Remodeling Estimate

How to Choose the Best Cabinet Installation Contractor

homeimprovementcontractors — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:14:45 +0000

One of the most frustrating aspects of any kitchen is inadequate cabinet space. It often becomes necessary for one to remove the old cabinets and initiate a new cabinet installation. A major decision must be made about whether one wants to do this work on their own or hire a professional to do the work for them. This kind of work can be complicated and difficult, so hiring a professional is always the safest choice but it is important to know what to look for in a contractor before hiring them.

The most important thing to check before hiring a cabinet installation contractor is to make sure they are certified. There are general certifications that all carpenters should have but it is important to make sure that a contractor is certified specifically for cabinetry. There are issues that pop up with cabinet installation and the person hired to do the job must know about these before beginning their work.

Next, it is vital that a potential customer get a list of past customers for references. If a contractor is unwilling to provide references, then it is a clear warning that something has gone terribly wrong in the past. It is their job to convince the customer that they are the best person for the job. One should never simply trust the word of the person trying to get paid to do a job.

The most important step is to insure that the contractor has liability insurance. It is vital that all customers find out who the insurer is and what the installer’s account number is. The customer should then call the insurance company and verify that the insurance covers the type of work to be done and that it is a valid account. This is so important because if a worker is hurt in a private home and the contractor does not have insurance then it becomes the responsibility of the home owner. This is simply a way for a home owner to protect themselves against a potential law suit.

Finally, it is also necessary that the carpenter be willing to provide a quote in writing and that the customer maintains a reasonable expectation of work to be done. Obtaining a written quote is important to prevent a business from artificially inflating the prices. It is not uncommon for unscrupulous dealers to verbally quote a price and then claim that the customer must have misheard the original quote. A written quote acts as a contract that both parties must adhere to. Anyone that will not give this should be avoided. It is also important that the customer be reasonable. Issues pop up even with the best professional installers that might delay the cabinet installation for a day or two.

There is nothing quite like the experience of moving from inadequate cabinetry to brand new cabinets that provide all the space one might need. It is important to know what to expect when installing these new cabinets and to maintain a reasonable goal for when they will be finished. That said, nobody should set themselves up to get scammed by a shady contractor. Verifying everything the contract says will help protect anyone from finding themselves at the mercy of someone that did not really know exactly how to accomplish the job they were hired to do.

How to Assess the Best Roof Repair Contractor

homeimprovementcontractors — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:54:06 +0000

You’ve decided to have roof repair work done, but now how do you determine the best contractor to hire to do it? Hiring the wrong contractor can lead to a nightmare of delays, dissatisfaction and added expense. Fortunately there are effective ways to screen contractors to weed out the high risk contractors and single out the best and most reliable ones. Here are some tips on how to assess a roof repair contractor before you hire them:

1. Take Your Time

Unless you are facing some sort of crisis regarding your roof, there is seldom reason to rush to hire someone to do the work. If a potential contractor appears to be pushing you to choose them, that can be a serious warning sign. True professionals are glad to give you all the information and all the time you need to make a decision.

2. Attitude Matters

A good roof repair contractor is genuinely interested in your problems and will seem enthusiastic about doing the work. Does the contractor appear to take pride in their work and are they forthcoming with information, references and explanations about the job? Gauging a contractors attitude towards their work is a pretty reliable guide to how well the job will get done if you hire them. Uninspired workers do uninspiring work!

3. Experience Matters

Someone who has already done work similar to what you want done is bound to be a better risk then someone who is doing it for the first time. Ask how old the company is, since a contractor that has been in business for a while must have had at least some satisfied customers. Remember, you goal is to have professional work done, not provide practice for amateurs!

4. Licensing and Bonding

In many states contractors are required to have special licenses to do roofing work so ask whether they have them. Also find out the company that bonds the contractor. If a contractor is not complying with all the regulations then what other short cuts will they take while doing your job? Plus if complications arise you may be held responsible for hiring a not fully legal contractor.

