How to Deal with a Bad Contractor

By Donna Fuscaldo

• 
  Reuters

It seems like everyone has a horror story when it comes to their home remodeling or repair experience.

According to a recent survey by referral website Angie’s list, 52% of the more than 12,000 home owners polled reported problems with their contractor. What’s more, 27% were so unhappy they fired the professional before the job was complete.

While the reasons for the unhappiness varied from contractors who made a mess to ones that took too long to complete the work, there are ways to avoid having your next home improvement project end up in small claims court.

“It all starts with how you go about the hiring process,” says Paul Sullivan, chair of National Association of Home Builders Remodelers and a remodeler. “Doing your due diligence is the best way to not only protect yourself, but ensure a positive remodeling experience.”

Before starting the search, ask for referrals from friends and family. Sullivan also recommends contacting your local builders association to get a list of members. You should also ask potential candidates for references and verify they are properly licensed.

Once you’ve created a list of three contractors, Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List, suggests meeting with them in person to make sure your personalities mesh.

“There’s no sense in hiring someone you can’t trust from the get-go. Let’s face it: There may be wrinkles along the way and you want to feel comfortable addressing them,” she says.

Equally important to who you hire is how the contract is crafted. Hicks says homeowners should spend “a good amount of time” negotiating a contract that outlines all expectations as well as a payment schedule.

The contract should also include the process to change the order even if you are using custom materials or products. What’s more, experts say you want to make sure there is a termination clause and an explanation of what will happen if both parties have a dispute. Sullivan says he puts an arbitration clause in all his contracts to cover disputes. “An arbitration clause is not a bad thing to have in there; rather than going to a full blown lawsuit where everybody loses,” he says.

Taking precautions upfront is going to lessen you’re risk but it doesn’t mean something won’t go wrong. But before it gets ugly or you fire your contractor, experts say to communicate regularly about what you want and what you are unhappy with.

“One of the biggest causes of contractor disputes is a lack of communication during the project which winds up leaving the homeowner less than satisfied with the results,” says Brooke Gabbert, a spokeswoman for referral Website , HomeAdvisors www.homeadvisors. “Often, these miscommunications can be avoided all together by setting up a short daily meeting with a designated member of the crew performing the work where you can discuss progress and possible delays.” The meetings keep you in the loop and quickly alert the contractor to any problems or concerns. Lack of communication allows anger to fester and can lead to bigger problems.

If you end up unhappy with the final product and your contractor refuses to fix it before, experts say it might be time to turn to ligation or social media.

Online reviews are very powerful, and you airing your grievances could encourage the contractor to fix the work. However, Sullivan says to always be honest about what happened, adding that there’s a lot of unfounded “abuse” of contractors on review sites. Don’t make up things to make the contractor look worse or go on an emotional rant because it will only hurt your reputation if the dispute ends up in litigation.

“You can file a complaint with the BBB. If he’s a member of BBB that might mean something. If he’s not, he probably doesn’t care,” says Sullivan. “If you hire him through a [referral site] and he gets slammed, that will affect the next project he has in the pipeline and he will probably respond.”

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Five Tips to Make Summer Home Renovations Pay Off

NEW YORK (MainStreet)—Younger homeowners are likely planning renovations this summer, according to a new study, with some improvements benefiting property values more than others.
The Zillow Digs Summer Home Improvement Trend and Spending survey found that 71% of those aged 18 to 34 plan a home improvement or addition compared to 51% of homeowners 55 and older.

The survey found that 40% plan to work on their outdoor spaces while 17 percent plan to improve their bathrooms.

"As we head into the long days of summer, we are seeing increased interest in outdoor spaces with very natural elements such as stone fireplaces as well as bringing more light into bathrooms with clear glass on the walls and shower enclosures," said Cynthia Nowak, a trend expert with Zillow Digs.

Overall, 60% of American homeowners plan renovations and expect to spend $1,200 with 65% of homes housing children planning three or more home improvements compared to 57% of homes without children.

But not all home improvements pay off and positively impact property values, according to the Appraisal Institute, a professional association of real estate appraisers.

Siding replacement, entry door replacement, attic bedroom addition, minor kitchen remodel and garage door replacement rank among the projects with the highest expected return on investment, according to Remodeling magazine's most recent Cost vs. Value report.

