Never hire a professional contractor by the hour if you want good work done in a timely manner. Period.
First, a decent contractor probably would not hire himself out by the hour in the first place. Secondly if you want the job done right you don't want to hire a contractor that would work by the hour as if he is a decent worker he will be selling himself short and if not you will be getting a shoddy job.
A good contractor knows what his labour is worth and has calculated his time into his final bid. If it takes him longer than he expected he loses money but you don't. On the other hand if you pay him by the hour you are stuck paying for extra hours when something goes wrong. So paying by the job will be a motivation for the contractor to get done on time.
A person who gets paid by the hour has a tendency to work slower but not better. They will drag their feet no doubt about it and the less your paying them the longer it will take for the job to get done. They will tend to make bigger mistakes that will possibly take more time to fix. What do they care? They don't mind doing it over ,it's more money in their pocket!
Usually a contractor that works by the hour does not have a license where needed, insurance, or workers compensation. If he gets hurt and you are paying him by the hour you may be responsible for his injuries as a domestic employee. Ouch!
A contractor willing to work by the hour ,especially for "cash" may not have the required work permits, citizenship or may not be of legal age to work.All of these can be expensive to fix as a homeowner.
If he is willing to work by the hour he probably won't "need" a contract which we know is a #1 NO NO! Always have a contract.
I would strongly recommend you always pay any contractor by the job and never by the hour. It's just safer that way!
Feel free to comment on this blog and as always be sure to follow me for more suggestions on contractor / homeowner relationships!
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Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Monday, June 22, 2015
Shantel's Story*
I will be posting some stories on this blog once in a while. These will be stories from both contractors and homeowners. They may be good or bad, Some may be helpful to you as well. Feel free to add your story.
This is Shantel's story:
She and her family hired a local "contractor" to remodel her home and do some minor repairs. Without a thorough background check they contracted him through the bank. If you are hiring through a bank or insurance company they only promise to pay the contractor they do not check the contractor nor do they guarantee the work to be done. ALWAYS have a written contract between you and the contractor! The Bank paid the contractor up front.
The contractor was doing terrible work and finally when the family had enough he walk off the job, WITH THEIR MONEY. In his wake he left shoddy plumbing , dangerous steps, half done tape and bedding and texturing, a leaky roof, nail holes and broken siding and much more! He was also not licensed for any of the contracting that required it. Hard lesson learned.
Red Flags:
Asking more than half up front. (many contractors will require money as a down payment , it should never be more than half)
No licence for work that requires one (some construction does not require licence in some states , always check)
No contract between homeowner and contractor.
Thankfully Shantel found a good contractor to re do much of the work. Unfortunately some of it had to be done by family because of lack of funds.
All photo are courtesy of owner
* If requested names may be changed.
This is Shantel's story:
She and her family hired a local "contractor" to remodel her home and do some minor repairs. Without a thorough background check they contracted him through the bank. If you are hiring through a bank or insurance company they only promise to pay the contractor they do not check the contractor nor do they guarantee the work to be done. ALWAYS have a written contract between you and the contractor! The Bank paid the contractor up front.
The contractor was doing terrible work and finally when the family had enough he walk off the job, WITH THEIR MONEY. In his wake he left shoddy plumbing , dangerous steps, half done tape and bedding and texturing, a leaky roof, nail holes and broken siding and much more! He was also not licensed for any of the contracting that required it. Hard lesson learned.
Red Flags:
Asking more than half up front. (many contractors will require money as a down payment , it should never be more than half)
No licence for work that requires one (some construction does not require licence in some states , always check)
No contract between homeowner and contractor.
Thankfully Shantel found a good contractor to re do much of the work. Unfortunately some of it had to be done by family because of lack of funds.
* If requested names may be changed.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Are homeowners liable for a contractor's injury on his property?
This is not an easy yes or no answer. It can be very complicated. Here are some factors to consider:
One factor is, what did you hire the contractor to do? Say you hire a contractor to fix the holes in your roof, the contractor knows the roof is unsteady, has holes and is dangerous. If he, or one of his workers, falls through the roof, are you liable? Probably not. You hired them to fix that problem and it was their responsibility to make sure the roof was reinforced properly and all workers had safety gear. However , what if you hired a brick mason to repair the chimney and he falls through the roof? Then You may be liable. The reason? It is a home owners responsibility to provide a safe environment for the contractor and by not having the roof already repaired or reinforced you could be held responsible for injury.
