Building Contractors

Get Things In Writing

A written scope of work and specifications are two things any homeowner and contractor should agree upon before a contract is signed for a major renovation or addition job. This not only protects you from any bad eventualities if the work completed isn't as you thought it should be, it also protects the contractor from miscommunications that can cost him some serious money.

On your end, the written scope of work and specifications you complete will help a contractor fill out his or her own that involve more job-detailed descriptions.

If you are going to have your bathroom remodeled, for example, complete your own scope of work and specifications first. These basically explain to the contractor what you want done and how, thus, giving him a better place to start examining the job from a technical standpoint. A client's scope of work statement can look something like this:

Scope of Work: Renovate and remodel hall bathroom.

• The specifications for this might look like this:
• Remove and dispose of all existing fixtures, tile and wallpaper. This includes tub, sink, toilet and shower stall.
• Replace tub/shower with a garden tub and its fixtures.
• Replace toilet with a low-flow model.
• Replace sink/counter with an oak cabinet and double sink set up.
• Redo walls in off white paint with decorative border.
• Retile floors using ceramics, color to be chosen later.

By clearly stating on paper, in writing what you want, the contractors you look at to hire will be better able to give you clear estimates, accounting for every step of the process. They have to know what you want to give you an accurate estimate. While it's fairly easy for the roofing company to know a replacement job also involves a removal and disposal, a general contractor might not know you want the wall paper and flooring removed and disposed of in a remodel job if you don't say so.

Anyone who has gone through a construction process knows how difficult it can be to keep up with all the steps and hoops that have to be handled. By bringing expertise to the table, a general contractor takes over the planning, scheduling, purchasing and permitting. Through the entire process, a good general building contractor oversees the job and makes sure things get done when they're suppose to and how they're supposed to.

Put your thoughts in writing and be specific. By doing this before you seek out contractors, you will find their estimates are more likely to cover all of the bases per your specs, leaving few things to chance.