"Projects that take a home significantly beyond community norms are often not worth the cost when the owner sells the home," said Appraisal Institute President Richard L. Borges. "If they don't match what's standard in a community, they're considered excessive."

Other renovations with high expected pay-offs include basement remodel, deck addition and window replacement.

"Consumers should be aware that cost does not necessarily equal value," Borges said.

Below are 5 tips to consider before launching home renovations:

• 1. Arrange a feasibility study for an unbiased evaluation. "During a feasibility study, a professional real estate appraiser will analyze the homeowner's property, weigh the cost of rehabilitation and provide an estimate of the property's value before and after the improvement," said Borges.
• 2. Add green and energy-efficient renovations. "Adding Energy Star appliances and extra insulation are likely to pay the homeowner back in lowered utility bills relatively quickly. Lower utility costs also are a draw for potential homebuyers," said Borges.
• 3. The longer a homeowner stays in a property, the greater the opportunity for a return on investment. As a result, Borges advises holding off on big renovations when a homeowner isn't sure how long they will be in their home.
• 4. Check online for home renovation ideas. About 37 percent of homeowners look to the internet for home improvement ideas and inspiration, according to the Zillow Digs survey. HGTV.com, Pinterest and Zillow Digs were among the most common online sources for inspiration.
• 5. Download the Appraisal Institute's free Remodeling & Rehabbing brochure at www.appraisalinstitute.org

 *article source finance.yahoo.com

5 DIY Projects That Could Ruin Your Home

Thanks for reading today's blog post!  Did you know that I'm the author of not just one, but thirteen books?  For more information, please visit www.charlesirion.com, www.irionbooks.com and/or www.summitmurdermystery.com

Great advise in this article!

Before you take an unsupervised plunge into your next do it yourself project, you may want to keep in mind these four DIY disasters.

Here are a few easy ways you could ruin your home from Yahoo! Homes.

1. Flooring - When you deal with bathrooms, you're dealing with water. You should really hire someone who knows what they are doing. This is serious stuff! Educate yourself and go online, because you can't cheap-out on doing a bathroom floor.







2. Toilets - Homeowners have ended up paying thousands of dollars to repair ceilings and floors after the new toilet leaked through one floor to the next. An extra $2 wax ring to seal the toilet and floor drain is one solution, or just hire a contractor or plumber for about $135 in labor costs.


3. Cabinets - You can have a professional painter do the job or have a company reface them. Cabinet refacing has become a quick, affordable, and less messy renovation process. Contractors remove and replace doors and drawers for a couple thousand dollars, depending on the size of your kitchen, which is a bargain compared to the more than $10,000 is can cost for new cabinets.





4. Walls - A load-bearing wall is one that bears the weight and force of a structure and transfers that weight to the ground. That means everyone and everything is safe from falling through to the bottom floor. But before taking out one of these walls, you need to first put up a temporary wall. If you don't do this series of events in tearing down walls, everything drops.

5. Venting - The ventilation in your home is vital to keeping the temperature regulated, so when doing things yourself be aware of where the ventilation is in your home. It could cost up to $15,000 to move ventilation. So if you want to DIY but ventilation proves a problem, it may be best to leave that project and move on.

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Irion Books needs you! - Contribute to Remodeling Hell

Irion Books needs you!  We are looking for individuals that want to help contribute to the update we will be doing to the book Remodeling Hell.  The book Remodeling Hell, contains a Salvation Guide which has tips and ticks of the trade and real life horror stories to help educate others so that they avoid experiencing the same hellish event that Charles Irion endured.  

Anyone out there that has a home remodeling horror story of their own to share, someone working in construction, or a contractor with inside information on what home owners should look out for would be great!  You can remain anonymous, or at your approval, if we print your contribution we will name you in the book.  

Help us save people from enduring a Remodeling Hell experience!  If you are interested in contributing please email Jennifer at Jennifer@IrionBooks.com

Tips to Avert Roofing Scam

In the friendly guy who's knocking on your door offering to fix the hail damage on your roof might not have your best interests at heart.

Reputable roofing contractors are so busy these days that they don't have time to go from door to door looking for work.  In fact, even if they were busy, they wouldn't do that.
Professional local roofing contractors make appointments with their customers-and those appointments are initiated by you, the homeowner.  They will send to your house someone wearing a logo shirt and driving a truck with the same logo on it and with Arizona license tags.

