelift to your house or apartment? Well, if you’re planning to renovate this year, here are some of the most important things to pay attention to.

Make sure you design your plan well.

Understand design trends before finalizing your remodeling plans. Home remodeling considerations most commonly include kitchens and private areas. Larger kitchens have a greater resale value than smaller kitchens. When coming to design the working area it is recommended to set the appliances in a triangular position. As for private areas, bedrooms and bathrooms should be separated visually from the working areas of the house.

Write down every little remodeling specification detail

Designing the remodeling specs is the most important task that you will undertake. This task can be the most complicated since you need to detail everything about your remodeling plans so that you can bid the project out to a contractor. Make sure you list down everything you want to change, so the contractor will have a clear idea of what you want. This can prevent design conflicts in the future. Make sure you write exactly which type of new faucet you want for your kitchen. Specify exactly which shade (and company) of hardwood floors you want. No detail is too small to be overlooked here, since based on these specifications the contractor will quote you his price. If you want white Italian marble for your living room, it will be a very different quote than maple hardwood floors.

Find a great contractor

The home remodeling specs that you created will be used to bid the construction project. Take your specifications plan and follow these three important tasks:

Take your specification plan and have it reviewed by an architect or other home designer. It will help them design or revise a house plan to fit your remodeling specs. Take the architectural plan and submit a request for bids from remodeling contractors. The architectural plan should include your construction specs.

Make sure you research the contractors bidding on your project, and make sure you protect yourself in negotiation. You can find a builder by checking the local newspaper, looking around in your neighborhood for houses being renovated, referrals by friends and associates, and referrals by the architect that looked over your specification plans.

Get the bids

After you’ve done your research, it’s time to take bids. The rule of thumb is to get three estimates, but try for five – and then ditch the rock-bottom bid.

“That’s the guy you want to run away from,” says R. Dodge Woodson, a general contractor for 27 years and author of “Tips & Traps for Hiring a Contractor.” “The typical game is to come in as low as you can so you get the job, and then add extra after extra.” Since one of the main responsibilities of a general contractor is to hire skilled subcontractors (electricians, masonry workers, plumbers), you might wonder: Can’t I hire the subcontractors myself? Well, of course you can, but make sure you can walk away from your job at a moment’s notice to rush home and take care of a sudden crisis. If your job is too demanding, consider the alternative of hiring a professional that will take care of things and manage the project in your absence.

Get Everything in Writing

Get a written contract to make sure you’re protected against lawsuits resulting from disputes, accidents, work-related injuries or damages to third parties. Any of these things can happen – even with the smallest of jobs. Your contract does not have to be complicated, but make sure you include the following:

· Contractor contact details such as name, phone number, email, and address.

· A full description of the work contracted (including a detailed list of the materials and specifications of the entire job).

· The start date and the target completion date.

· The total renovation budget and payment method.

· Your contactor’s insurance plan and number, with a list of covered items and the period of time covered by the warranty.

The big 5

There are five things every contractor must have.

1. If required by your state, a license. You can check the Web (contractors-license.org) for your state’s rules. Make sure your contractor is properly licensed, verify the license number with your state authorities or with the local licensing board.

2. Liability insurance. This way your property shall be protected from damages that were caused by the contractor or his employees.

3. Workers’ compensation insurance. Without it you can be held responsible if someone is injured while doing work on your property.

4. The subcontractors should be insured. The same liability and workers’ compensation insurance that your contractor has should be carried by all the specialists (plumbers, electricians and others) he hires.

5. A clean record in the Better Business Bureau. How many complaints have been filed, if any? Remember that misunderstandings do and will occur, so if there was a complaint, see if it was resolved satisfactorily.

Are you ready?

You have to adhere to some standards too. It’s important to be thorough about your wants and needs, but you also have to get along with your crew. “You’ve got to deal with these people; they’re going to be in your house,” says Tom MacGregor, a New York contractor. Do your homework and try to be consistent rather than changing your mind frequently about what you want or don’t want to be done. If your contractor is a reputable one, your goals will be the same: a fast and smooth job, well executedArticle Submission, that everyone walks away from satisfied.