Sometimes we see contractors on the news for downright bad practices. It happens. There are bad apples in every bunch, no matter the profession or industry you are in. Unfortunately, you only hear about the bad professionals who have done something horrendous that rightfully should be in the news, but because you don’t often hear about the good guys we can be forgotten about and lumped into the phrase, “all contractors are bad.”
We hate that phrase and we work hard every day to prove not all contractors are bad, because we aren’t! Here are 9 truth serums from us about why we aren’t so bad and truths we want you to know.
1. Most contractors are good people.
We can’t speak for everyone, but most contractors go into business because they like helping people, enjoy working with their hands, and enjoy creating spaces that people will love for years to come. Most contractors are NOT out to steal your money or possessions, overcharge you, or take up residence in your home forever. Our team is dedicated to making our customers happy. That’s our bottom line.
2. We have our own trade contractors for a reason.
The bottom line is we spend a lot of time working with our trade contractors. At this point, they all know how our business runs and we have a good idea on how their businesses run as well. This means using our trade contractors will help you have a job that will flow smoothly and finish on time.
If you add your trade contractor into the mix, you just extended your production time line. We have no idea if your friend or family member will show up, complete the job, do the work the right way, is licensed, and worst of all if they will be pulling the necessary permits. So, word of warning, if you insist on using your own trade contractors, you may have a hard time finding a reputable contractor who will work with you. Our advice is to leave the job logistics to the professionals you have entrusted to remodel your home and let them use the trades they love. You are paying for a service, let us serve you!
3. We are willing to work with antiques.
We totally understand wanting to find a way to incorporate family heirlooms and antiques into your final design! Know you will be paying a bit more for this because it will require more labor for our employees and trades to make it work, but we are happy to do it for you! The sooner you let us know you want to reuse something, the better! That way we can incorporate it into our schedule before work begins.
4. Contractors charge too much for everything.
The fact is, we have been in this business since 1992 and have seen a lot of contractors fail or move on. Guess what the main problem in their business was? It was failure to charge an appropriate markup to cover their business costs.
Being in business for yourself means you must know the cost of doing business. As a consumer it can be hard to image all the costs that go into owning and operating a business, especially construction. Many of our overhead costs are out of our hands, especially our liability insurance, which is quite expensive, but we are working with spinning blades, nail guns, and various other tools that can and do kill.
If your contractor charges a little more than others that’s ok, that means they will be around for the long haul. They will be there if you have any warranty work and they will be there when you’re ready to tackle your next project.
5. Do I really need a permit? I could save money if we didn’t get one.
Technically, yes, you could save money up front. However, there are many reasons you want a permit, the largest being you want to protect your investment!
The real question you should ask your contractor should be; ‘Will we need permits, and do you pull those’?
A reputable contractor will know what project needs a permit. Your contractor should have a good relationship with the county or city that the permits will be pulled in, and they should know what questions to ask and get answered from them, so your job runs smoothly.
6. Wanting us to shop around for cheaper trade contractors.
Kindly refer up to point #2, our trade contractors are important not only to our company, but to you as a client. I cannot stress enough how important these relationships are! Asking us to shop around for cheaper trades is offensive and we will most likely decline working further with a client for that.
7. We like clients that are perfectionists.
We love it when we meet a client who has a clear game plan. We like it when you are not afraid to speak your mind, let us know what you would like to see in your project, you have a clear vision for the finished product. This doesn’t mean you have it all worked out and have every picked out every item going into your space, but it is so helpful to have a jump off point.
Oh, if you are not this person…please keep reading. We like you too and we are so excited to help you make decisions.
8. Move out during your remodel.
While it is not always practical to completely move out of your home, it is completely possible to live in your home during a remodel. In fact, that’s what most of our clients do. However, sometimes it is best to vacate during some portions of a remodel. Sometimes it is vital that you vacate (during abatements). Most contractors will work with you and come up with a plan for keeping the work area safe.
9. We will find treasures in your home we will not share.
We have never found any monetary treasures in a client’s home. True story! The “coolest” thing we ever found were some old nails, old newspapers, an occasional grocery list, or old receipt. Nothing that would amount to us disappearing into the night with a small fortune.. but we wouldn’t do that anyway!