The roofer will climb up on the roof and survey the damage, come down and give you a written estimate or send you one shortly.  Then, you can call the company and make an appointment to have the work done. Those guys knocking at your door are called storm chasers-or travelers or gypsies. They're usually from out of state and make their living by driving from state to state, depending on which one has had a big storm lately. They might offer you a whiz bang deal on labor and materials, or say they have left over materials from another job and can sell them to you at a cut rate price. They'll probably put a little pressure on you to let them do the job right then. And they almost certainly will ask for at least part of their money up front to buy supplies.

Practice patience
My advice: Wait for your regular contractor, even if you have to wait for a couple months.  Unless your roof is leaking, any hail damage won't cause any problems in the meantime.  You do need to have that roof repaired; if you don't, you could void your warranty and your roof could deteriorate more quickly than a healthy roof would.  But you don't have to do it today-no matter what that guy at your door tells you. Not every storm juicer is a scam artist, but some are.

Warning signals
Here are a few typical ruses and some advice.  One guy I know you said a so called roofer climbed up on his roof and came down with a photo of some severely damaged shingles and a hard sell for repair work.  Problem was the photo wasn't one of my friends roof.  He's been up there enough times to know where everything is, so he recognized the fraud. 

They'll tell you there is damage when there isn't. Rhonda LaNue, who co-owns Lyons Roofing in Phoenix, has this advice: if you see roofers working on a lot of your neighbors' homes-they usually post a sign in the front yard showing the name of the company they work for- chances are good that your roof has been hit. If no other nearby roofs suffered damage during the storm, be suspicious when anyone says yours did.

Shop local
Check out the license plate on the truck the guys driving. If it's from out-of-state, turn him away.  If the sign on his truck is magnetic and removable, turn him away.  When you have your roof repaired in the spring, there's no way for you to know if there's a problem with the work until it rains again-and that might be July.  If your roof springs a leak in July, that out-of-state storm chaser is going to be long gone, and you'll have to pay someone else to fix your leak.  Use a local company that guarantees its work and that you can call back for a touch-up if you need one.

Common cons
Don't let anyone convince you to agree to an inflated price with the promise that the contractor will overbill your insurance company to get enough money back to reimburse you for your deductible.  That's insurance fraud.  Some will offer to pay you $1000 to let them put a sign in your front yard, and then try to get your insurance company to cover that fee.  Insurance companies will not pay an outrageous price for the work.

Say no to anyone who pressures you into having the work done immediately or paying up front.  Take a day or so to think about it. Ask two other contractors to come evaluate your problem so you can compare bids.  That will clue you in if one estimate is unreasonably low.

No advances
Schedule the work for a time that's convenient. And schedule payments, not paying up front. Reputable companies don't need any seed money to buy supplies. Instead, pay in increments as the work is completed.  Refuse to work with any contractor who is not licensed by the state Registrar of Contractors.  You're breaking the law if you pay an unlicensed contractor more than $1000.  If the guy skips town with your money, you won't have any way to recoup from the state's recovery funds, which covers only licensed local contractors.

Patience pays
Expect to wait two months or more for an appointment with a quality, local roofing company to repair your non-emergency hail damage. It's worth the wait to get someone you can trust and who has insurance, a license and bonded employees.


To order your copy of Remodeling Hell and to download your free Salvation Guide CLICK HERE!

*Article written by Rosie Romero for The Arizona Republic

Tips on Finding the Right Contractor

The interior design of a space is more than just finding the right rug or color paint. It's also about the overall aesthetic of the room, which is why many people opt to hire a professional contractor when remodeling. A contractor is typically a person who manages the entire project, bringing in a crew to complete the work, or perhaps even doing much of the work alone. Here are a few tips and tricks for finding the right contractor for your home remodeling project.

Look for Specialties

Depending on what type of remodeling you're doing, you may want to look for a contractor who specializes in your type of remodel. For example, if you're looking to remodel your kitchen, you'll want to work with someone who specializes in kitchen designs, or has plenty of experience with kitchen remodels. The same goes if you are looking to remodel existing bathroom designs or perhaps the exterior of your home. You want someone who specializes in and has extensive knowledge of that particular project.