Another factor is in how much control you decide to have in the building process. Most home owners leave the entire process to a General Contractor. However , if you decide that you would like to be your own General Contractor, you could be putting yourself at risk of being liable for injury. The less control you have over your project , the less liability you take on as well. Even the small act of telling a contractor HOW to do a part of his job or WHERE to put equipment can actually throw liability on to your shoulders.
What about workers' compensation? Usually home owners are not responsible for providing Workers' Compensation. Workers' Compensation is taken on by each contractor and subcontractor individually. They cannot file against a home owner unless they are hired as a domestic employee, which in most cases they are not.
what about home owners insurance? This can also become complicated. Most home owners insurance policies do not provide for injury to a contractor hired to do work on your home. You should review your policy before beginning any work on your home. Some companies will provide extra coverage while you are building or remodelling and some will not. Reviewing the policy you have and any options they can provide may bring you peace of mind.
Be sure to comment if you have anything to add or have any questions.
I am not a lawyer and this blog was meant only as a guide and not in any
way is it to be used or construed as legal advice. If you have a problem
that needs to be adressed on this or any other subject please consult a
licensed attorney.
One factor is, what did you hire the contractor to do? Say you hire a contractor to fix the holes in your roof, the contractor knows the roof is unsteady, has holes and is dangerous. If he, or one of his workers, falls through the roof, are you liable? Probably not. You hired them to fix that problem and it was their responsibility to make sure the roof was reinforced properly and all workers had safety gear. However , what if you hired a brick mason to repair the chimney and he falls through the roof? Then You may be liable. The reason? It is a home owners responsibility to provide a safe environment for the contractor and by not having the roof already repaired or reinforced you could be held responsible for injury.
Another factor is in how much control you decide to have in the building process. Most home owners leave the entire process to a General Contractor. However , if you decide that you would like to be your own General Contractor, you could be putting yourself at risk of being liable for injury. The less control you have over your project , the less liability you take on as well. Even the small act of telling a contractor HOW to do a part of his job or WHERE to put equipment can actually throw liability on to your shoulders.
What about workers' compensation? Usually home owners are not responsible for providing Workers' Compensation. Workers' Compensation is taken on by each contractor and subcontractor individually. They cannot file against a home owner unless they are hired as a domestic employee, which in most cases they are not.
what about home owners insurance? This can also become complicated. Most home owners insurance policies do not provide for injury to a contractor hired to do work on your home. You should review your policy before beginning any work on your home. Some companies will provide extra coverage while you are building or remodelling and some will not. Reviewing the policy you have and any options they can provide may bring you peace of mind.
Be sure to comment if you have anything to add or have any questions.
I am not a lawyer and this blog was meant only as a guide and not in any
way is it to be used or construed as legal advice. If you have a problem
that needs to be adressed on this or any other subject please consult a
licensed attorney.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Why THIS subject for a blog?
You blog either what you love or what you know. Well this blog is both I guess.
I grew up learning the construction business. My Grandfather was a contractor and he built many houses and apartments in the Dallas , Texas area. My Dad worked for him as a brick mason for a while. Then I married a brick Mason (22 years ago today to be exact).
Do I love construction? Well we will say yes and no. Most days it's yes but that sometimes is No. The No days are often caused by miscommunication or personality conflicts between the contractor and the home owner, thus the reason for this blog. I want to help keep this from happening by revealing what conflicts could happen and how to resolve them so everyone is happy at the end of the day. Hopefully we keep it as upbeat and fun as possible. I will post pictures and video to try and keep it entertaining as well. As always feel free to comment and participate.
What do I love? Well for one the people we work with. They are building a dream and we are helping them achieve that! We meet a variety of people from a variety of places. We love them all! Another reason I enjoy it is because building is an art and when treated as an art more than "a Job" you will be good at what you do and proud of your results.
