Home Improvement

In home remodeling, one of the most crucial steps that brings you closer to project success is hiring the right contractor.  Picking a qualified contractor whose skills and expertise perfectly matches with what is required by your home improvement project can be a challenge.  But eventually, all your efforts will definitely pay off… big time.  

As the cliché goes, ‘Quality does not come cheap.’  So if you are expecting the best value for your money, you have to think many times before making that ever important choice.  Yes, the cheapest contractor service offered might tempt you the most, but the possibility of it bringing out the result you have in mind would be close to impossible.  And with the money that you are investing, you wouldn’t want to risk it and just pray for some miracle.

Well, this article does not stop you from believing in miracles.  But, it would never happen with the case of your home remodeling project and hiring the lowest bidder.  The low price, in itself is an indication of the future remodeling disaster you are getting yourself and your New York home into.  So whether you are in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens or Long Island; the best thing to do when taking on contractor selection is not stopping at price alone.

When looking for a contractor to take on and finish up your home remodeling project with flying colors, you have to consider some factors included in the bid.

M&M- Materials and Methods

With the right ingredients, of course you’ll be expecting good stuff.  But have you any idea what the lowest bidding contractor might have in store for you and your home remodeling project?  Product selection and craftsmanship are the core of a successful project and if he cannot provide both, then you are throwing money away.  

Hidden Costs

It would be infuriating if you get what you pay for if you choose the lowest bidder.  What more if you find out, while the actual home remodeling is already at work, that the contractor’s skills are not up to par and he’s charging you additional service fees?  Before fees are fixed into contract amount, make sure to get a copy ahead to meticulously study the contractor’s bid breakdown or schedule of values.

Why so low?

The most common circumstances why contractors end up bidding lowest is that:
•    They are inexperienced,
•    They are con men,
•    They are good at miserably failing to deliver promises,
•    They are hoping that the offer would sound too good to be true for you to resist and get careless on checking on other essentials such as their membership standing at the local Better Business Bureau and other such bad background matters.

With the state of the economy today plus the long-running New York housing crunch, be wise in spending your hard-earned greens.  If you have to save on home remodeling, by all means do so, but not at the expense of project quality.  And as your hired contractor is one of the keys to an appealing as well as functional outcome, then weight your options carefully.  Remember if the bid seems too good to be true… it probably is.

Tags: Home Remodeling by iwellbc
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Finding the right home improvement company to update or renovate your home doesn’t have to be a stressful and disheartening process. Yet most homeowners have no idea where to start because they are bombarded with bad press about contractors who are dishonest, inexperienced and downright unreliable. Homeowners today are wary of who they can trust.

Home Improvement Complaints and Scams:

“With lower-rate mortgages tempting homeowners to trade up to a bigger house, or to refinance and expand or repair their existing home, we’re finding that construction and home improvement activity is way up, and with it is the number of complaints in those areas,” said Consumer Protection Commissioner Edwin R. Rodriguez. (Consumer Affairs, January 2006)

“Home improvement complaints rank as the top consumer complaint in Connecticut and elsewhere across the country,” Rodriguez said. “While home improvements themselves can be expensive, any problems that arise often cost consumers thousands more to fix. Unfortunately, there have been many cases where a homeowner is left with a huge problem and has no financial means of getting it repaired.” (Consumer Affairs, June 2006)

Basic scams usually do not occur with accredited companies, so make sure the company you use is licensed. “The law requires home improvement contractors to register and follow certain procedures for a reason, to protect homeowners,” Rodriguez said. “This includes complying with state laws that assure consumers a level of financial protection.” (Consumer Affairs, June 2006)

Be Wary of Certain Sales Tactic:

According to the National Consumer Law Center at consumerlaw.org, unscrupulous contractors mostly target senior citizens. Do not fall into the trap of the following sales tactics that take advantage of homeowners:

• “Bait and Switch” – offers low prices for installed items like windows and home siding, and then tells the homeowner the item is out of stock and can only be replaced with a high-priced substitute.

• Misrepresent the urgency of a needed repair.

• Claim the item is more expensive than advertised because it has to be “custom made” to fit the home.

• Misrepresent that the consumer is receiving a discount because the home is selected to model the repair when, in reality, the consumer is paying market price or more.

• Misrepresent the energy savings, health benefits and value added to the home.

• Misrepresent the terms on which financing is likely to be arranged.

Practices to Follow for Finding the Right Contractor:

If you hire a contractor with a license and a good reputation (such as the Home Remodelers Group®), you are guaranteed to avoid unfinished work, financial wrongdoing and fraud.

The National Consumer Law Center has a list of suggestions for homeowners looking for a home improvement company:

• Do not hire an unknown contractor that solicits business by knocking on your door. Deal with companies recommended by friends or reputable building supply stores.

• Before agreeing to hire any home improvement contractor, get a second estimate for the same work from another contractor.

• Get references for the contractor and speak to those references. Ask about satisfaction and any problems that arose.

• Look at other work performed by the same contractor.

• Many states require contractors to be licensed and/or bonded. Check with the state licensing body to see if the contractor you are considering is licensed.

• Get a written contract describing explicit specifications of the work, the price (including details of any financing or credit terms), the responsibility for cleaning up, and the hourly rate for any added work. Ask for guarantees and other promises to be made in writing.

• If the written documents are different from oral promises, do not sign them.

• A 3-day right-to-cancel applies to door-to-door sales and home improvement loans even after the papers have been signed.

• Do not allow a contractor to begin work until financial arrangements to pay for the work are complete.

• Do not agree to pay the final payment until the project is finished.

• Do not consolidate other debts with a home improvement loan.

• If problems with a contractor or home improvement lender arise, get help from a lawyer or housing counselor immediately.

Take Care of Your Home:

The Home Remodelers Group® has been in business since 1964 and there is a simple reason for our longevity. We take great pride in helping our customers beautify their homes, we enjoy our work and we want our customers to be happy with their homes. The Home Remodelers Goup® is licensed and insured so you can feel secure when working with us. Before you sign any contract, we provide a written estimate and detailed information on the scope of the project. You’ll know exactly what you are getting before we do anything. We do this to provide our customers with peace of mind. We have survived in this business because we focus on customer satisfaction, attention to customer service and offer quality products at a fair price.

Think of your home like a child that needs a doctor. You would take your child to a licensed and professional doctor, not someone that comes to your door. So make sure your home receives the care it deserves by hiring experienced and well-accredited home improvement professionals.

For more information visit http://www.homeremodelersgroup.com/?source=articles

Tags: Home Improvement by iwellbc
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