5. Check Insurance Coverage

Every reputable roof repair contractor carries worker’s compensation and general liability insurance. You need to know the name and address of the contractor’s insurance company and should be shown a copy of their insurance company certificate. Sometimes unscrupulous contractors don’t carry insurance and then use the savings to lower the costs of their work. However those savings can be lost plus much more if something goes wrong, and then it will definitely not be worth it.

6. Get References

What your roof repair contractor has done in the past is a pretty good indicator of how you will be treated in the future. Get the names and phone numbers of some of their previous customers so you can call and ask about their work. An inability or hesitancy to provide such references is a major red flag that something is wrong.

Finding the Average Roof Replacement Cost

homeimprovementcontractors — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:14:17 +0000

There is a great resource online for those who may be soon in the market for a new roof / roof replacement. We came across an article on one of the major roofing websites that provide a written description of the average roof replacement cost in different parts of the country. Then to be even more specific, readers can use an interactive tool that they provide within the article to instantly get a cost calculation. Its a very accurate reading as we tried a handful of places in the country that we have experience with. Check out the article here: Average Roof Replacement Cost

Tis the Season to Find Lanscaping Companies

homeimprovementcontractors — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:52:36 +0000

Now is the time. The grass is growing faster and will soon be at the point where it must be cut weekly. Any hardscaping ideas that popped in your head over the winter should be set in motion now so that you have the summer to enjoy them. Flowers can be planted, gardens can be prepped and seeded.

For many people landscaping and hardscaping can be a treat, but many people dread the consistent headache attached to lawn care. If you are looking to find the best local landscaping companies for your landscape needs, then be sure to use a free online source like the one at fixthehome.com Websites like these will connect you with local landscapers who can provide you with an upfront price quote before moving forward.

With these online landscaping resources, you can compare quotes for free from local and prescreened companies.

November Means Roofing Help

homeimprovementcontractors — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:54:45 +0000

Here it is, the time where your home’s roof is perhaps at its most important time for proper function. November means that the transition to winter time is right around the corner, however its not quite there. If there were any signs in the summer and so far this fall about a potential leak or loose shingle you need to take care of it in November or early December.

Roofing estimates are readily available online these days. If you need an inspection, roof replacement or roofing repair job, you can get multiple quotes from licensed roofers. Many people have transitioned from the traditional ways of contacting contractors and now online is the main source because of the ease, security and efficiency of time involved. So don’t wait any longer, roofing jobs in the winter time are definitely much more difficult and are also not always able to be done immediately.

‘Tis the Season for New Windows and Siding

homeimprovementcontractors — Sat, 08 May 2010 16:20:23 +0000

No, its not the holiday season, its the season where homeowners should consider replacing their windows and siding. This is the best time of year for this type of major exterior home remodeling project because the temperature and the weather is about as collectively moderate around the country as it is going to be.

New windows are a relatively low impact project for the home, compared to siding anyways. Windows can be done one by one and can be done in one day. The home is exposed to a little bit of the elements as the window is being replaced.

Siding is also done piece by piece and for the most part, the interior of your home is not exposed at all. However, exposing your home’s insulation is risky proposition because the possible things that can happen (bugs, rodents, moisture etc.). That is why, this time of year is the best time to replace your siding.

Here are some window replacement and siding replacement contractor resources for your assistance:

Window Replacement Estimates
Siding Replacement Contractors

Window Replacement By State:

Siding By State:

So take advantage of the season and get your old windows or ailing siding replaced by professional contractors. Your home’s structure and your family will appreciate the timing you chose and your energy efficiency will improve, so you can feel the impact financially as well!

New Remodeling Websites that Cover a Niche

homeimprovementcontractors — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:41:53 +0000

The new trend on the web is for companies who do online remodeling contractor referrals to offer websites that are solely dedicated to a remodeling category or niche. The benefit of working with these websites is that they spend time building up a contractor base within one specific area of remodeling.

