You, your architect, and your contractor should get together to discuss the project to determine if there is a good vibe and mutual respect before you make final decisions about your team.
Read MoreHow to protect yourself from crappy contractors
Everyone has heard a horror story (or seven) about some poor homeowner who got screwed over by a contractor in varying degrees of severity. First, let me say that most contractors are not bad apples. However, as a homeowner you need to step up to the plate, do your homework, and trust your gut. While I am not equipped to help you with your gut, I can give you a list of required homework assignments......
Read MoreShould you pay your contractor’s markup? (Yep.)
Contractors typically charge homeowners a 10-20% markup on their subcontractor’s (“subs” for short) work. If you think you might want to pay your contractor’s subs directly (like the plumber or electrician for example) to avoid your contractor’s markup, I want you to understand what you are getting and giving up by going that route.
Read MoreHow to select your contractor
HOW TO SELECT YOUR CONTRACTOR:
I’m sure you’ve found some random articles online like, “The 5 questions you need to ask contractors”, or “The 3 things you need to look out for when selecting a contractor”. If not, you should go find some, as there are millions of them, and most of them are helpful. I want to focus on something else here....
Read time: 4 minutes
Read MoreShort on Money? Try Phasing Your Construction Project.
Phasing is a lot like a puzzle with the exception that there is more than one way to put the pieces together. I know what you are thinking.... great... tell me something I don't know! Here's how to do it successfully so you can break up what would normally be an unattainable goal into smaller manageable pieces.
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