How to Select a General Contractor
The first thing you have to understand that any large home renovation project isn’t going to be easy. Even if everything goes perfectly you won’t be able to use a section of your house for a few weeks, and you will get really tired of workers barging in at 7AM only to fire up power saws and kick up dust everywhere. Now factor in the usual problems in construction and you’re in for a big headache. This is why a general contractor really helps. The general contractor will take care of the details you don’t have the desire or ability to oversee. The general contractor will also be in charge of the workers so if any problem arises with them the general contractor will take care of it. Many general contractors will help with the design and vision for your new room. General contractors are great for people who don’t have the time to deal with all construction issues that arise from projects like yours.
Looking for a good contractor can be tackled a few ways. First you should hit the web. The Associated General Contractors of America (agc.org) is a great way to find a detailed list of general contractors in your area. You will answer a few questions and get a long list of general contractors in your area. This organization has been around since 1918 and is widely respected. You can also drive around your town and look at homes that are having some work done. Sometimes, a sign in the front yard will advertise that a general contractor is working on a room inside the house. Call the number on the sign, tell them you saw they were working on a house in your neighborhood and ask to see their work. Most of the time it’s not a problem as the homeowner already has a bunch of strangers traipsing around their house, what’s one more? Also, ask people you know to recommend a general contractor. This way you can get personal stories about a general contractor from someone you trust.
Once you have you list of prospective general contractors it’s time to start talking to them. If you have a good vision of what you want your room to look like you don’t need someone who is strong in design, but if you’re not sure exactly what you want then ask a general contractor about his or her design ideas. Many general contractors can bring you pictures of some of their previous work so you can get an idea of their ability. Make sure your general contractor has already done the type of work that you need done. For example: Some general contractors will specialize in kitchens and bathrooms, but haven’t done much work on basements or exteriors. If you don’t find out the general contractor’s experience you may have someone working on your house that doesn’t know what he or she is doing. If that’s the case you may as well be doing the work.
Talking about price is one of the trickiest parts of the process. Most general contractors will charge between 10%-20% of you labor costs. That’s fine, but it’s trying to estimate the labor costs before the work starts is like trying to determine where a bolt of lightning will strike before a storm. Here’s what I’ve always done: I ask the general contractor to estimate how long the project will take to complete and how much it will cost. Then I double both of those answers to get a realistic idea. My general contractor told me our bathroom would take three weeks and $20,000 to renovate. A month and a half later and $39,453 later we had the master bath of our dreams.
If your project isn’t too big you may want general contractors to submit a bid for the work. If you need a wall knocked down or some cabinets installed you can ask a general contractor to give you a flat rate for the work. General contractors like dealing like this in smaller jobs because they don’t have to dedicate a lot of time or resources into the project and don’t figure to encounter any problems to hike up the cost.
If you’re ready to make the home of your dreams a reality don’t hesitate to use a general contractor. This will save you a lot of time in dealing with construction dilemmas, and will help make you realize your vision. More than likely you’ll run into some problems during construction, and a good general contractor will take care of problems without bothering you. If you take the time to select a general contractor that will suit your needs and negotiate a price that you can live with your home improvement project will be as painless as possible.
