Home Owner Hints - The Contract
Hiring a Professional Remodeling Contractor

Hiring a professional remodeling contractor for a home improvement project can be a very pleasant experience if you take the time to educate yourself about the process and the details involved.

First and foremost is to make sure you know what you want and have a well-written contract with your home improvement, home repair or remodeling professional.

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Detail what the Home Improvement contractor will and won't do. (e.g) Cleanup. This is an additional labor cost for the home contractor, it may slightly raise the cost of the job, but it is well worth the price.

Specify all materials. Your Home Improvement contractor should provide a detailed list of all materials for the remodeling project in your contract. This list should include size, color, weight, model, brand name, quantity and product.

Explain all of the financial terms. Make sure that the terms are spelled out
in the contract. The total price, payment schedule, and a cancellation
policy (if there is one) should be clear.

Include written warranties. Make sure any warranties offered are written
into the Home Improvement contract. A warranty must be identified as either " full " or
" limited ". If it is a full warranty all faulty products must be repaired,
replaced or your money returned.

A limited warranty indicates that all replacements and refunds of damaged
products are limited or restricted in some regard.

The name and address of the party who will honor the warranty (Home Improvement contractor, distributor or material manufacturer) must be identified. Make sure the time period for which the warranty is offered is clearly specified.

Follow all codes with any restrictions noted for your home improvement, repair or remodeling project. Be sure that your contract clearly states and code or permit restrictions as well as any fees involved in the work being done on your home.

Be understandable. Think carefully and be certain that you understand the entire contract before you sign it. Review the scope of the entire home improvement project and ensure that all the items you have requested are included.

If you do not see a specific item in the contract, ask about it, otherwise assume it is not included. Never sign an incomplete contract, and always be sure to keep a copy on the final document with original signatures.
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