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15 CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CONTRACTOR BEFORE YOU SIGN A CONTRACT |
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Congratulations! You've decided to take on the remodeling project you've been dreaming about. Or maybe you're just improving the value of your home. Either way, whether it's a big project or a small one, it's critical for you to find the right contractor to get the job done. We want to help you make the right choice, so we've prepared a list of 15 important questions to ask your contractor. If they can't answer these questions satisfactorily, you should not give them your business.
| 1. |
What is your license number?
What you need to know:
The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs is the agency that issues and maintains contractors' licenses. The type of license required is a “Home Improvement” license. Call Consumer Affairs to confirm that your contractor's license is valid and up to date. They will also tell you whether any complaints have been filed against the contractor. Simply dial 311 and speak to a representative about the contractor you are considering. Also, you can call us and we'll send you a complimentary copy of the Department of Consumer Affairs' Home Improvement Consumer Guide, so you can see the procedures the City recommends that you follow.
If you're hiring a contractor from outside of the five boroughs, you must make sure that they are licensed in New York City, even if they have a license from the county they are located in. Similarly, if you live in one of the suburbs and are hiring a New York City contractor, you must make sure that they are licensed in your county.
MyHome's Approach:
Our license number is 1153794. Feel free to check us out before or after you come in for a free consultation with one of our Remodeling Consultants. We're proud to say that in all our time doing business, covering several hundreds of remodeling projects, we've had only one complaint filed against us –and
it was resolved to everyone's satisfaction.
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| 2. |
Which type and how much insurance do you carry?
What you need to know:
By law, home improvement contractors must carry the following three types of insurance: liability, disability and worker's compensation. Building management companies don't always require worker's compensation, but you should insist that your contractor carry it. If your contractor is not covered, you may be liable if any workers are injured. Make sure they carry all three!
The minimum amount of total coverage, which most contractors carry, is $1 million. If your contractor is not fully covered, it may expose you to great risk as a homeowner. You can be held liable for everything the contractor's insurance doesn't cover. That's why you should try to find a contractor that carries at least $3 million in total insurance coverage. Ask to see the contractor's insurance declaration page. That document will give you all the information you need. If they're not willing to share it with you, it is a major red flag.
MyHome's Approach:
We carry liability, disability and worker's compensation insurance with total coverage of $5 million. Sure it may seem excessive; and yes, that policy was difficult and expensive to get, but we believe that our clients should have complete peace of mind when we are working in their home. We don't want anyone worrying whether there will be sufficient insurance coverage in the unlikely event of an accident.
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| 3. |
Do you belong to the Better Business Bureau?
What you need to know:
Belonging to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is not required for home improvement contractors. It is a completely voluntary membership. To belong, you must agree to abide by the strict business practices that BBB requires of all of its members. And, you must agree to resolve any complaints brought to the BBB against you quickly and fairly.
You should ask your contractor if he belongs to the BBB. Or, you can check online at www.bbb.org or by calling the local BBB office. Make sure, however, you ask your contractor under what other names he did or does business. Many contractors make a habit of going out of business when too many problems arise, then re-opening under a different name! You'll want to check out all the names he operated under.
If your contractor is not a member, or no longer a member of the BBB, ask the reason why. If he is a member, you need to check whether any complaints have been recorded against him. If so, you can find out whether the problems were resolved. You don't have to cross a contractor off your list just because they have one or two complaints against them. Instead, ask the contractor about the complaints and get an explanation. If you are not satisfied with the response, then you shouldn't do business with him.
MyHome's Approach:
We have been members of the BBB since our inception in 2001. In fact, it was one of the first organizations we joined. In all our time doing business, covering several hundreds of remodeling projects, we haven't had a single complaint filed against us. Please feel free to check us out though, either before or after you come in for a free consultation with one of our Remodeling Consultants.
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| 4. |
Which associations do you belong to?
What you need to know:
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) are two of the most important associations in the remodeling industry. If your contractor doesn't belong to these or any other associations, ask him why. Certification in these organizations is a challenging process, requiring extensive knowledge of the industry and a commitment to professional conduct. Even highly experienced and skilled remodelers find the screening and testing process formidable. Membership in trade associations is a sign that contractors care about maintaining high standards of professionalism and conduct; and work to keep current with styles, trends and technology.