For example this site, kitchen remodeling contractors all grouped together and screened by one company in one location. its likely that this company was able to compare and see differences and distinguishing qualities in the contractors that they registered, simply because they were comparing them on even ground.

Some other category web sources we came across include home additions, bathroom remodeling contractors and basement remodeling. Definitely helpful, especially since right now is remodeling time!

Home Addition Estimates from Local Remodeling Companies

homeimprovementcontractors — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 21:05:05 +0000

Maybe one of the largest projects you will ever take on in your lifetime is the home addition. Home additions cause your home to be disrupted, sometimes exposed to the elements and how can we forget, they are costly.

However, if you do things right, all of the effects that we listed above can be minimized. What does it take to do things right you ask? Well, you need to be cognizant of two main things. Multiple estimates and then choosing the right contractor for your addition.

Fortunately, the web is full of resources that connect you with multiple free estimates from home addition contractors that serve your area. However, you want to make sure that these free services also connect you with contractors who have been through a screening process and the minimums of these processes should include licensing checks, insurance verification, background and experience verifications…

We have identified some prescreened home addition contractors online resources for you. Use the links below to request multiple home addition estimates in your area.

Free Home Addition Estimates from Licensed Contractors

Using the Web to Get Free Remodeling Estimates

homeimprovementcontractors — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:19:21 +0000

This may not come as a surprise to anyone, but the internet has become the leading source for homeowners who are looking to get multiple estimates for their remodeling projects. Kitchen, bathroom, additions and more people are no longer really surfing the phone books. Instead they turn to the web, often a search engine, and they look for sources that provide online remodeling estimates from licensed contractors.

So we have identified some of the best sources online for getting multiple remodeling estimates and have listed them below. These sources provide you with three free estimates and they offer contractors that have met a strict pre-screening standard.

Remodeling Contractors
Kitchen Remodeling Estimates
Bathroom Remodeling Estimates
Basement Remodeling Estimates
Cabinet Refacing and Replacement
Countertop Replacement
Home Additions

What to Consider on a Home Remodeling Estimate

homeimprovementcontractors — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:10:25 +0000

Whether your home is new or old, home remodeling projects can be exciting, exhausting, and if you are not careful, expensive. Choosing the right contractor and making sure their home remodeling estimate works for you are keys to a successful project. Here are some things to consider on a home remodeling estimate:

- Does it include everything you discussed? You do not want to discover half-way through the project that an important element was missing. Going back and adding a bathroom to the estimate, for instance, requires additional materials, labor, and cost.
- Is this contractor qualified to do what he says he can do? Some contractors oversell their capabilities to land a job, but once they get their foot in the door, cannot live up to those obligations. Use common sense. If your contractor operates a one-man show, but he is promising to accomplish massive amounts of work in a very short timeframe, ask some questions. Schedule extensions equate to additional headaches on your part and possibly added expense by way of man hours on your bill.
- Are the specifications correct? Take some time to carefully review the estimate before agreeing to anything. You don’t have to be a construction expert to pick out some obvious flaws. If you asked for antique cherry cabinets and the estimate is for traditional oak, you could be in for a rude awakening. Also keep quantities in mind. If you are finishing a 2,000 square foot basement but the estimate only calls for 10 sheets of dry wall, there has probably been a serious miscalculation.
- Go for the GMP, as in Guaranteed Maximum Price. This makes it much easier to stay within your budget, and it prevents a less-than-scrupulous contractor from constantly changing the estimate due to fluctuating material costs or labor rates. Make sure the estimate includes absolutely everything you want done in your home remodel. If you make any modifications to the scope of work on a GMP estimate, you could be faced with costly change orders.
- Make sure they include references. This is a more common request than you think, and any reputable professional should have no problem with you asking previous clients about the quality of their work.

These tips in no way guarantee that your home remodeling project will go off without a hitch, but they will certainly get you started in the right direction.