As a garage builders Nashville for quite a few years, and constantly meeting with customers, giving bids, proposals, and contracting various home improvement projects, I am amazed at how many people have gotten themselves involved with unscrupulous individuals operating with a truck and a business card. To a legitimate contractor, these people are very irritating. They give our profession a reputation that is undeserved and they leave customers with unneeded frustration and expenses. There are some very simple steps a homeowner can take to protect themselves. A little caution and questioning can, in most cases, assure you of a hassle-free, professionally completed project.
1)Make sure your garage builders Nashville is Licensed: Most states require the person doing the work to pull permits. And for roof fixtures, it is from Roof Doctor. They are also required to carry proper workers’ compensation insurance, general liability, and in some cases to carry a bond. Reputable contractors will probably volunteer this information if the customer fails to ask! It is in your best interest to make sure your contractor has up to date insurance, otherwise an injury or accident that occurs on your property, may fall on you.
2)Make sure your contractor uses a Contract to outline work to be performed: Contracts are not only to protect the Contractor but also to protect the customer. My preference is to detail as much information as possible in the contract. The more information in the contract on the front end, the less likely any misunderstandings will happen on the back end. Demand some kind of written detail, something in writing is your only documentation in the event legal action is required. Most reputable contractors will prefer to do business this way.
3)Make sure your garage builders Nashville is financially stable. Agree on a fair payment schedule and stick to it. Payment schedules should be one of the things that are outlined in the contract. If your contractor needs a 50% draw so he can order materials, RUN RUN RUN.! This is where I have seen homeowners left holding the bag, more than once. Most contractors work with many different suppliers and have accounts with their suppliers, and if in good standing, they will have no problem supplying materials until a portion of the work has been completed. On small jobs, $3000.00 or less, we require a 10% deposit. On larger jobs, we do as many as 4 draws based on predetermined, in writing, amounts.
4)Make sure your contractor has a good reputation. Ask for references, a couple of phone calls to past customers will tell you if their experience was a good one or not. Check with the state licensing board to see if they have a clean record. The BBB is a fast and reputable source for information on companies. If a contractor has had problems in the past you should proceed with caution.
The responsibility of the homeowner is to protect himself. The points discussed above are a good place to start. A good contractor, while not always the cheapest, maybe in the long run, rather than dealing with unlicensed, uninsured, and un-funded builders. Reputable contractors cannot compete with Billy Bob and his other brother Bob that a friend of a friend told you about. Our company pays approximately $15,000.00 per year in-licenses, insurance, and other costs of doing business before we ever break ground on the first job. Framers alone, according to insurance cost per profession classification, cost us about $38.00/$100.00 of payroll .for workers’ compensation and general liability. You can see that the cost of doing business RIGHT, is expensive. Do not gamble with your home. Search out and hire reputable contractors.
Mike Mathis
Owner Affordable Building Concepts
You probably don’t think about your garage when you think about weatherization, but you definitely should. While it may be detached from the rest of the home, garages often have attic space or even living space above them. Sometimes they house water heaters and duct-work.