MyHome's Approach:
We are certified members of NARI and NKBA. We are also proud members of the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), which provides us with vast resources for these specialized areas. Additionally, we are the only New York City members of the Bath & Kitchen Buying Group (BKBG), which is a co-operative group of bath and kitchen remodelers who use their purchasing power to buy appliances and materials directly from manufacturers at vastly discounted prices. This enables us to pass savings onto our clients.
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| 5. |
How will you design my space and which software will you use?
What you need to know:
Most contractors are not designers - although they may have access to design resources. If you are planning to remodel a kitchen or bathroom, it is essential to accurately design the space in order to purchase the right cabinetry, fixtures and appliances. Ask your contractor which software he will use. If your contractor does not design, keep in mind that your project may be more complex than he can handle. In that case, you may have to hire an architect, interior designer or a kitchen and bath designer to insure that your project is done right. This can add to the contractor's price quote, sometimes thousands of dollars.
MyHome's Approach:
We believe that everything starts with design –and to get it right
we make sure we hire the right people. We are constantly expanding our
team, so we recruit and train full-time Remodeling Consultants every quarter.
Before an applicant for our Remodeling Consultant position is accepted,
they must read and understand our processes and job details manual. They
must submit an essay demonstrating their knowledge and explaining their
expertise. Selected applicants are interviewed at least twice and their
credentials are checked. We accept only 4 out of the 100 plus initial applicants.
Each Remodeling Consultant must then participate in a full two-week training program. Training entails 80 hours of classroom and field training with trade professionals, project managers, designers, engineers, and our product reps. Remodeling Consultants learn about MyHome's strict policies and adherence to excellent performance, and receive sales and design training for kitchens and baths. We even use a real kitchen to teach measurement and design. They learn how to use our most updated design software packages (20-20® and AutoCad), learn about materials and installations and learn how to spec out a job. Our product reps do the product training so the Remodeling Consultants get a full understanding of all the ins and outs about the product. Remodeling Consultants also take field trips to factories, showrooms, countertop fabricators and job sites.
After the training there is a 3-month assessment period where the Remodeling Consultant is closely monitored and reviewed by project managers and the President and CEO of our company. At the end of the 3-month assessment period, the Remodeling Consultant must take and pass a 50 question theoretical exam and a practical exam of designing a room using our software. It is only then that they are considered Certified Remodeling Consultants. Even after certification, training doesn't stop. All Remodeling Consultants must participate in weekly training meetings.
You see, we want to make sure that when a client sits down with one of our Remodeling Consultants the client can feel completely comfortable turning the entire process over to us and letting us design the room of their dreams.
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| 6. |
Do you have references relevant to my project?
What you need to know:
Past performance is the best way to learn about
the contractor. Look at before and after pictures
of work he has done and ask to speak to homeowners
who have done projects similar to yours. Check
out the references and ask if the references will
be willing to show the room that was remodeled.
Even if you don't actually go, you can determine
if the reference is real or not. Unfortunately,
in some cases “references” are not
real and are actually the contractor's friends
or relatives.
MyHome's Approach:
We take before, during and after pictures of all of our projects to show our new clients. We maintain a book of referral letters and testimonials so you can read what people have written about us. We also provide the names and contact information of clients we have done work for in your area. Upon request, most of our clients are very willing to open their homes to show the quality of our work to one of our new clients.
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| 7. |
How many projects are you currently are working on?
What you need to know:
This is important in order to determine the scope of your contractor's operation. It will also give you an idea of how in-demand he is and how available he will be to you. Obviously, this can be a “catch-22” situation. If your contractor is working pretty much on his own and is immediately available to start a job for you, his low workload may be a red flag. On the other hand, the more projects the contractor is working on, and the more he is in demand, the less time he will have for you. This can create unwanted distractions and delays in completing your project. As a rule of thumb, you want your contractor to be working on no more than 3 or 4 projects at the same time as yours.
Also, you should ask to visit some ongoing projects. This will allow you to see how clean and professional his work is.
MyHome's Approach:
We assign a Project Manager to every project we work on to ensure it is properly managed. The Project Manager is a MyHome employee who is responsible for every phase of your remodeling project once the Remodeling Consultant has completed the design and layout and has ordered your materials. Each Project Manager also attends manufacturer training classes every two weeks to learn how to best install their newest products.
The Project Manager personally knows and meets with all the trades' people who will be working in your home. Project Managers manage and inspect all work done by our trades' people. Because they are not physically doing the labor themselves, they can typically manage up to six projects at a time –this
way you know you will still receive personalized attention.
