Give your contractors specific home remodeling or home building plans when you ask for bids. This will guarantee that each contractor is going to perform the same tasks. You will be able to compare their bids and determine the best value to you.
Planning your material shipment will require working with your contractor to determine how long each job takes. Schedules are the only way to keep work delays to a minimum. Having a good set of drawings will help. Talk to each supplier to find out how long each item takes to deliver. Then check up on the orders. Charting your project is the only way to keep sane.
Your home is built to Building Code and passes all inspections. Does this mean you have a high-quality finished home? Maybe not. If you have questions regarding quality, arrange to shadow your home inspector when he comes.
Advance payment to your contractor only when the work is completed. Make a schedule with a detailed cost breakdown that your builder will help you with at the beginning of the job.
Up front planning and job scheduling will help you, your contractor and subcontractors keep your building project running smoothly. Special orders will be spelled out and the delivery time determined up front. Each job listed should specify when it will be done.
Roof repair of rotten wood should be verified before you allow a roofer to charge you extra when he installs your new roof. Ask him for a cost breakdown and monitor his progress. You can also address the cost in the bidding stage.
Ceramic tile replacement may not be the only answer to cracked and loose tiles. Consider ceramic tile repair by a good artist. First thing to do is reconnect the loose tile and clean out grout lines before grouting tiles again. The cracks can be repaired and camouflaged to your satisfaction.
Old plaster ceilings sometimes fall without warning. Nailed to the ceiling joists are wooden lath boards that plaster is spread over. Temperature changes cause moisture changes in the boards and the plaster, eventually leading to plaster cracks and the whole ceiling caving in.
PVC piping in your home can be noisy. Cast iron may be the type of piping you need. Plumbing replacement work is not for the DIY'r.
Construction dust should not keep you from home projects. Remodeling dust can be controlled. Your contractor should clean up daily.
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