Shopping For Contractors

It is important to shop around for a Contractor to work on your large or small remodeling project. One way to find the right person is to get a referral from a friend or relative. Another way is to utilize the sources that your Interior Designer has experience with.

If you are going it alone, make sure to get at least three bids from contractors to compare costs. Be certain that the costs include all aspects of the project and you are comparing apples to apples. I usually encourage my clients to select the contractor that they feel they can trust, midrange in price. If you get a bid underpriced to the extreme, be wary. As my father always says, “you get what you pay for.”

Hiring an Interior Designer first can be helpful as Interior Designers have good sources that they can recommend to you. As a Designer, I normally research bids from contractors I have utilized in the past for my clients making sure all the information they need to complete the project is included or budgeted elsewhere. There are no good suprises when it comes to money.

Make sure you discuss the timeline and if possible, get it in writing. Remember to be flexible and add 10-20% to your budget and timeline as a cushion.

Remodeling can be a very stressful prospect if you don’t have proper design planning. Be certain to set your goals first, outline a solid plan second, and find the appropriate Designer to work with to find the right Contractor and achieve your remodeling dreams.

10 Jul 2008