The Project Manager is either present everyday for part of
the day while the project is ongoing or is in contact with
the trades' people everyday to insure the project is running
smoothly.
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| 8. |
What is your warranty for labor and materials?
What you need to know:
Do not hire a contractor who does not guarantee his work or the materials he uses. Chances are you'll never see the job finished and you'll never be able to find him again. At a bare minimum you should receive a one-year written warranty. We recommend trying to get an even longer warranty if available.
MyHome's Approach:
We give all our clients a full two-year warranty on all of the labor we do. Also, we only deal with manufacturers who give a warranty on their products, so anything we purchase for you will be covered.
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| 9. |
What are your address and telephone numbers?
What you need to know:
Unfortunately, we've all heard the horror stories
or had the dreadful experience of a contractor
who starts a job, never finishes it and disappears
off the face of the earth. To protect yourself,
you must confirm your contractor's office (or
home) address; otherwise you have no contact information
if he disappears. Don't work with anyone who is
only accessible by cell phone or pager. You are
taking a big risk if you do. Some contractors
switch cell phone and pager numbers to avoid clients.
Ideally, you want to work with someone who has
a “brick and mortar” business and
an office (not a trailer) where you can meet.
You'll want their office phone number(s)
in addition to their cell phone and/or pager.
MyHome's Approach:
We have two fully stocked showroom locations where we also maintain our offices. They are located at 801 Amsterdam Avenue at 99th Street on the Upper Westside and at 353 West 48th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Midtown. Our phone number is (212) 666-2888. Our showrooms are open seven days a week, so you can always get in touch with someone. Of course, since every project has a Project Manager, you will be able to contact your Project Manager anytime you like because you will have his or her cell phone number and email address in addition to our general contact information.
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| 10. |
Where and how will you purchase materials?
What you need to know:
Does the contractor have a showroom? Will your contractor assist you in selecting materials - or are you on your own to pick things out at mass retail stores? It is important your contractor confirm that the materials you selected will work technically and fit properly into your space.
MyHome's Approach:
As mentioned above, we have two showroom locations, where
we display literally thousands of items for you to choose
from –cabinets, flooring, fixtures, tiles, hardware,
lighting, etc. But, we wouldn't dream of just telling you, “Go
ahead and pick things out all by yourself.” Our Remodeling
Consultants are right there by your side every step of the
way to counsel you as much - or as little - as needed. Not
only will they advise you on what will look good; more importantly,
they will advise you on what will work well in your space.
Once all the materials are selected, we have one employee
whose sole responsibility is to make sure all products are
ordered properly and tracked so they are received when expected.
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| 11. |
When can you start?
What you need to know:
If your contractor can start immediately, ask him why he doesn't have ongoing projects? You should be alarmed if your contractor is too available. This could mean he is just starting out, doesn't have much referral business or may be taking on more business than he can handle. On the other hand, if the waiting time is too long, it could be a sign the contractor is overwhelmed and will not be able to give your project the attention it deserves. Also, beware of the contractor who starts a job and then disappears for weeks to start other jobs. Be sure to check references carefully and ask if this happened to them. Generally speaking, it is reasonable to have to wait two to four weeks for a contractor.
MyHome's Approach:
We have implemented the “Create Your Dream Remodeling Program” for all of our projects. Because multiple steps are involved, we are able to handle numerous projects at the same time and start them in less than one week's time. For example, our process starts out with you meeting with one of our Remodeling Consultants. He or she will explore ideas with you, take measurements at your home, design the space, provide you with a 3-D computer drawing and then help you choose products and materials. After everything has been designed, ordered, and finalized, your Project Manager holds a Project Kick-Off Meeting with you, the Remodeling Consultant and - at times - our trades' people to review the entire job before starting. When the materials come in, the construction begins.
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| 12. |
How long will the project take - start to finish?
What you need to know:
It is tricky for anyone to give you a definite answer on this one because a contractor must coordinate and schedule deliveries of all the material and have them on-site in order to complete the project. If the contractor is too optimistic, it may mean he is not being honest or is not experienced enough. A good answer should factor in everyone's schedule that's involved and consider the time it takes to design, order and receive materials. So, manufacturers' schedules must also be considered.
