Guide To Choosing The Right Home Reing Contractor

User Manual: Pdf

Open the PDF directly: View PDF .
Page Count: 15

Download
Open PDF In Browser	View PDF

Complete Guide to
Choosing the Right
Home Remodeling
Contractor
Created by
Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel

Table of
Contents
Click on titles to jump to section

Introduction

…………………………………………………………….

Do Your Homework

……………………………………….

Vetting Your Finalists

5
7

……………………………………

Questions to Ask Your Potential
Contractor
10
……………………………………………………………….

Questions to Ask Yourself

……………………..

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Final Takeaways

………………..

………………………………………………..

Complete Guide to Choosing The Right Home Remodeling Contractor

Published by Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel
Copyright © 2018 by Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel
2878 Camino Del Rio South, Suite 160 San Diego, CA 92108
Phone: 619-285-9222 | Email: gcantor@murraylampert.com
License: 458038

All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopy, recording, or otherwise, unless permitted by the publisher.

Introduction
Homeowners who are planning a remodeling project typically take similar steps when
searching for a contractor to work with. They ask friends and family for references, use
search engines to find local firms, browse profiles and project photos on Houzz, Instagram,
and Pinterest, check out customer reviews and testimonials on Yelp, Google, and BBB, and
more.
All of these are great when you’re in the early stages of searching for a home remodeling
contractor to turn your renovation ideas into reality. The issue with all of this information
gathering is that it can be diﬃcult to diﬀerentiate between the best remodeling
contractor and the best remodeling contractor for your specific project.
Make no mistake - the distinct between these two is important. Any remodeling contractor
worth their salt should have a well-designed website that features high-quality project
photos, industry awards and aﬃliations, client testimonials, and more. They’re also likely to
have solid reviews, both online and from in-person references (if this is NOT the case, you
can cross them oﬀ your list right away). If nearly ever contractor presents themselves as the
best, how do you determine which one to ultimately work with?
In order to figure out which remodeling contractor will be the best for fit for your project,
there’s a bit more leg work involved than just clicking through some photo galleries and
reading online reviews. Don’t worry, we’ve made things easy for you by putting together this
comprehensive guide to choosing the right home remodeling contractor so you’ll know
exactly what it takes to identify, vet, and start your project with the ideal contractor.
Your home remodeling project should be a fun, collaborative, stress-free experience and
that all starts with the relationship you have with your contractor. We trust this guide will put
you on a path to choosing the perfect remodeling contractor for your project, and one you’ll
be glad to recommend to family and friends.
Sincerely,
The Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel Team

Do Your
Homework
Any contractor you’re considering should meet some minimum professional qualifications,
most of which should take very little time to find and confirm. If you haven’t already, begin
by doing some cursory research online and working your way through the following steps:

Step 1
Use Google and Bing to find out which home remodelers in your area consistently show up
in the search engine results, then dig deeper into their Houzz, Yelp, Google+, and BBB
profiles. Look for high-quality images, before and after photos, and any industry awards or
certifications they may have. Pay close attention to their online reviews, and in particular,
how they respond to those reviews. Does the company respond to each and every review
that is left for them, both good and bad? If they have any negative reviews, do they handle
those promptly and professionally?
From your online research into prominent local home remodeling contractors, their online
reviews, client testimonials, quality of portfolio and project images, and any other
information you came across, create an initial list of 3 to 4 contractors you’re interested in
learning more about.

Step 2
Confirm that the 3 or 4 contractors you’ve identified are fully licensed and insured.
Licensed remodeling contractors have to adhere to strict industry standards and
regulations. The risks of hiring an unlicensed contractor include shoddy work, permitting
issues, code violations, and financial liability for injuries or accidents.
Once you have the contractor’s license number, you can confirm details such as license
status, general business and bonding information, and the companies workers’
compensation policy, among others. You can check the license of any contractor in
California here.

Step 3
Now that you’ve confirmed your contractor candidates are properly licensed and insured,
it’s time to get some references. Call at least 5 references, and consider visiting 2 or 3 past
or in-progress projects. When reaching out to this list of references, be sure to ask about
both the project itself, as well as the client’s experience during the process.
You’ll want to find out if the project was completed on time and on budget, if there were any
unexpected issues or costs, how the job site was maintained during the project, what the
sales process was like, and how the overall communication was with company’s sales rep,
project manager, CEO, and any other staﬀ member they interacted with during their
remodeling project.

Vetting Your
Finalists
It’s possible that by completing the initial vetting process and making sure your contractor
candidates meet the basic requirements, you’re left with only a single remodeling contractor
to work with. That’s great! You can still use the following “deep-dive” vetting criteria to make
sure you’re working with the right professional.
If you still have two or three worthy candidates in the mix, going deeper into some of the
following areas can help you make the final decision and match you with the perfect
remodeling contract for your project.
Start by scheduling in-person meetings with your top remodeling contractor choices and
discuss the following:

Area(s) of Expertise
You should probably have a decent idea of the contractor’s speciality based on your initial
research, but take this opportunity to ask them directly about their experience with total
renovations, kitchen and bath upgrades, second story additions, interior design, etc.
Most contractors will specialize in one or two specific types of remodeling projects,
although many firms can take on multiple types of projects as well. Obviously, you’ll want to
consider how a contractor’s specialty matches up with your specific needs, and whether or
not they’re the best fit for your project.

