Remodeling Hell: contractors

Monday, August 29, 2016

How Much Should You Tip Contractors, Landscapers, and Other Home Pros?

We all know that tipping a waiter is proper (and expected!) dining-out etiquette. But how much should you tip general contractors, landscapers, painters, and other professionals who help keep your home in tiptop shape. In fact, should you tip them at all?

The easiest way to clear up this question, of course, is to simply ask the company or contractor you’re using what is the tipping policy before you even agree to a deal. Yeah, it’s a bit awkward—but it’s nothing compared with getting it completely wrong. And since tipping customs can vary a lot by region—people in Bismarck, ND, may not tip the same as those on New York’s Upper East Side—you could get some community advice from people who live nearby.

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Author and manners expert Amy Alkin suggests you play it straight and say: “I’m new in this neighborhood, and I want to do the right thing, and I’m wondering, do you know what people around here tip?”

Still looking for guidelines? Here’s your crash course on whom to tip, how much to give, and how to show your appreciation in other ways as well. No gratuity necessary!

Handymen

In some places, a handyman earns more than $100 an hour and doesn’t expect a tip. However, if you’ve found a go-to helper who frequently does odd jobs around the house for, say, $20 an hour—change high lightbulbs, move heavy objects, wax floors— then a holiday or postproject gift equal to his daily fee is appreciated.

An Angie’s List survey of 5,000 home service professionals around the U.S. found that only a small percentage of handymen, 7%, say they routinely receive tips, although that number jumps to 28% when they’ve performed extra services and kindnesses beyond the original scope of work.

Painters

Painters generally don’t expect tips, especially if you’ve hired a small company where the boss and his brothers are painting your house. Tipping is a must, however, if you ask a painter to touch up that little scuff on the dining room wall, which wasn’t in the original contract. Most painters will oblige, and you should reward their generosity with a $15 to $20 tip if the extra work takes an hour or less.

Contractors/remodelers

When it comes to general contractors, the question isn’t how much you should tip but whether you should at all. And in general, the answer is no.

Tipping is not expected by general contractors and their crews who pop the top of your home or remodel your kitchen. The Angie’s List survey says that remodeling companies expect a tip only 6% of the time, though 18% receive tips for top-notch service.

However, you may choose to add a clause in your cost-plus remodeling contract that pays a bonus if the contractor completes the project early or under budget. This is more an incentive than a show of appreciation, and can be a percentage of estimated money saved or a flat fee, perhaps $500 to $1,000 for a major project like a large kitchen remodel.

Other ways to show appreciation for a job well done is to write a great review of the contractor on sites such as Yelp or its local equivalent. Looking for a more personal touch? If you’ve gotten along well with the general contractor who built your house, consider inviting him to dinner so he can see how much you love the fruits of his labor.

Decorators

Decorators, who often charge hourly and a percentage of whatever they purchase for you, also don’t usually expect tips. Referrals, yes.

Actually, it’s common for a decorator to give the client a little present after a particularly lucrative job—a gift bag or the perfect bowl to set on the new dining room table.

Plumbers, electricians, the cable guy

Again, no tipping is necessary because these skilled tradesmen work either for themselves—as a general rule, you don’t have to tip business owners—or for large companies that may prohibit tipping.
Even though tipping is inappropriate, it’s always nice to offer people who work in your home a cold drink (um, not alcohol), and to thank them specifically for their prompt and skilled work.

Also, give great workers a heartfelt shoutout on review sites such as Yelp or Angie’s List. It is, in fact, the gift that keeps giving.

Lawn care workers and landscapers

It’s impractical and unnecessary to tip the guys who mow your lawn every week, though it’s nice to put a pitcher of cold water out for the workers. If the same crew arrives every Thursday, at the end of the season you can show your appreciation with $20 to $50 cash tip each.

However, when you ask a landscaper to do something extra, like prune a hanging branch, slip him something extra, from $10 to $20 depending on how long the task takes.

Alkin says we all have an “inner accountant” who notices when others are “taking us for a ride.”
“If you’re generous, others won’t approach you in a nickel-and-dimey, suspicious way,” she says.

House cleaners

If the same cleaning lady makes your home sparkle each week, a big tip is expected during the holidays, typically a week’s wages presented in a card with a personal message of appreciation.
If you hire a cleaning crew, tipping is not expected or required. At the end of the year, or after a major project, however, you can give each crew member a small gift, or divide the price of a cleaning session among the crew.