Look carefully at any “guarantees” on the time it takes to complete a project. Read the fine print to make sure the guarantee has any “teeth” to it. Many contractors will base their guarantee, if any, on “substantial completion.” This means that all the major parts of the job are done. But, that won't help you if you're not able to use the room or it is still a mess. Also, you should speak to a client who actually had the guarantee honored. If the contractor tells you he never had to honor the guarantee, be very suspicious. We have been in this business for over five years and we have never heard of any contractor who completes his jobs 100% on or before the estimated completion date 100% of the time. If someone tells you he does, he is being less than honest with you.
MyHome's Approach:
Ethically, we cannot guarantee a specific date when a project will be finished. We've been doing this long enough to know that many unforeseen events can occur that are completely out of our hands (or your hands for that matter), which may delay a project and change the completion time. These can include factory delays, delivery of damaged or incorrect items, and other unknown conditions. We are committed, however, to providing you with a realistic time frame for your project, updating you regularly on the status of your project, and working diligently to maintain the project schedule as closely as possible. We've even worked 24-hour shifts at times to get the job done when time was of the essence.
We do everything possible to make your project run smoothly
and timely. We even take the responsibility of dealing with
building management and filing permit applications off your
shoulders. There are two authorities that have to be dealt
with during your project. The first is building management,
which needs to be addressed on a daily basis –they
ask for paperwork, insurance, licensing, scope of work, alterations,
the agreement between you and your remodeler, sketches, drawings,
and specs. The other authority is the New York City Building
Department. If you're relocating plumbing or electricity,
you will need their approval. This is a major process, requiring
drawings and sketches reviewed and signed by a licensed architect.
Those documents must then go to an expediter who completes
the application process. MyHome takes care of all this for
you. We have a dedicated employee who is responsible for
overseeing the application process for every project –so
she is an expert on what is needed to obtain all building
permits for you.
All of these things must be considered when providing
a timeline for your project, so if anyone guarantees”
the timeframe, make sure everything is included.
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| 13. |
Will the same crew remain on the job from beginning to end?
What you need to know:
This relates back to the question about how many jobs the contractor has going on at the same time. If the contractor has more jobs running simultaneously than crews, he will try to juggle things around. This means your crew could disappear for a few days - or weeks. Also, you need to ask about the contractor's policy on “touch ups.”Touch ups” are little unfinished odds and ends that remain after the project is completed. Touch ups may include replacing a handle, repairing a crack, straightening an outlet faceplate, painting, etc. Most contractors find it difficult to come back to complete your touch ups since they may be tied up with other work. Ask the contractor if he has a special crew that he uses just for touch up items. The difficulty in getting a contractor to complete the touch ups, and therefore, truly finish the job, is the most common complaint by remodeling clients.
MyHome's Approach:
After we finish a project, but before you sign off on the final walk-through, your Project Manager will use the MyHome “Touch-Up Spec Sheet” and look for things that need touching up. We will send the right trades' people over to make any necessary touch ups, or if appropriate, we have a dedicated team of Touch-Up Professionals on call. It's all done at the end of the job before you write the final check.
And, in the unlikely event that the laborers did not clean your apartment to our satisfaction, or yours, the Project Manager will hire a professional cleaning service, at our cost, to clean up after the job.
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| 14. |
How much will the project cost? What is your policy about change orders?
What you need to know:
Is your contractor's estimate firm—or is there a chance
the price will go up? Make sure your contractor provides a
satisfactory answer regarding how firm his price is. Some contractors
try to raise the price after they have already collected some
money and started the project. This makes you vulnerable since
you want the project finished and feel you don't have any other
choice but to agree to the additional costs. Beware of contractors
who bid low to win the contract but use the shady tactic of
raising prices after the project is underway. This is a perfect
issue to ask references about.
With respect to change orders, it is reasonable for you to pay more if you choose to change aspects of the project. For example, you may decide that you like different fixtures or tiles once you see them in your home. The contractor has the right to charge you for the change, if there is a difference in cost, but make sure his policy is to put all change orders in writing and detail the price differential so you avoid being overcharged for work you already agreed to.
MyHome's Approach:
Simply put, we have a fixed price policy. When
we spec out the project and estimate the price
for you, it is set. We don't believe in charging
a client for “unforeseen circumstances”
that may arise on the job. It is our duty to
know exactly what the job will entail and to
detail
the costs for you in advance. If we make a mistake
in the estimation, we eat it –meaning
we won't charge you for the difference. In
all our
years doing business, it's only happened to us
twice, so we're pretty good at getting the
price
right the first time.