Another reason Is often we make people happy. Whether they are happy with our results or because we helped them overcome a problem. Recently a home owner was devastated. They were building a home and wanted stone columns. They had hired a self taught "mason" who was the cheapest on the list. Cheap can be good , but not always( That's why I emphasise doing your homework).
They had hired this contractor with no contract, paid most of it up front and then the contractor walked off the job not only with it half done but with a shoddy job to boot. We fixed the problem, and they were happy. That makes me love my job. I will attach a few before/after photos of this job. So I love this blog because I (usually)love the subject. Hopefully you love this blog too.
These are the columns before
Notice they are not even backfilled
They will not even be standing for long.
Here they are after the repairs
I grew up learning the construction business. My Grandfather was a contractor and he built many houses and apartments in the Dallas , Texas area. My Dad worked for him as a brick mason for a while. Then I married a brick Mason (22 years ago today to be exact).
Do I love construction? Well we will say yes and no. Most days it's yes but that sometimes is No. The No days are often caused by miscommunication or personality conflicts between the contractor and the home owner, thus the reason for this blog. I want to help keep this from happening by revealing what conflicts could happen and how to resolve them so everyone is happy at the end of the day. Hopefully we keep it as upbeat and fun as possible. I will post pictures and video to try and keep it entertaining as well. As always feel free to comment and participate.
What do I love? Well for one the people we work with. They are building a dream and we are helping them achieve that! We meet a variety of people from a variety of places. We love them all! Another reason I enjoy it is because building is an art and when treated as an art more than "a Job" you will be good at what you do and proud of your results.
Another reason Is often we make people happy. Whether they are happy with our results or because we helped them overcome a problem. Recently a home owner was devastated. They were building a home and wanted stone columns. They had hired a self taught "mason" who was the cheapest on the list. Cheap can be good , but not always( That's why I emphasise doing your homework).
They had hired this contractor with no contract, paid most of it up front and then the contractor walked off the job not only with it half done but with a shoddy job to boot. We fixed the problem, and they were happy. That makes me love my job. I will attach a few before/after photos of this job. So I love this blog because I (usually)love the subject. Hopefully you love this blog too.
These are the columns before
Notice they are not even backfilled
They will not even be standing for long.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Contractor Recommendations
So your building a home or remodelling one and you want to get some local recommendations. What do most people do? They head to the local "Big Box" home improvement store and ask them. They should have tons of great recommendations right?
Well they will have cards and indexes of contractors to choose from, but they are not necessarily "great". They get business cards and numbers from every person that has ever tried to build something and that can put you in a bad situation if your not careful. I'm not saying you should not get recommendations there, but be sure you still do your homework before you hire a recommended contractor from ANYWHERE.
Those in rural or semi rural areas may have better luck asking a home improvement store than those in urban or city areas. The stores in a rural area are often more familiar with the contractors and local home owners that have used them and therefore can make a more trustworthy recommendation. If you ask at a home improvement store be sure to ask if they are familiar with that contractors work , if not you can still call the contractor but be sure to thoroughly investigate before using him.
Some of the best places to get a recommendation is local small businesses. Say a local stone yard or a local family owned home improvement store, they are usually rich in local contractors that they know on a personal basis.
Another great idea is to find newly built homes in the area and contact the home owner. They are often a great source of recommendations, especially if they are happy with the work done. Also make small talk with friends and family that live near you ask them if they have any recommendations for you.
Ask other contractors. Say your in the middle of building a home and you have used contractors for the other phases of your home , ask them to recommend someone for the next phases of your project.
Lastly there are websites and apps dedicated to finding quality contractors. I list them last since I'm not sure about the quality of the recommendations on them. We are a member of one where the home owner pays for the information in an effort to weed out undesirable contractors. Since anyone can write a review on them I think that it's possible for competitors to write bad reviews , it makes me wonder. Another site makes the contractor pay for the info which I have looked into and since there are different prices for different programs which makes me wonder if contractors are recommended more if they are on a higher pay scale. If anyone has used these services with either good or bad results please comment below and let me know.
