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Hiring a Contractor

If you’ve decided you want to hire a contractor to do your renovation, whether it’s simply some changes to your bathroom fixtures or building a new addition that includes a new family room, kitchen and bathroom, you want to be sure the finished product is something you’ll be proud of for years. That’s why hiring a contractor is an important decision and definitely not one you should rush through.

Consider that the contractor you hire not only needs to have the necessary tools and experience to do the job, but also the technical, interpersonal and business skills to do it right. You also want your contractor to have experience in jobs similar to yours so you know he will understand what material and techniques to use and know he has kept up with new materials and techniques.

How to find the right contractor

Start by asking for referrals. Family members, friends and people you work with are all good sources. You could also check with employees at local building supply stores, homebuilders associations and in some areas, local building departments. Don’t take someone’s recommendation that ‘this guy built me a great deck so he’s be good for your bathroom’, you want referrals who have done work similar to your project.

Assuming you have a least a fair idea of what your project consists of, ask a few likely contractors to come over and discuss your project. This is an opportunity for you both to get to know each other and for the contractor to give you a rough idea his interpretation of the costs and complexity of your project.During your meeting, ask lots of questions like:

• How long have you been in the business?
  
• What kind of work do your specialize in?
  
• Have you done a similar job?
  
• Would you use your own crew or subcontractors?
  
• What types of work are you (or your subcontractors) licensed to do?
  
• How do you foresee managing dust and material removal?
  
• Will you provide a work schedule?
  
• Do you have both liability insurance and workmen’s compensation coverage?
  
• Will you provide a written contract?
  
• Will you arrange for all the necessary permits and inspections?

A good contractor won’t mind answering your questions and this is a good opportunity to find out whether you can get along together. Poor communication now doesn’t bode well when a problem pops up in the middle of your renovation.

Also ask for references from at least three places where the contractor has done similar work. Be sure to follow up on the references by calling or even visiting to see the results of the contractors work.

UAC Contractors - Licensed General Contractors

Our Licensed General Contractors in Los Angeles County perform every Home Improvement services in Los Angeles County.

• General Contractors
• Building Contractors
• Concrete Contractors
• Licensed Contractors
• Electrical Contractors
• Plumbing Contractors
• Construction Contractors
• Remodeling Contractors
• Commercial Contractors
• Residential Contractors
• Painting Contractors

UAC Contractors - Licensed Addition Contractors

Our Licensed Addition Contractors in Los Angeles County perform every Home Additions services in Los Angeles Area.

• Addition to Existing Structure
• Bathroom Addition
• Building Addition
• Garage Addition
• Home Addition
• Kitchen Addition
• Room Addition
• Second Story Addition
• Sunroom Additions

UAC Contractors - Licensed Bathroom Contractors

Our Licensed Bathroom Contractors perform every Bathroom Remodeling services in Los Angeles County:

• Bathroom Remodeling
• Bathroom Additions
• Bathroom Renovation
• Bathroom Design
• Shower/Bath Instrallation
• Toilet
• Interior walls
• Countertops
• Flooring
• Windows
• Plumbing fixtures
• Lighting fixtures
• Ceilings Sink(s)
• Cabinets
• Tile

UAC Contractors - Licensed Kitchen Contractors

Our Licensed Kitchen Contractors perform every Kitchen Remodeling services in Los Angeles Area:

• Kitchen Additions
• Kitchen Renovation
• Kitchen Design
• Kitchen 3D Design
• Appliance Installation
• Kitchen Remodeling
• Interior walls
• Countertops
• Flooring
• Windows
• Plumbing fixtures
• Lighting fixtures
• Ceilings Sink(s)
• Cabinets
• Tile

How to Avoid Contractor Scams

A contractor calls and says he is working in the neighborhood, or he knocks on your door and may offer to repave your driveway or remodel your bathroom at a price that sounds quite reasonable. You tell him you are rather interested, but you can not afford it right now. He tells you there is no problem at all, he works with a bank or lender and will arrange easy financing through them. You agree to have him do the project, and he contractor begins the work. At some point just after he begins, you’ll be asked to sign a batch of papers. Some of the papers may be blank or the lender ’s representative will ask you to sign before you read what you you are signing. But the contractor is doing the job so you sign the papers. Later on you realize that the papers you signed are truly a home equity loan. The interest rate, points and fees are higher than they should be. In addition the work on your home isn’t done right or has not been completed. The contractor, having been paid by the lender, has little or no interest in completing the work or satisfying you.

