Working on your home can be an expensive project and there are always worries about workmanship and the final results. Taking the time to plan what you want and working with an experienced, professional remodeler are essential steps you should take to ensure that you get what you pay for with the least amount of worry. We hope that this book will smooth your path and help bring you years of pleasure in your home.
It’s important that you choose an expert who understands the problems of remodeling-whether your plans call for minor repairs, the addition of a room, reconditioning of areas within the dwelling or renovation of the exterior.
Remodeling contractors aren’t all alike. Some claim to be experts. Some claim financial integrity. Some claim they use quality materials. How can you be sure?
You can trust Home Builders Association Remodelers Council members. They make remodeling their major business! They’re professionals who assure you a quality job with materials you can trust. Members adhere to a strict Code of Ethics. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be members.
Promoting High-Quality Workmanship
The Home Builders Association of Greater New Orleans is the foremost trade association representing all professionals in the building industry, including remodelers and rehab contractors. Over 1,000 HBA members are helping to assure consumers of high-quality workmanship for their remodeling and rehabilitation projects. Our HBA Remodelers Council provides information and assistance to the public and increases the skill and knowledge of its remodeler members.
Before You Remodel…
• Have you defined your real needs?
• Have you separated dreams from reality?
• Have you called in as few as possible contractors to handle your particular type of work?
Selecting a Remodeler
Take your time — most problems occur when consumers fail to investigate remodelers carefully before hiring them.
• Inquire about remodelers’ Workmen’s Compensation and general liability insurance. They should be adequate to protect you and your property against suits if an accident occurs during the construction.
• Be specific about starting and completion dates. However, some delays are unavoidable and beyond the remodeler’s control.
• Be skeptical of an unusually low bid or low advertised price. If a remodeler cannot pay for the materials, labor, and overhead, you are both in trouble.
• Select a remodeler that you are comfortable with, one who understands your tastes and needs, and with whom you communicate well.
• Ask someone who has had work done by the remodeler about the remodeler’s capabilities.
• Request to see the remodeler’s work – check the quality of design and workmanship yourself.
• Be wary. As a conscientious consumer, you should be wary of a remodeler who:
• Engages in a hard sell by phone solicitors or door-to-door salespeople.
• Demands full payment in advance.
• Offers a special discount for allowing your home to be a neighborhood showcase or “model home.”
Check Regulations Before You Start
Before you begin any work, check the various building and zoning regulations in your community. The contractor will be responsible for getting all building permits and arranging for inspections, but you should obtain any necessary zoning or code exemptions.
Look into the following:
• HOA restrictions. HOAs sometimes prohibit certain changes or additions. Read your HOA covenants to see if it restricts you. If you are in a historic district, you may find other restrictions.
• Zoning ordinances. Zoning laws determine how land and buildings can be used in your community. They regulate such things as the amount of land coverage buildings may use as well as front, side, and back setbacks, and the heights of fences and hedges. Call your local building department to determine if any zoning laws apply to the work you are planning.
Although zoning and code regulations are set for the good of the community you have the right to present reasons to show that an exemption to the laws – called a variance – should be made. If you want to ask for a variance, check with your local government to find out how to apply. You may need an attorney for this.
• Building codes. Building codes set minimum standards for construction materials and plumbing and electrical fittings. These codes also give guidelines for the construction of some structures. Your local, licensed contractor is responsible for compliance, but you should understand them.
The Contract
PUT EVERYTHING IN WRITING. It is essential for your protection that the obligations of both parties be spelled out in the contract. It may be a cliché, but put everything in writing. If you have chosen a reliable, reputable remodeler, he will recognize the importance of a contract. Make sure you understand each item in the contract.
The contract should include:
• The contractor’s name, address, and business license number. Licensure can be verified online at www.lslbc.gov.
• Description of the work and materials to be used, including brand names of all appliances to be installed. The phrase “all work shall be done in a workmanlike manner” is a legal term that assumes the work will be done according to accepted local standards.
• Proposed start and completion dates. The phrase “time is of the essence” is included for your benefit. It’s a legal way of saying, “We’re serious about these dates.”
• Total cost and payment schedule.
• Three-day cancellation clause which gives you three days to cancel the contract after it has been signed.
• Items of work that will not be performed by the contractor, such as painting or wallpapering.
• All warranties and guarantees.
• Additional responsibilities of the contractor such as trash removal.
• Description of the work areas.
Do not sign anything under pressure. If the contractor insists that you sign before you are ready, you should reconsider hiring him.
Changes in the Contract
If you make changes in the contract after it is signed and work has begun, put them in writing. Your remodeler will then give you a written estimate of the additional cost.
Responsibilities of a Remodeler
Hiring a Remodelers Council Member who is a general contractor registered with the Louisiana State Licensing Board of Contractors makes economic sense. Your home is your biggest investment, and improvements are an important part of making that investment grow. Poor quality work can reduce the return on your invested dollars. A general contractor performs the following important services:
Coordinates all phases of the job from start to finish – planning, design, labor, material, and scheduling.
Oversees work by various trades to avoid costly and inconvenient delays.
Obtains high-quality materials and labor, usually at lower prices than you would otherwise pay because of volume and knowledge of the marketplace. Obtains all necessary permits; arranges for required inspections; complies with social security, workman’s compensation, and other local, state, and federal regulations that protect the consumer.
The Homeowner’s Role
As a homeowner, you help to ensure that a project goes smoothly when you:
• Designate one person to be the contact with the remodeler, keep informed of the job’s progress, and answer questions as they arise.
• Avoid trying to resolve questions or problems with workers or subcontractors. They, too, must answer a single boss, or confusion will result.
• Make changes to the original contract in writing and specify cost. Verbal change orders can be costly, cause delays, or create misunderstandings.
• Plan your project carefully to avoid unnecessary changes.
• Remember that working with people in the house is just as difficult for a construction crew as it is for you. Living with construction is inconvenient for you. Consideration on both sides is necessary for smoother operation of the job and functioning of the home.
