10 Things Your Contractor Really Wants You To Know! Return to Articles
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When home renovations go bad, most of the blame gets directed towards the general contractor. There is plenty of advice on how to avoid getting ripped off by shady pros, but let’s look at this from their perspective. What obstacles are they facing and how can we, as homeowners, be better clients?
According to Chase’s September 2019 survey “ Sweat Equity: A Homeowner’s Most Valuable Resource ” 80% of respondents will invest in home improvements during 2020. Forty-two percent of those surveyed projected that their projects will exceed $10K and 30% will be hiring contractors.
When you are ready to start that dream kitchen, the hardest step may be trying to find a qualified general contractor. The construction industry is facing a significant labor shortage causing many general contractors to choose between hiring subpar tradesmen, facing prolonged delays or turning away good leads. As the cost of skilled workers continues rise, along with start dates and completion dates getting pushed back, their margins are getting squeezed and cash flow becomes a problem.
Congratulations, you made it past the first hurdle and you found your perfect pro! The next obstacle is managing the cost of building materials. An increase in construction starts has caused supply problems; manufacturers are trying to keep up with demand. While tariffs are one aspect of rising prices, this can be avoided by sourcing products made domestically or from countries other than China. If you aren’t supplying your own materials, don’t be surprised to see an escalation clause within your contract. If there is an unforeseen price jump, this allows your pro to pass along the risk to you. To help keep costs down, plan ahead, limit changes to the scope of your project, and don’t change your finishes last minute.
Dan Stout’s article in Family Handyman listing “ 10 Things your Contractor Really Wants you To Know ” will become invaluable. Proper planning, constant communication and limited changes will help maintain a happy relationship for both you and your general contractor.
For added transparency during the renovation process we recommend that both parties share the project in RezDox. As phases of the project are completed, product details and costs can be visible to both the homeowner and remodeler. RezDox is a unique platform that is tailored to owners who have pride in their home and for the service professional who stands behind the quality of their work. Our goal is to bring likeminded people together who find value in documenting the details of each home maintenance or renovation project.
Co-Founder CEO, RezDox
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