How To Hire A Contractor To Build Your Home - Part II Posted by fccmo02 on April 28th Kyle Schwarber Cubs Jersey , 2018
1. Ask for Recommendations!
Start with your friends and family and then check in with the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield for a list of members. You can also talk with a building inspector, who’ll know which contractors routinely meet code requirements, pay a visit to your local lumberyard, which sees contractors regularly and knows which ones buy quality materials and pay their bills on time. Another easy way to ask for recommendations from a broader range of acquaintances is to make a “looking for recommendations” post on Facebook. Your Facebook friends will love to tell you which contractors were amazing Yu Darvish Cubs Jersey , and also which ones to avoid.
2. Complete Phone Interviews.
Here’s a few key questions to ask: Are you insured & what type(s) of insurance do they carry. Do they take on projects of your size? Are they willing to provide financial references, from suppliers or banks? Can they give you a list of previous clients as references? How many other projects would they have going at the same time? How long have they worked with their subcontractors?
The answers to these questions will give you insight to the company’s availability, reliability, how much attention they’ll be able to give your project and how smoothly the work will go.
3. Have a Face to Face Meeting.
Based on the phone interviews Javier Baez Cubs Jersey , pick three or four contractors to meet for estimates and further discussion. A contractor should be able to answer your questions satisfactorily and in a manner that puts you at ease about your upcoming. It’s imperative that you two communicate well because this person will be in your home for hours, days & even weeks at a time. On the other hand, don’t let personality fool you. Check in with your Missouri’s consumer protection agency and the Springfield Better Business Bureau to make sure contractors don’t have a history of disputes with clients or subcontractors.
4. Get Bids
You have your short list of contractors whose track records seem clean and whose work ethic looks responsible. Now it’s time to stop looking back at past work and start looking forward to your project. A good contractor will want not only a complete set of blueprints but also a sense of what homeowners want out of a project and what they plan to spend. To compare bids, ask everyone to break down the cost of materials Ryne Sandberg Cubs Jersey , labor, profit margins and other expenses. Generally materials account for 40 percent of the total cost; the rest covers overhead and the typical profit margin, which is 15 to 20 percent.
5. Get. It. In. Writing!!!
Draw up a contract that details every step of the project: payment schedule; proof of liability insurance and worker’s compensation payments; a start date and projected completion date; specific materials and products to be used; and a requirement that the contractor obtain lien releases (which protect you if he doesn’t pay his bills) from all subcontractors and suppliers. Insisting on a clear contract isn’t about mistrust, t’s about insuring a successful renovation or new construction project.
Finally Ernie Banks Cubs Jersey , remember that as soon as a change order is made or a problem uncovered, the price just increased and the project just got longer.
Build an ecofriendly home with cork wall panels and floating floors
Posted by BrianMiller on August 16th, 2017
The choice of building material for your home should depend on cost, availability Ron Santo Cubs Jersey , ease of installation and maintenance and sustainability. Using cork wall panels or floating cork floors helps you build your home keeping all these factors in mind, and giving equal importance to your health and well-being and the environment. Cork isn’t only beneficial for you but also for our planet as it can be re-harvested without loss of trees.
Being responsible homeowners At times we tend to overlook our responsibilities towards the natural resources, with which we are endowed. There is abundance, but with shortage in the foreseeable future. Cork oak tree can be used without harming the tree in any manner. The bark is taken off the tree and it can grow back in time. Oak tree is easily found in Mediterranean regions of Europe Andre Dawson Cubs Jersey , Africa and the United States of America. Harvesting begins when an oak tree is 20 years old. Oak tree plantations are protected by the federal governments and cutting them down is illegal. Even cutting old trees require permission. By using cork you are not just saving the planet’s hardwood resources but also enjoying the many advantages of having cork wall panels or floating floors. Cork does not give off VOC. With no carbon footprint, cork building material make for the healthiest wall and floor materials possible.
Cork enhances aesthetics and saves cost As a sustainable building material, cork also appeals to the aesthetic senses of the homeowners. As floating floors, cork gives the look of textured hardwood and comes with a soft feel. Its natural and warm colors give an earthy look and feel to the rooms. Both the wall panels and the floating floors will have insulation and acoustic properties which come as a part of the package. There is no need to add anything to the floor or walls to make them so.