You must protect yourself from these unscrupulous lending practices.

Do Not:

• Agree to a home equity loan if you can’t make the monthly payments.
• Sign documents you haven’t read or any document with a blank space to be filled in afterwards.
• Let anyone pressure you into signing any document.
• Deed your property to anyone. Consult an attorney, or a knowledgeable family member, or someone else you trust.
• Agree to financing through your contractor without shopping around and comparing terms.

Contract requirements vary by state and lacality. If your state does not require a written agreement, ask for one. A contract spells out who, what, where, when, and the costs of your project. It should be clear, concise and complete.

How to Fire a Contractor

Firing a contractor is never an easy thing to do.  In fact, it is never easy to fire anyone, let alone someone working on your home.  However, certain situations arise which warrant terminating a contract with a builder.  Often times, homeowners do not protect themselves when firing a contractor, and the end result are liens, litigation, and lost time.

So, what constitutes firing a contractor.  There are numerous situations which will arise that warrant dismissing a builder.  The chief culprit is not performing work as described in the contract.  It is fairly easy to judge when a job is not being performed to standard.  Other possible violations include:

• Stealing materials
• Not showing up on the job site
• Damaging personal property of the homeowner
• Physical confrontation on the job
• Drug use
• Alcohol abuse on the job
• Gross negligence or incompetence

These examples represent a few of the problems you could face when working with a contractor.  It is important to judge all actions in a fair manner.  Contractors often have subcontractors working for them – and some issues may arise with these individual laborers.  As with any position, the supervising contractor cannot control the actions of everyone working for them.  For example, you may have a General Contractor building your home.  He will have a group of 10-15 subcontractors working for him.  If the roofer shows up for work with a hang over, firing the General Contractor would be premature (unless he supplied the alcohol on the premises).  If this situation arises, discuss the need to remove the subcontractor from the job site.  Now, if the General Contractor fails to handle the situation, further action may be required on your part.

So, where do homeowners find trouble in firing contractors?  The bulk of the problem revolves around money.  Homeowners often pay large deposits upfront to builders to secure their services.  This creates a situation where the builder has been paid for work that has not been completed.  In essence, they were given money for doing nothing.  Some contractors may become relaxed in their work ethic and sense of urgency in performing.  In turn, this makes the homeowner frustrated and the situation can escalate.  The lesson?  Never pay more than 10% upfront to any contractor.  Regardless of what they tell you, they do not need 25% or more upfront for material deposits.  In fact, all quality builders have construction accounts to “float” materials during their billing cycles.  In construction, the only power the homeowner has over the builder are payments.  Progress payments, or payments based on a percentage of completion, keeps work progressing and the contractor working diligently for a paycheck.  They may complain about this process, but the alternative is giving a large deposit upfront and never hearing from the builder again. 

On the other hand, payments should not be used by the homeowner to manipulate the builder.  Some homeowners agree to terms with a builder, change plans midstream (falling outside of the original scope of work), and then withhold payment because the contractor raises his fee.  Remember, a contractor bids the job based on the initial needs of the client.  He must factor in labor, material, and time costs.  When a homeowner drastically changes the scope of the project, naturally, their fee is going to change.  A homeowner, who withholds payment for work completed risks liens on the property.  Liens are a contractors way of protecting themselves from never receiving payment for work completed.  A Mechanic’s Lien can bring your project to a halt and prevent you from proceeding with the job until they are resolved.  In difficult situations, lien issues can go to court and cost thousands of dollars in court fees.  Just as a contractor should be fair when dealing with a client, a homeowners should be fair in disbursing funds.

Firing a contractor is never easy, but in certain situations is necessary.  When dismissing a builder, make sure they have been paid for work completed and signed lien waivers relinquishing their lien rights.  This protects you from a disgruntled contractor placing a lien on your property.  On the other hand, withholding just payments can cause your project to run into serious delays. 

Best General Contractors