May 23, 2007
Home Renovations: Beware of Sneaky Contractors
Home Renovations: Beware of Sneaky Contractors
Having a new home built or doing some renovation? Odds are, you're not getting everything you paid for. With many home construction projects, a contractor or a subcontractor may be cutting corners at your expense.
There are honest building professionals, but many will play every angle to increase their profits. They might use low-end building supplies instead of quality components… instruct workers to use one nail where two would be better… or inflate charges on invoices.
Strategy: To get the home materials and workmanship you've actually paid for, include specific details in the contract. Spell out specific brands, model numbers and dimensions of each component. (Some large home-building companies include such details in their contracts as a matter of course, but most contractors don't.)
Examples: Instead of "kitchen faucet," write "Kohler Vinnata kitchen sink faucet in brushed nickel, model number K-690-BN." Instead of "14 double-hung windows," you might write "14 Andersen Windows 400-Series Woodwright Double-Hung Windows with oak finish, 3' 1 5/8" x 4' 8 7/8"."
Make sure the contractor agrees to these details before he quotes you a price. Otherwise, he might inflate his quote to account for your "upgrades."
Visit the building site (or nose around the project if you're still living in the home) at least every few days during construction to make sure the contract is being followed. If you spot a potential problem, mention it to the contractor as soon as possible, not after the work is complete.
Have you had any work done and think something like this may have happened to you? Leave us a comment below.
Filed under Home Buying Tips, Most Recent Post by T.J. Lamb
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