Newspaper Page Text
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Finding a good professional home
contractor—from an independent handyman to large
scale builder—is not always a speedy process. But
investing the time to find the right contractor for the
job is time well spent. Here are some tips to help sepa
rate the good from the bad.
Word of mouth —Most contractors say their best advertise
ment is "word of mouth" from satisfied customers. So begin
the process by asking friends and relatives if they know a good
tradesman they'd recommend.
Start looking —Drive around your neighborhood. If you see a
dazzling new deck on a house, knock on the door and ask the
homeowners if they're pleased with the results. Also look at
houses under renovation that are similar in style to your own.
Since some contractors specialize in old house restoration, while
others work on newer homes, look for a professional with expe
rience doing the type of remodeling you want. Most contractors
include contact information on the side of their work trucks.
"Talk to neighbors and watch the progress of the job in
your neighborhood," says Paul Winans, a contractor who runs
Winans Construction in Oakland, Calif. It the project moves
along and the site is well maintained, the company probably is
well run.
Use the Internet —Go online to uwu.nun.org. a website
for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry
(NARI) —a trade group of professional remodelers. The web
site features "Find a Professional Remodeler," which allows you
to type in your zip code and get a list of trade group members
who are contractors in your area.
The Internet offers another approach to finding a local
contractor. Type “contractor referral” in a search engine such
as Google and you'll find numerous websites designed as a
matchmaker between homeowners and plumbers, remodelers,
builders or other home service professionals. The service usually
is free to customers.
Hit the stores —Let local home center stores act as your gen
eral contractor and find a tradesman for a job. Walk the aisles
and you’ll notice "Installed Price” signs on many of the build
ing materials, appliances and fixtures they sell. For example, a
tag on laminate flooring may read: "Installed $4.50 per square
foot." This service is particularly helpful because it puts a dollar
value to the labor cost. However, it usually doesn't include the
cost of preparation work needed (such as removing an existing
floor before a new installation). This turnkey service is popular
for consumers short on time.
Go where the pros shop —Don't overlook materials suppli
ers where professionals shop. For example, stop at a plumbing
supply store if you need a plumber and ask if they know a good
one. They may not recommend someone specifically, but they
probably will tell you which plumbers are steady customers. A
tradesman with plenty of customers is most likely a good one.
www.americanprofile.com
Fin/finn n katie and gene
I II IVIII IcT U HAMILTON
Good Contractor
Page 15
Do your homework —When you make contact with a contractor, ask a lot of questions.
Request a list of clients in your area and call them. Look at samples of their work. If yours is a
large remodeling project, ask to see comparable work the contractor has done. Ask to see their
state and locally issued contractor’s license and how long they’ve been in business. If everything
checks out fine, then make sure to get everything in writing before any dust flies.
Finding a good contractor requires a lot of preliminary footwork, but the payoff is hiring
a professional who does the job right, on time and on budget.
Katie and Gene Hamilton are authors of Carpentry for Dummies.
lafifeYour Recipe
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|LSend in Your Favorite Get-Together
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, HERE'S HOW: Send your entries to: Get-Together Recipes,
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PLEASE NOTE One recipe per envelope, clease. Include a color
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NO PI RCHASE OR CONSIDERATION IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR MIN: Open. December 24.2U0b through March 1.200' onlv to residents
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