Company Profile
It pays to delve into the company history of a home remodeling contractor in order to learn
more about them personally, how their business operate, and how they are perceived by the
local community. Start by asking about how the company got started and how long they’ve
been in business. Typically, a contractor that’s been in business for at least 10 years or more
is a more reliable choice. However, it isn’t always safe to assume that the age of a
contractor’s license represents how long the company has actually been in business.
Sometimes a contractor’s license has been purchased from an older company. Ask for proof
of incorporation date to verify how long the firm has actually been in business.
© Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel 2018

In addition to longevity in the industry, a remodeling company’s reputation and involvement
in their local community can tell you a lot about the type of people that work for the
organization, and how they conduct themselves. Do they give to any local charities, support
any schools or athletic teams, or participate in any fundraising events? Community
involvement is a great indicator of a trustworthy, dependable, and ethical company.

Personality and Culture Fit
Another important factor to consider during your in-person meetings is how well your
personality and communication style meshes with that of a potential contractor. We’ve all
been in social situations where the person or people we were speaking with gave oﬀ a bad
vibe, or otherwise made us feel “oﬀ.”
If you feel that way during your in-person meetings and/or other discussions with potential
contractors, you should definitely take that into account. These are the people who you’ll be
communicating and interacting with on a regular basis for the next several weeks, possibly
months. It’s important that you’re comfortable with how your contractor communicates, how
open they are with you about project progress, issues, etc., and how well they integrate your
feedback into the actual work being done.
Take note of the company’s culture as you’re doing further vetting. Are they a close, smallknit team or a sprawling corporate entity? Do they lead with past accolades and brag about
huge showrooms, or do they focus on cutting overhead, cost eﬃciency, and delivering great
work and even better customer service? Additionally, how involved is the company owner or
leadership team in your project? Will you have direct access to the CEO should you need to
contact them directly, or is your only point
of contact a sales rep or project manager?

Project Delivery
Process
How a remodeling contractor chooses to
complete a project will have a huge impact
on the timeline, budget, communication,
and overall client experience during the
process. With home remodeling, there are
two primary methods of project delivery:
Design-Build and the traditional approach
of “design-bid-build.”
According to the Design-Build Institute of
America, “Design-build is an alternative to
the traditional design-bid-build project
delivery method. Under the latter approach,
design and construction services are split
© Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel 2018

into separate entities, separate contracts, separate work. Across the country and around the
world, design-build successfully delivers both horizontal and vertical construction projects
with superior results – no matter what the project type.”
As San Diego’s most trusted design-build contractor, we are proponents of the design-build
method for a number of reasons:
•

It provides customers with a single point of contact through their project, helping to
streamline communication, cut down on miscommunication, and relieving them from
the burden of having to deal with multiple contractors and vendors.

•

Because there’s a single contractor leading both the design and the build of your
project, it’s much more likely that cost estimates will be accurate, budgets will be
adhered to, and timelines will be met.

•

Accountability and consistency are baked into the design-build process. A single point
of contact and authority leads to continuity for all sub-contractors and vendors,
removes conflicts of interest, and eliminates finger-pointing and excuses.

Understanding Bids, Estimates, and Project Costs
Perhaps the most important question homeowners will be asking themselves during this
process is: How much will my home remodeling project cost? And rightly so, as a major
home remodel or renovation project is likely to be one of the largest expenditures for any
homeowner (aside from the purchase of their home, of course).
When it comes to project bids and estimates, the old adage, “You get what you pay for”
certainly applies - up to a point. Bids that are either extremely low or very high compared to
other estimates you’ve received should be seen as red flags. If you’re receiving multiple bids
for your project and there are some extreme outliers on both the low and high ends, it’s a
good rule of thumb to throw out those outlier bids.
Additionally, although cost per square foot is commonly used to estimate construction
project costs, this method doesn't work well for home remodeling projects. Diﬀerences in
types of rooms to be renovated, materials, professional experience, and even location can
all play a part in the actual cost of a home remodel. A remodeling contractor who bases cost
estimates only on square footage is leaving out critical information that will likely lead to cost
increases as the project gets underway.
Be sure to discuss project costs and down payment with potential contractors as well. It’s
good to know whether or not they add markup to materials, change orders, etc., and if so,
how much. In California, it is illegal to ask for or accept a down payment of more than 10%
of the total home improvement contract price, or $1,000, whichever is less. If a contractor
asks for a down payment of more than $1,000, that’s another red flag that they might not be
the most reputable company to work with.