The point is there is no shortage of places to find contractors. The best way to get a good one is to use all of these sources. Often a particular contractors name will come up, either good or bad, several times that’s a good way to help make a short list. After you pick a few you can meet with them, get a feel for their work by asking questions and reviewing portfolio's (yes I highly recommend very contractor keep a portfolio) and do your homework before hiring your new contractor.
Thanks for reading. Be sure to leave a comment if you would like to add to this discussion or if you have a good story to relate about this subject. I'm also open to post ideas if you have any.
Well they will have cards and indexes of contractors to choose from, but they are not necessarily "great". They get business cards and numbers from every person that has ever tried to build something and that can put you in a bad situation if your not careful. I'm not saying you should not get recommendations there, but be sure you still do your homework before you hire a recommended contractor from ANYWHERE.
Those in rural or semi rural areas may have better luck asking a home improvement store than those in urban or city areas. The stores in a rural area are often more familiar with the contractors and local home owners that have used them and therefore can make a more trustworthy recommendation. If you ask at a home improvement store be sure to ask if they are familiar with that contractors work , if not you can still call the contractor but be sure to thoroughly investigate before using him.
Some of the best places to get a recommendation is local small businesses. Say a local stone yard or a local family owned home improvement store, they are usually rich in local contractors that they know on a personal basis.
Another great idea is to find newly built homes in the area and contact the home owner. They are often a great source of recommendations, especially if they are happy with the work done. Also make small talk with friends and family that live near you ask them if they have any recommendations for you.
Ask other contractors. Say your in the middle of building a home and you have used contractors for the other phases of your home , ask them to recommend someone for the next phases of your project.
Lastly there are websites and apps dedicated to finding quality contractors. I list them last since I'm not sure about the quality of the recommendations on them. We are a member of one where the home owner pays for the information in an effort to weed out undesirable contractors. Since anyone can write a review on them I think that it's possible for competitors to write bad reviews , it makes me wonder. Another site makes the contractor pay for the info which I have looked into and since there are different prices for different programs which makes me wonder if contractors are recommended more if they are on a higher pay scale. If anyone has used these services with either good or bad results please comment below and let me know.
The point is there is no shortage of places to find contractors. The best way to get a good one is to use all of these sources. Often a particular contractors name will come up, either good or bad, several times that’s a good way to help make a short list. After you pick a few you can meet with them, get a feel for their work by asking questions and reviewing portfolio's (yes I highly recommend very contractor keep a portfolio) and do your homework before hiring your new contractor.
Thanks for reading. Be sure to leave a comment if you would like to add to this discussion or if you have a good story to relate about this subject. I'm also open to post ideas if you have any.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Never trust a fart
Did I just say that? Yes I did. We all know the guy , full of hot air and stinks!
When looking for a contractor THIS guy is the one to avoid because after all the hot air is gone your left with a mess! So how can you tell a "fart" from a real contractor? It's not always easy. I mean there are some you can smell a mile away , but there are others that are really good at their deceptive craft. There are a few ways to help you avoid the "fart" and I will list them here.
1. Educate yourself
You don't have to become an expert, but if you are having a repair done , or
even building from bottom up, learn a little about what your having done.
This is a good idea for a couple of reasons. First the contractor will use some
lingo you may not understand. Most try to explain it as easy as possible but
there will still be words and expressions used that may be helpful to you. Also
if YOU personally use some of the words you learned while asking questions
or explaining what you would like, your contractor knows you have done
your homework and may be less likely to cheat you in some way.
2. Listen
Listen to what your contractor says, closely. If you don't understand a
certain aspect , have him repeat it for you. Maintain eye contact. Now that
does not mean stare at him until he is uncomfortable, but be sure that you do
have some eye contact. Finally ,watch his body language especially when
asking him questions.