Ask Questions

A contractor is not necessarily a "cover-all." In some instances, you'll need to hire additional help such as an architect or an interior designer. Then, these two people will work on the designs of these different spaces, whether it be a bedroom design, kitchen design, bathroom design or even game room designs. Upon your approval of said design, work together with the contractor to turn the space from a vision into a reality.

That being said, it's important to ask questions. Inquire if additional designers are needed to create the space. Ask what types of brands or cabinetry will be used in any space. Don't be afraid to ask for a portfolio of work, as a picture is worth a thousand words! Finally, and perhaps most importantly, ask for references to see if past customers were satisfied with the work.

Work Together

It is also worthwhile to note that you need to work together with your contractor to get the room of your dreams, whether it's kitchen designs or bathroom designs, or any other space in the home. You are not giving your contractor free-range to remodel as they see fit. They're there to create a space that you'll love, so you need to have your say in the space!

You should have an input in everything from the materials used in the home, to colors, styles, designs, patterns, textures, cabinetry, appliances and so forth. If you're not happy with an item or a look, it shouldn't go in!

However, if you wait until the item has already gone in before saying you're unhappy, don't be surprised when you're still charged for it. This is especially true for kitchen designs or bathroom designs, which tend to be the most costly of all remodels.

That being said, try to avoid last minute changes in the space: this includes kitchen designs, living room designs and other schemes. This costs the contractor not only time, but also money. Don't expect your contractor to be financially responsible for your choices. If you choose white subway tile and then decide it's not for you once it's installed, you are responsible for covering the costs of replacing it. Therefore, be absolutely sure of your choices!

Remodeling can help you achieve the look of your dreams. However, there are certain things you should do when looking to hire a contractor, such as asking questions, contacting references, and so forth.

To order your copy of REMODELING HELL and to download your FREE Salvation Guide, please CLICK HERE!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6761151

5 Tips to Choose Your Remodeler

As you are planning out your dream kitchen or remodeled bathroom, be prepared to find a contractor. It is important to be ready when deciding to use a professional remodeler. Below are five steps to ensure that you find the best person for the job. Be sure to do your homework and research all of your options before making your final choice.

1. Collect names of remodeling companies in your area
The National Association of Home Builders' Directory of Professional Remodelers* is a good place to begin your search. The directory will have a list of remodelers for you to contact. Also network between your friends and family. They can share their experiences with you.

2. Discuss your project with several remodelers
After you have narrowed your search to a few names contact the remodelers and discuss your project. Describe your vision of the remodel and ask for estimated quotes of prices.

3. Important questions to ask include:
Does the remodeler have a license, if required in your state? Do they have general liability insurance in case of an accident on the job? Do they guarantee their work? How do they handle any problems that may arise on the project?

Having these answers before the start of the project will prevent future issues and help you to select the best professional remodeler for the job.
4. Check the references and background of the remodeler
After you have found remodelers with the experience to match the criteria of your home's needs, the next step is to perform background research. Ask the contractor for a list of references to contact. Also check with the Better Business Bureau and ask if the remodeler is a trade association member.

5. Don’t fall for the lowest bidder
Many people may be lured by the lowest price to their remodeling project, thinking that they have found a great deal. But beware of these alluring low prices. Many times extreme low prices are equivalent to the contractor cutting corners. In the end it will cost you more to make repairs. Unfortunately, the lowest price may not be the best value for your home.

*www.nahb.org/remodel

review from a reader 1-10

I have been buying, remodeling and selling homes for the better part of thirty years. A friend of mine told me to read "Remodeling Hell" by Charles Irion. I have thanked that friend on numerous occassions and I thank Irion for writing the book. I wish he would have written it a long time ago. I'd have had a lot fewer headaches that came from dealing with contractors and sub-contractors. Irion writes from his own remodeling experiences and couldn't have told this story and the truth any better. It was informative and yet entertaining. If you, or anyone you know has plans to remodel, whether it's one room or an entire house, has to read "Remodeling Hell" first. You'll be glad and then you'll thank me for telling you about it ...oh, and you'll thank Charles Irion for writing it too. GREAT READ! Sincerely, Raymond (avid Irion fan) Cardi