Questions to Ask
Your Potential
Contractor
It’s important you ask your potential contractor the right questions in order to figure out if
they’re a good fit for your project. Below we’ve created a list of questions to ask when you
meet with your potential contractor(s) in person.
1. What type of warranty do you oﬀer and what exactly is covered?
2. Who will be my main point of contact during my project, and will I have access to
the company owner if necessary?
3. What type of communication can I expect from your team during my project and
will there be scheduled progress check-in meetings?
4. How does your team account for and/or handle any unforeseen issues that may
come up during a project?
5. Are finishes and fixtures included in the estimated cost?
6. How are change orders handled and priced?
7. Do you add markup on materials, appliances, etc.? If so, what is your standard
markup rate?
8. Do you provide an itemized list of costs and fees, including markups, for all
project work completed?
9. What type of payment schedule do you oﬀer?
10. What is your involvement once a project has been completed?
Below is a printable version of these questions to have on hand as you interview potential
remodeling contractors.
© Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel 2018

Questions to Ask Your
Potential Contractor
What type of warranty do you offer and what exactly is
covered?
Who will be my main point of contact during the project
and will I have access to the company owner if necessary?
What type of communication can I expect from your team
and will there be scheduled progress check-in meetings?
How does your team account for and/or handle unforeseen
issues that may come up during a project?
Are finishes and fixtures included in the estimated project
cost?
How are change orders handled and priced?
Do you add markup on materials, appliances, etc.? If so,
what is your standard markup rate?
Do you provide an itemized list of costs and fees, including
markups, for all project work completed?
What type of payment schedule do you offer?
What is your involvement once a project
has been completed?

Questions to
Ask Yourself
Now that you have all of the information necessary to select the right contractor for your
remodeling project, you need to ask yourself some important questions. These mainly deal
with how your personality, communication style, core values, and project goals mesh with
the contractors you’ve recently met with.

Red Flags to
Watch Out For
We’ve already touched on a few red flags to look out for, but we wanted to emphasize the
following ones, as they tend to come up most often. Beware of any home remodeling
contractor who demonstrates the following:

Lack of License or Insurance
This is perhaps the ultimate red flag, and one that should immediately disqualify any
contractor from consideration. Paying for work from an unpermitted contractor leaves you
at risk of fines, legal fees, and without recourse to recoup any lost investment. Not to
mention, the quality of the work is likely to be below the industry standard.

Extreme Bids
As we’ve discussed, receiving either very low or very high bids compared to other
contractor estimates is a bad sign. While low bids might be tempting, a contractor oﬀering a
bid that is more than 15% below other bids either doesn’t completely understand the extent
of your project, or they’re purposefully low balling the bid as a strategy to lock in the job,
only to tack on additional costs once the work gets started.

Large Upfront Cost
By law, contractors in California can only ask for and accept down payments of $1,000
maximum. If a contractor asks you for more money than that upfront, it’s almost always a
sign of an unscrupulous company looking to take advantage of an unsuspecting
homeowner.

Permits? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Permits!
In many cases, yes, you do need permits to complete a home remodeling project. A
contractor who feels permits are optional, rather than a requirement, isn’t one we’d
recommend working with. While you might like the idea of not having to pay for permits,
© Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel 2018

we’re sure you won’t like it when your remodeling project is shut down by a city inspector, or
if find yourself on the hook for costly repairs or legal fees.

It Doesn’t Feel Right
Trust your instincts. If your interactions with a remodeling contractor leave you feeling
uneasy or uncomfortable in any way, it’s better to pass on working with them than enter into
an expensive project that you’ll end up regretting.

Final
Takeaways
We hope you’ve found this guide to choosing the right home remodeling contractor helpful.
We’ll leave you with a few final takeaways to give you that extra bit of knowledge so you can
be 100% confident in your choice of home remodeling contractor to turn your dream project
into a reality.

“Wholesale Pricing” Isn't Exclusive
The truth is, most professional contractors and remodeling firms of a certain level have the
same wholesale pricing relationships with manufacturers and vendors. A manufacturer’s
price is the going rate for any contractor with a wholesale buying relationship, so there is
rarely a diﬀerence in the pricing that one remodeling company can secure with a vendor vs.
another. However, there is a diﬀerence in what a remodeler will add as far as markup to their
wholesale prices.

Showrooms + Large Teams = More Overhead
Some remodeling firms attempt to WOW potential clients with large teams and huge
showrooms. While this may seem impressive, there is a very real cost to all of that extra
overhead which is almost always passed along to the client in the form of fees, markup, and
other project costs.

Make It Personal
Regardless of the size and scope of your home remodeling project, the process is a very
personal one. You’ll be opening your home to a team of strangers and asking them to bring
your vision to life. Having a personal connection with the people handling your project
matters a great deal to the overall experience, and will no doubt have an impact on the final
result. Choose the remodeling contractor who you connect with, who communicates well,
and who comes ready to serve.

Source Exif Data:

File Type                       : PDF
File Type Extension             : pdf
MIME Type                       : application/pdf
Linearized                      : Yes
Warning                         : Bad Title reference
Modify Date                     : 2018:04:17 22:48:06+02:00
Producer                        : 3-Heights(TM) PDF Optimization Shell 4.8.25.2 (http://www.pdf-tools.com)
Page Count                      : 15
PDF Version                     : 1.4

EXIF Metadata provided by EXIF.tools

Guide To Choosing The Right Home Reing Contractor

Navigation menu

Versions of this User Manual:

Views

Navigation