| 1. Planning RenovationsAny project will
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| | the avoidance of paperwork and taxes.
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| be more successful, given well-defined
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| | Taxes and other legalities aside, the
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| goals. In every household project, the
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| | absence of contracts and permits can be
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| following three points can be
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| | extremely risky.Ooh, I love to save
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| applied:FORM: What do you want it to
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| | money!Cash contractors often don't pay
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| look like?
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| | Workers' Compensation fees, and you could
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| FUNCTION: What do you want it to do for
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| | be held legally responsible for any
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| you?
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| | worker injured on your property. If the
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| COMPATIBILITY: What factors exist that
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| | contractor gives you the product warranty
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| might limit what you can do, and will the
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| | cards, you'll be covered for defective
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| finished product look good on your
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| | materials provided they were properly
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| house?Once you've completed this part of
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| | installed, but don't expect good
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| your homework, it's time to decide if
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| | follow-up service on a cash deal. You
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| you'll built it yourself, hire a
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| | would also have difficulty supporting any
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| contractor, or be your own contractor and
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| | legal actions without any paperwork. The
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| perhaps sub-contract some of the work.
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| | overall quality of a project may be
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| Sub-contracting may sometimes seem to
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| | compromised in the absence of paperwork,
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| over-complicate things and even look
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| | and cash paid in advance (rather than by
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| wasteful, but just remember - some jobs
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| | cheque) will be all but impossible to
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| can look deceivingly simple until you
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| | retrieve if things go sour.Building,
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| actual get into the nitty-gritty of them.
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| | plumbing and electrical codes may require
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| A general contractor's job is to
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| | that all or parts of your project be
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| co-ordinate and orchestrate the whole
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| | performed by licensed tradespeople, and
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| schmozzle to completion.2. Finding A
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| | sometimes licenses are required to obtain
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| ContractorMy card...The process of
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| | the permits. If the tradespeople aren't
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| finding a good contractor is essentially
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| | licensed, the contractor probably isn't
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| the same, whether you decide to hire a
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| | insured. And if your contractor isn't
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| general contractor, or one or more
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| | insured, then depending on the nature of
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| sub-contractors. The best reference for
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| | the job, neither is your house while he
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| a contractor is word of mouth from a
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| | works on it.The ContractAgreements in
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| satisfied client. If you don't know
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| | writing are less vulnerable to
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| anyone who has had renovations or repairs
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| | miscommunications, than are verbal ones,
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| done in the area you need, look for work
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| | and far easier to enforce. Some of the
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| trucks or signs in your neighborhood.
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| | points included in a good contract are:1.
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| Knock on doors, and ask the homeowners if
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| | Full job description, including all
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| they are satisfied with the work being
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| | aspects of the work; demolition,
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| done. Once you contact a contractor, ask
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| | renovation, reconstruction and
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| for references, and follow through by
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| | finishing.2. Material specifications,
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| calling their previous clients with a set
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| | including type, model, number, color, and
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| of questions that will give you the
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| | size where applicable, and who's
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| information you are looking for.The
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| | supplying what.3. Start and finish
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| following are samples of questions that
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| | dates.4. Payment schedule; 40/40/20 is
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| could be asked of any reference:1. Did
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| | generally acceptable.5. Permits, and
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| the job come in at the quoted price?
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| | who's responsible for obtaining them.6.
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| 2. Did the job come in on time?
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| | Clean-up and trash removal.7. On site
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| 3. Was the work site left clean each
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| | behaviour.8. Change order clause: Have
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| day?
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| | any changes to the original job
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| 4. Was the quality of the workmanship
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| | specifications in writing with a
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| satisfactory?
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| | requirement that you "sign off" any
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| 5. Was the quality of the materials used
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| | change before the work is performed.9.
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| satisfactory?It is always recommended
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| | Arbitration: Aree how disagreements will
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| that you talk to more than one company,
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| | be handled before the work begins.10.
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| so that you have a basis for comparison.
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| | Contractor's insurer and policy number.5.
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| Listen to their technical information,
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| | The Work MORE POWER!Problem
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| and note their customer relation skills.
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| | Avoidance: If you've carefully chosen
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| If the contractor doesn't do a very good
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| | your contractor, and made adequate
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| job of communicating with you before you
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| | preparations (including making the site
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| hire him or her, there may be a higher
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| | ready for the trades people and workers),
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| likelihood of miscommunications during
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| | this part should be easy! The actual
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| the work.Sometimes the best companies
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| | work should closely follow what was
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| will be very busy and you will have to
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| | written into the contract, however you
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| wait for their services. Other times,
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| | still need to monitor the ongoing
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| good companies may have time slots
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| | project, and in some cases you'll be
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| between large projects that smaller jobs
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| | required to make additional decisions.