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Money tips for home remodeling

Hi Everyone! Thank you for reading my blog! 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

Homeowners expected to spend more on remodeling

By Amy Hoak, MarketWatch

A 20-year-old house in suburban Atlanta is getting a makeover to create a more open floor plan for its kitchen, dining room and living room. The homeowners had wanted to make the improvements for a while, but because they purchased the home when prices were at peak levels, their plans were shelved.

Until now.

“The rebounding economy gave us the confidence to invest in our property — even though it is still worth less than what we paid, at peak,” said Jeffrey Ulrich, who lives there with his wife and three children. “At the same time, we have no intention of going anywhere else. This is our home, and we made a decision to invest in our everyday living, and think it will pay dividends now and in the future.”

Researchers at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies think there will a fresh crop of homeowners like Ulrich, finally going forward with postponed remodeling plans in 2014. In fact, they are expecting 10% to 15% growth in remodeling spending through the third quarter of this year, compared with the same period a year ago — which would add up to a “very good year for the industry,” said Abbe Will, the research analyst who puts together Harvard’s Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity. The projection is based on a wide variety of housing data.

“Homeowners are starting to feel much more confident about the fact that their homes are not just retaining value, but are starting to see home-price increases in many markets,” Will said. To fund these discretionary projects, there’s an improving environment for home-equity lending; until just recently, home-equity loans and lines of credit were nearly impossible to get.

Remodelers are getting more requests for kitchen and bath remodels, home exterior improvements, changes to help homeowners age in place — even additions, said Tom O’Grady, chairman of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s strategic planning and research committee, as well as president of O’Grady Builders, based in Drexel Hill, Pa.

The increased demand had many remodelers entering 2014 with jobs in the pipeline, something that hasn’t happened for years, he said. Remodeling activity started slowing back in 2006, O’Grady added.

Renovation of distressed properties is also helping fuel the remodeling industry, as owners invest money into foreclosures and short sales that have been neglected over the years, Will said.

Before you remodel

If you’re planning a remodel of your own, consider the following before hiring a contractor. It will make for a smoother process, and ensure you’re getting the most for your money.

Collect ideas: Go online to get ideas, and share pictures that you like with your contractor, Ulrich said. That will help you communicate your desires, and will make it easier for the contractor to quote jobs. “It puts everyone on the same page from the beginning,” he said.

Set a budget: For yourself, set a maximum budget and make sure you have a contingency for any splurges you may want to make or problems that you could run into, said Liza Hausman, vice president of community for Houzz.com, a home remodeling and design website. Then, create a goal budget to share with your contractor. As much as you can, research materials to understand what they’ll cost. That will help you understand whether your budget is realistic.

Take a breath: Don’t rush into major remodeling jobs if you’ve just moved in. “Live in the home for a few years so you know what you want to fix,” Hausman said. Only then will you understand how your house works — and what really needs improving.

Research contractors: Contractors should be licensed and insured. Read online reviews, but make sure that the site you’re using allows both positive and negative reviews (some only post the positive), Hausman said. Don’t forget to ask for referrals from former clients, and reach out to them to find out how they liked working with the contractor, she said.

Break down bids: Bids should include detailed information on what everything should cost, including materials and labor, Hausman said. But there can be wide variations when it comes to material costs, she said. Find a contractor who can “value engineer” your project and “help you find ways to pull stuff out or do things in a creative way,” so you’re spending your money in a smart way and getting elements that are the most important to you, she said.

Trust your contractor: Choose a contractor you trust, but also make sure that the person who gets the job is a good communicator. That will go a long way to making sure you’re happy with the final result. “We’ve heard plenty of horror stories from friends,” Ulrich said. His contractor was good about following up after the initial inquiry — and Ulrich took that as a good sign.

Start with a small job: Although he had a good feeling about the team doing the work, Ulrich gave his contractor a smaller project, a bathroom remodel, first, before hiring him to do his large-scale great room project. “How you’re treated on a small project is going to be how you’re treated on the big project,” he said. “They treated us like the most important customer they had, and it showed.”

Prepare for inconveniences: Workers will be in your home all day, and if you’re redoing a kitchen, take-out dinners will become the norm. And then there’s the dust. But remember that remodeling requires a spirit of adventure, Ulrich said. “Take a deep breath and say ‘This is all going to turn out great, and it’s a small price to pay for decades of enjoyment.’”