How to Locate and Hire a Good Contractor

We have all heard horror stories and watched newscasts about innocent people being ripped off by a contractor. Unfortunately, this happens far too often in the construction industry. Here are some guidelines to follow when hiring a contractor for your home.

Step 1. How to Find a Good Contractor

When searching, word of mouth is by far and away the best method. Speak with your friends, neighbors, coworkers and relatives. One of them probably has the guy for you. If searching the internet, newspaper, or telephone book is appealing to you, then you need to beware. Anyone can pay for an ad, good guys or bad guys. Whether you find a contractor from word of mouth or from an advertisement, you will need to do some detective work.

Step 2. Check Him Out

Most communities now have a building dept. This is your first step in determining if you have found the right contractor for your project. You need to call the building dept. and verify that he is properly licensed for your project. You should ask how many permits he has pulled in the last year and if he has passed all of his inspections. Next, go ahead and check with your local Better Business Bureau. Even if he is not a paid member, the BBB records consumer complaints for up to three years. Use Google or similar search engine. Often times you will find a review or complaint listed from a burned consumer. Finally, get some free insurance. A good contractor will carry liability insurance and you can be listed as a rider on that policy. Have his insurance company fax you a certificate with your name on it. Workers Comp insurance is a must have as well. If an uncovered worker is injured on your project, you could be held liable in some instances. If he passes this gauntlet, start calling his references. They will sing his praises, because he picked them for you to call, but you can get some good insight on things such as timeliness, cleanliness, etc. Next, have him put together a contract for your project.

Step 3. Read Your Contract

It is imperative that your contractor provide you with a written contract. It is your duty to make sure that it is very detailed about the specific work that is to be completed. You want to get what you are paying for and the last thing you want is to pay extra for something you thought was included in the original contract. Ofcourse read all of his fine print just as you would with any other contract you would sign.

Step 4. Pay On Your Terms

Your contractor will list his payment terms in your contract. This does not mean you have to agree with them. A good rule of thumb is to allow for up to 30% down. This ofcourse, is only if he has passed all the guidelines listed above. A good method is to release the remaining funds at a predermined points as work progresses and as outlined in the contract. Follow these guidelines and you are on your way to improving your most prized possesion.

Preparing for Kitchen Remodeling

Remodeling the kitchen is very much a hype these days. This is because there are a number of people who found out how remodeling their kitchen will makeover the look of their homes. However, it is very important for people to know that kitchen remodeling is something that cannot be done immediately. This is because you have to check a lot of things first before putting the design plan that you want and you can group them into two things. First is the plan itself then the physical factor.

In terms of the plan, you have to think first of the design that you want. Would you like to have a kitchen with high end gadgets and appliances? Would you like to go natural? Or are you just someone who would like to have a functional yet convenient kitchen? You have to plan the original theme that will fit your needs. After the design, you have to think of the appliances that you may want to include in your kitchen theme. Overall, think every detail that you want to see in your kitchen.

For the physical part like the kitchen itself, it is now time for you to check the current look of the kitchen. Check the layout of your dream kitchen design then your current kitchen. With this, you have to see whether you have to build another part of your kitchen for the layout. Some kitchen layout would require an island on the middle part of the kitchen.

In relation to the layout, you also have to take note of your kitchen’s space. Will the layout suitable for your needed design fit on your current kitchen size? If not, you may consider to have a part of the kitchen torn down prior to starting the project. If tearing down a part is not possible, you may consider changing the kitchen layout to the one that will fit your kitchen. This will help you save from tearing down the place but you may not be able to achieve the design that you want.

For this however, you may ask some assistance from contractors as they may help you to have other option that will match your current kitchen size if your layout is not possible. They are very much knowledgeable with these that they can give you a lot of suggestions that are also within your allotted budget and preference.

Blue Ribbon Construction LLC is a full service remodeling company located in Wichita, KS. You can contact us at www.goblueribbon.com