Do we need to hire a contractor, or can we hire individual subcontractors (plumber, electrician) ourselves?
The answer lies within you, Grasshopper…basically, in whether or not you feel confident running the ship. The big questions are: “Do you have time?” and “Will you be able to solve problems that may come up?” explains This Old House’s general contractor Tom Silva. It may just depend on the size of the job. Which means if you’re only hiring one or two experts, you may be able to handle it on your own. But if your project requires juggling a few jobs, and you have any doubts that you can run it all yourself, then your home, your wallet, and, uh, your sanity may benefit from hiring a general to oversee it all for you. He or she will plot out a plan, make sure the subcontractors are licensed and insured, and deal with any roadblocks along the way. “If you’ve hired someone to put in a screened-in porch and you’re at work when the wrong windows come in, guess what?” asks Silva. “You’ll have guys standing around all day waiting for you to come home to tell them what to do. A general contractor will take care of that for you.”
If your fear is about being ripped off or screwed over, it pays to negotiate with your contractor. Try this trick: “A friend of mine was having his kitchen done, so he told his contractor to give him a date of completion,” says Jim from Massachusetts. “He said ‘I’m not in a rush and I don’t care how long it’s going to take; it’s up to you to come up with the date of completion. But that once we set a date, I’ll put a $100 penalty for every day you’re late.’ The contractor agreed, the job was finished exactly on time.”
by Amy Spencer
6/19/08
See more:
Contractors,
Real Estate,
renovating