Any changes to the project that you decide on once the project has started will be detailed for you in a change order with all price differentials.
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| 15. |
How is your operation managed?
What you need to know:
Find out what your contractor is in charge of and who will be your contact person during the project. The biggest challenge with contractors is that they can get very busy. If one individual must design, hire, manage, supervise, inspect and sell new projects it may be very difficult - even impossible - for him to handle. If the person you are interviewing regarding your upcoming project is the contractor, you should be suspicious. Ask him why he is meeting with you instead of supervising his ongoing projects. Consider this, would you want him meeting with prospective clients while he is supposed to be managing your project?
MyHome's Approach:
We've created a process called the “Create
Your Dream Remodeling Program.” By working
with you, that's exactly what we're
able to do –Create YOUR Dream! As mentioned
above, the process starts by meeting with one
of our Remodeling Consultants. Our first step
is to have an appointment with you, at your
home
preferably, (98% of the time that's where the
first meeting occurs), or you can come to one
of our two showrooms. Our Remodeling Consultant
will walk around your entire home with you to
see how things look from different angles and
perspectives. We want to make sure that the
rooms
will flow nicely with each other when they are
complete. We use our “Design Consideration
Checklist” to help us fully understand
your specific needs. This includes a thorough
review
of issues, which may include what you like and
don't like about your current rooms, if
there are any special requirements to accommodate
children or someone with disabilities, more
storage
space needed in certain work areas, and whether
there are other activities in the room that
need
to be considered in the overall layout. We want
to know YOUR ideas of what YOU want –YOUR
vision coming into the project, and then
we'll
add our expertise to make sure you understand
all your options so you can make the best-informed
decision for your needs. At this first meeting,
the Remodeling Consultant will take measurements
so we can go to the drawing board (actually the
computer) to start drawing your plans. And
we
do this all for FREE, whether we spend 20 minutes
or even 3 hours with you –unlike our
competitors who charge anywhere from $500
to $2,500 just to
speak with you. Even Home Depot won't give
you the time of day unless you drop a non-refundable
deposit of $100.
After this first meeting, the Remodeling Consultant will recommend
that you visit one of our two showrooms and look at home design
magazines to get style ideas. While you're coming up with your
ideas, the Remodeling Consultant will be back at our office
hard at work creating a design using the latest version of
20-20® software. We will then send you 3D color images
of your room. Seeing what the end result might look like can
sometimes give you new ideas that we can use to make further
improvements –and we'll do this until you are happy with
the look and layout of your new room.
Once we have a good idea of the design that you
like, the Remodeling Consultant will walk you
through the options for your new cabinets, appliances,
fixtures, countertops, flooring, lighting, electrical,
and plumbing. We have everything for you in one
location, including physical samples of every
type of cabinet, counter and flooring in our showrooms
so you can see what it looks like and match colors
and styles. We also have samples of plumbing,
wood flooring, tile and hardware. You'll
find the latest products, designs and innovations
at our showrooms because I personally meet with
my vendors on a bi-weekly basis and study the
newest industry trends by attending various different
tradeshows across the country, reading magazines
and journals, and conducting daily Internet research.
And if that's not enough, we carry catalogs
for plumbing, lighting, hardware, and accessories
demonstrating thousands of products. We either
have, or have access to, every type of building
or remodeling material that you could want. We've
never had a request from a client for a product
that we couldn't fulfill.
In helping you choose your materials, our Remodeling Consultant takes into consideration your current configuration, along with recommended efficiency improvements that will make good ideas great ones. We will make sure all the products will work with the layout. For example, we've heard horror stories where contractors will order a faucet that's too big for the sink or fail to consider which direction cabinets need to open to avoid hitting other objects.
Once we're ready to go and everything's finalized, the Project Manager assigned to you holds a Project Kick-Off Meeting. You will get all the detailed quotations for materials and specific contractor services. The Project Manager then supervises every aspect of the project, making sure that materials are delivered on time, that the trades' people perform to our expectations and that the job is completed on time and with excellent workmanship.
You see, by breaking down your project in various parts, assigned to different professionals, we're able to have individuals who've mastered their specific tasks do what they do best. We don't have one person doing all of the design, layout, ordering and building or supervising. Quite frankly, we don't know how anyone can do that efficiently and with high quality
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