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| can fit into. Ask what the company's
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| | There are often unforseen difficulties,
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| schedule has been like for the past 6
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| | or you may simply wish to ask for changes
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| months to a year. Reputable companies
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| | as the work proceeds.Site Preparation:
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| are usually busy all year round in any
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| | Remove furniture and stored articles from
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| economic situation.3. The Estimate, or
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| | the work area, and cover carpets and
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| QuoteMeeting the ContractorsRemember that
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| | other items that may not be moveable. It
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| the contractor you choose could be
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| | is in your own best interest to make
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| spending a lot of time in your home, so
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| | arrangements for storage, clean-up and
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| look for someone you feel at ease with.
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| | refuse areas convenient to the work
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| You should meet individually with each
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| | area.Project Coordination: Effective
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| potential contractor. Be prepared to
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| | communication is the greatest secret to
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| discuss products and designs; know what
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| | successfully completing any project.
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| you want and how much you can spend.
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| | Maintain regular contact with your
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| Take note if the contractors are on time,
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| | contractor(s) so that the unexpected can
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| if they listen and answer questions,
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| | be dealt with expediently.Hidden
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| willingly give information about their
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| | Conditions: A thorough inspection
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| company and their customers; and if they
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| | performed in conjuction with estimation
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| seem to have any aversion to your
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| | should preclude any major changes,
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| ideas.The EstimateThis is where you'll
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| | however there are structural and
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| likely make your choice of contractor.
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| | mechanical conditions initially hidden
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| Each potential contractor will present a
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| | from view, which even the most
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| proposal, including design and cost
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| | experienced renovator may not be able to
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| information. Review the estimates,
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| | predict. Be prepared to negotiate changes
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| ensuring that they accurately relfect
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| | for "hidden conditions".What to do if a
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| your wishes, and make comments and/or any
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| | problem develops:1. Bring all problems,
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| changes that are required.How Are Jobs
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| | perceived and real, to the attention of
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| Estimated?Work that involves structural
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| | your contractor(s).2. Is it major or
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| changes to the home, custom designs, or
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| | minor? If minor, and the contractor is
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| enlargement of some of the mechanical
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| | present at the time, discuss it and
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| systems is typically quoted by the job.
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| | negotiate a resolution. If it's minor,
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| It can be very difficult for a contractor
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| | and/or looks like it can wait, start a
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| to know exactly how much time an
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| | list of minor observations that you can
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| intricate custom job will take,
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| | bring to his or her attention when
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| particulary if a number of trades are
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| | appropriate.3. Major problems should be
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| required, and the different parts of the
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| | dealt with immediately. If your
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| job are interdependent.Get it in
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| | contractor is not present at the time,
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| writing!Simpler, straightforward jobs are
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| | make every effort to contact him or her
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| often quoted by the square foot.
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| | as soon as possible. This may avert
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| Examples are laying sod, painting,
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| | furtherance of the problem.4. Given that
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| roofing, drywall or refinishing floors.
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| | your contractor responds satisfactorily,
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| The quoted price will typically be set to
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| | carry on. If not, try again and if
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| include everything (ie. labour,
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| | necessary, write a letter. If you still
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| materials, travel, etc.).Smaller jobs may
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| | don't get satisfaction, look to a third
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| also be quoted buy the hour, and if the
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| | party such as the Ontario Renovators
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| job is fairly routine, such as installing
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| | Council or the Ontario Home Builders
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| addtional electrical outlets or
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| | Association. These agencies should be
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| drywalling, the figures are typically in
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| | approached only if you are certain that a
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| line. In this situation you will pay the
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| | resolution cannot be achieved with the
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| tradesperson for time, plus the cost of
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| | contractor. Legal counsel should be an
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| the materials used in the project.The
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| | absolute last resort. There's no use
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| Final Design and QuoteIf you have a
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| | making a mountain out of a molehill, and
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| contractor with good references and the
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| | thereby delaying succesful completion of
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| estimate looks good, you now need to get
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| | the project.THE BOTTOM LINE:
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| a firm quote, including final designs.
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| | careful contractor selection + a good
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| The design should include detailed
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| | contract = successful jobCopyright Gil
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| specifications for the work and the
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| | Strachan - All rights reserved.Gil
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| materials to be used.(Another option is
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| | Strachan is a professional home
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| to have an architect or designer produce
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| | inspector, representing Electrospec Home
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| the plans and ask the contractors to bid
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| | Inspection Services in east-central
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| on the job, based on these plans.)Make
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| | Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit to
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| sure the final specs are accurate and
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| | learn more about home inspections."The
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| reflect your wishes, and make your final
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| | Home Reference Book"
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| comments and changes. After you accept
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| | You can probably find a home inspection
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| the final quote, the cost of further
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| | for a little less than what we ask, but
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| changes will likely be added to the job.
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| | you probably won't find the Home
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| Ask how long the stages of the work will
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| | Reference Book. A $60 value, this
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| take, so that you can monitor progress.4.
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| | solutions-oriented reference tool comes
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| The PaperworkCash is King, however......
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| | free with every inspection we
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| take care, lest the cash deal of the
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| | perform.It's the first tool you should
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| century turn into the mistake of a
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| | have around the house!
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| lifetime! One reason for cash payment is
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