3. That brings us to; ask questions
LOTS of questions. This is important. You need to know what the contractor
is going to do and how he wants to achieve the end product. This is VERY
important! You are going to get several bids and none of them will be the
same. Each contractor has different suppliers, some add travel time etc. but
they should all be pretty close to the same price. However most people grab
the contractor with the lowest bid. Your job is to figure out what your getting
for that price. The only way to do that is to ask. For example, I give you a bid
of $3,000 for a job and contractor #2 gives you a bid of $3200 its a safe bet
that you are going to get close to the same quality for those prices. The
difference may be in the quality of materials , or added expenses such as
travel time. Say contractor #3 gives you the price of $1500. That should be a
red flag. He is at half what the other two are. I’ve seen many a person get
burned taking such a low bid. Ask, ask, ask! There is no dumb question.
4. Contract
Ask for a contract. If the contractor says they don't use them, or a
handshake is their word, RUN!!!!! I don't care if your contractor is your
brother! The contract will be your protection as well as his. NEVER EVER
hire a contractor without a contract! If he does not mention one then ask. If
need be YOU write one up. A shady contractor does not like contracts.
5. Jack of all trades and Handymen
No one person is good at every aspect of construction. There are many who
can multitask, for example our company is a masonry company, we also pour
concrete and lay tile and we do it well ,but many of the handymen out there
have a list a mile long of things they do, some requiring a licence they do not
have!!
Ok. so this is a short list of how to avoid getting burned by a contractor. Feel free to comment and add to the list or tell a story of the time you "trusted a fart".
When looking for a contractor THIS guy is the one to avoid because after all the hot air is gone your left with a mess! So how can you tell a "fart" from a real contractor? It's not always easy. I mean there are some you can smell a mile away , but there are others that are really good at their deceptive craft. There are a few ways to help you avoid the "fart" and I will list them here.
1. Educate yourself
You don't have to become an expert, but if you are having a repair done , or
even building from bottom up, learn a little about what your having done.
This is a good idea for a couple of reasons. First the contractor will use some
lingo you may not understand. Most try to explain it as easy as possible but
there will still be words and expressions used that may be helpful to you. Also
if YOU personally use some of the words you learned while asking questions
or explaining what you would like, your contractor knows you have done
your homework and may be less likely to cheat you in some way.
2. Listen
Listen to what your contractor says, closely. If you don't understand a
certain aspect , have him repeat it for you. Maintain eye contact. Now that
does not mean stare at him until he is uncomfortable, but be sure that you do
have some eye contact. Finally ,watch his body language especially when
asking him questions.
3. That brings us to; ask questions
LOTS of questions. This is important. You need to know what the contractor
is going to do and how he wants to achieve the end product. This is VERY
important! You are going to get several bids and none of them will be the
same. Each contractor has different suppliers, some add travel time etc. but
they should all be pretty close to the same price. However most people grab
the contractor with the lowest bid. Your job is to figure out what your getting
for that price. The only way to do that is to ask. For example, I give you a bid
of $3,000 for a job and contractor #2 gives you a bid of $3200 its a safe bet
that you are going to get close to the same quality for those prices. The
difference may be in the quality of materials , or added expenses such as
travel time. Say contractor #3 gives you the price of $1500. That should be a
red flag. He is at half what the other two are. I’ve seen many a person get
burned taking such a low bid. Ask, ask, ask! There is no dumb question.
4. Contract
Ask for a contract. If the contractor says they don't use them, or a
handshake is their word, RUN!!!!! I don't care if your contractor is your
brother! The contract will be your protection as well as his. NEVER EVER
hire a contractor without a contract! If he does not mention one then ask. If
need be YOU write one up. A shady contractor does not like contracts.
5. Jack of all trades and Handymen
No one person is good at every aspect of construction. There are many who
can multitask, for example our company is a masonry company, we also pour
concrete and lay tile and we do it well ,but many of the handymen out there
have a list a mile long of things they do, some requiring a licence they do not
have!!
Ok. so this is a short list of how to avoid getting burned by a contractor. Feel free to comment and add to the list or tell a story of the time you "trusted a fart".
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Do I Need a contract even for a small job?
The Short answer is YES. But let me let you know why it is advisable to ALWAYS have a contract , no matter how small the job is.
The contract will protect both the home owner and the contractor in case of a dispute. Even if you are already best friends and you feel one party would never cheat the other, the contract is necessary. Its not about trust or cheating , its about communication. The contract sets out the way the job is to be done , the price and payment schedules, as well as any other terms and conditions. Without these terms in writing and signed by both parties any dispute no matter how minor can turn into a disaster.
