One thing we have noticed during our years of business when we provide a bid to a potential client is that the projected cost of their home remodel can come as quite a shock. We provide home remodeling services in the greater Snohomish County area, with our shop based out of Lake Stevens, WA. As wide as our service area is so to is the scope of work that comes with each individual home remodel. After you receive an estimate for your remodel project here are some things you might want to consider before factoring the overall cost of your project.
Not every contractor is the same.
Let’s face it – it costs money to run a business. Insurance, taxes and other operating expenses are a part of operating a construction company in a legitimate way. Be sure the contractor you choose is a licensed and bonded contractor. This is protection for you as the homeowner should something go wrong for any reason. Anyone can swing a hammer but that does not mean every contractor is operating their business legally.
To find out if the contractor you are about to hire is operating as a legitimate business go to the department of labor and industries web site at http://www.lni.wa.gov/. Then follow the link on hiring a contractor. You can enter the business name in the search field. The results will show you if the company is active and the amounts of insurance and bond they carry.
Have you thought about materials?
Admittedly I am very picky as to what types of materials I choose to use on each job. Most clients primarily concern themselves with the materials they can see; counter tops, cabinetry, tile, wood flooring and so on. All these materials are definitely important, however the ones I am most concerned with are often times the materials you can’t see or tend not to think about.
When building a deck I am going to use galvanized, stainless steel or ceramic plated screws and nails to minimize the possibility of the “stain ring” effect around deck fasteners throughout the lifetime of your beautiful new deck. When framing a new wall the large chain home improvement stores best lumber doesn’t make the cut. We work with suppliers that offer contractor grade material so you are left with a professional product every time. Choosing cheaper materials of course will lower the overall price on your remodel but it will also lower the quality of your remodel.
Change orders and add ons
Too often we hear about people who get an estimate from a contractor, they accept the bid and the project begins. Then what happens is the contractor begins to tack additional line items on to the original estimate, and the client ends up paying much more than they expected. The above described estimate is called a “foot in the door” estimate.
Let’s face it, price is a huge consideration when you are choosing a contractor and it is very important the contractor does what they said they are going to do for the price they quoted you in the beginning. See our blog about Corvus’ bidding process to find out how we estimate home remodeling projects.
There are many things to consider before having your home remodeled with of course price being one of the most important aspects. Knowing how much it really costs to complete your remodeling project can be a challenging task. Our advice is always to get more then one estimate if you are considering hiring a contractor you have never worked with before.
When meeting with your potential contractor you need to consider how well you think you will work with them. Remember, they will be in your home for some time. Personality should also be a consideration. Do you feel they understand your vision for your remodeling project? What happens if something doesn’t go according to plan? Does the contractor seem qualified to handle the unexpected?
A great way to find some answers to your questions is to talk with the contractor’s previous clients. Read their testimonials, watch the client interviews and ask for a client reference list to call on. Let the contractor’s work speak for itself.