I live in a small town where a handshake still means something and against my own judgement I have forgone a contract. It does not work. Just recently I was in a dispute with a home owner who said I promised a stone column on the back porch when he specifically told us he wanted only the front porch done. I had no contract so I ate $600. If I had a contract It would have said 5 stone columns on the front porch and then if he decided differently he would have had to pay the extra. A contract ensures that both parties know exactly what is being provided at a specific price.
Contracts should be as detailed as possible so that both parties know what will be done and how it will be done. A clause stating that changes require a written change order is important. Finally a warranty and/or disclaimer should be written into the contract. Disclaimers protect the contractor from having to pay for damages that are beyond his control. An example of this is our brick and stone disclaimer stating that natural stone products and some brick, vary in texture and size which is beyond our control. Some brick will also change colour with age or varying seasons. Without the disclaimer a home owner may not understand this and inadvertently blame the contractor.
Home owners are protected as well , in that you have a contractor that is less likely to do a bad job or one that gets halfway done and walks off leaving you to have to possibly pay more for someone else to finish. You will also knoe what to expect from your contractor.
With a well written , thorough contract , you are well on your way to a good relationship between contractor and home owner.
The contract will protect both the home owner and the contractor in case of a dispute. Even if you are already best friends and you feel one party would never cheat the other, the contract is necessary. Its not about trust or cheating , its about communication. The contract sets out the way the job is to be done , the price and payment schedules, as well as any other terms and conditions. Without these terms in writing and signed by both parties any dispute no matter how minor can turn into a disaster.
I live in a small town where a handshake still means something and against my own judgement I have forgone a contract. It does not work. Just recently I was in a dispute with a home owner who said I promised a stone column on the back porch when he specifically told us he wanted only the front porch done. I had no contract so I ate $600. If I had a contract It would have said 5 stone columns on the front porch and then if he decided differently he would have had to pay the extra. A contract ensures that both parties know exactly what is being provided at a specific price.
Contracts should be as detailed as possible so that both parties know what will be done and how it will be done. A clause stating that changes require a written change order is important. Finally a warranty and/or disclaimer should be written into the contract. Disclaimers protect the contractor from having to pay for damages that are beyond his control. An example of this is our brick and stone disclaimer stating that natural stone products and some brick, vary in texture and size which is beyond our control. Some brick will also change colour with age or varying seasons. Without the disclaimer a home owner may not understand this and inadvertently blame the contractor.
Home owners are protected as well , in that you have a contractor that is less likely to do a bad job or one that gets halfway done and walks off leaving you to have to possibly pay more for someone else to finish. You will also knoe what to expect from your contractor.
With a well written , thorough contract , you are well on your way to a good relationship between contractor and home owner.
WELCOME!
Welcome to the Love Your Contractor Blog! This blog is designed to help both contractor and home or business owner to understand both sides of a sometimes complicated relationship.
As a home owner or business person your building or remodelling project is important to you. Its your dream. You want it to run smoothly without a flaw.
As a contractor you want this process to go as smoothly as possible as well. And although this is not your dream, you understand that it is their dream and that your expertise is needed to get the job done.
The main point is , there will be bumps and almost no building or remodelling project goes without a hitch. This blog is meant to help you get over these bumps and help the Home or business owner and the contractor learn to work together so that your dream project ends up a positive experience for both parties .
Feel free to comment and ask questions. Suggestions for blog subjects are always welcome.
Enjoy!
As a home owner or business person your building or remodelling project is important to you. Its your dream. You want it to run smoothly without a flaw.
As a contractor you want this process to go as smoothly as possible as well. And although this is not your dream, you understand that it is their dream and that your expertise is needed to get the job done.
The main point is , there will be bumps and almost no building or remodelling project goes without a hitch. This blog is meant to help you get over these bumps and help the Home or business owner and the contractor learn to work together so that your dream project ends up a positive experience for both parties .
Feel free to comment and ask questions. Suggestions for blog subjects are always welcome.
Enjoy!
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