Johnny's Remodeling, ValuePro Remodeling and Remodels-R-Us all came out and gave you a quote on your new kitchen project. The later two where within $1,500 on a $40,000 project but Johnny's Remodeling came in over $10,000 below. "What a Great Deal". You would be foolish not to save $10k on your remodeling project because that is what it is all about "SAVING MONEY" today right?
Well let's take a look at this. What could go bad with saving money? Let's say that Johnny forgot to include a few things. Perhaps he left out plumbing or electric. Or maybe he didn't understand you wanted wood cabinets and granite counter tops. Maybe Johnny didn't include any overhead and profit for his company which means he will soon be out of business and then when it comes time to take care of a warranty issue no one is there to answer the phone. There could be a lot of things that makes this not such a great deal.
When you have major discrepancies in quoted prices your first thought should be not "What a Great Deal", it should be "What did that contractor forget". Most contractors today are going to be very closely competitive. Here are two questions you should ask:
Number one, "Do I feel comfortable with this contractor and the management team?" Feeling comfortable is very important. This project is going to be intrusive into your life. You will probably have many conversations with these people for the next 6 to 10 weeks. If your personalities clash it may become a frustrating with the whole process and it won't be a good experience.
Number two, "Has this contractor successfully completed other projects similar to mine?" A contractor that specializes in replacing siding or windows might not be the best to remodel your kitchen or bath. Look for pictures of other projects and product knowledge. Ask questions. It will help you not make a big mistake. I hope this helps.
Respectfully Submitted
Tim Davis
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
How Did That Happen?
Lakeland Florida has been my stomping ground for 30 plus years. I grew up here and have been in business here seems like forever. I have seen a lot of things come and go but what I hate most is to see someone take advantage of one of my neighbors.
I remember the hurricanes of 2004 that came right through Polk County. It was a mess. Many people had a lot of damage and there was a lot of work to do. My company at the time kicked into high gear and began helping as many customers as we possibly could. We first made sure that our employees and subcontractors were safe and secure. We then started working on helping our current and past clients secure their property. And next we worked on the barrage of phone calls we got from new clients that were in need of our help.
Through that time I saw a lot of people that were ripped off by people posing as contractors. I also saw a lot of bad craftsmanship from licensed contractors that were posing as Remodeling Contractors. If you don't want to find yourself in this situation make sure you do these 3 things.
Number 1; check the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulations (DBPR). Make sure the contractor is licensed. Number 2 look to see if there are any complaints against the contractor. Number 3 ask around. Find out if anyone you know has had a bad experience with this contractor. Those 3 things will help you stay out of trouble.
I remember the hurricanes of 2004 that came right through Polk County. It was a mess. Many people had a lot of damage and there was a lot of work to do. My company at the time kicked into high gear and began helping as many customers as we possibly could. We first made sure that our employees and subcontractors were safe and secure. We then started working on helping our current and past clients secure their property. And next we worked on the barrage of phone calls we got from new clients that were in need of our help.
Through that time I saw a lot of people that were ripped off by people posing as contractors. I also saw a lot of bad craftsmanship from licensed contractors that were posing as Remodeling Contractors. If you don't want to find yourself in this situation make sure you do these 3 things.
Number 1; check the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulations (DBPR). Make sure the contractor is licensed. Number 2 look to see if there are any complaints against the contractor. Number 3 ask around. Find out if anyone you know has had a bad experience with this contractor. Those 3 things will help you stay out of trouble.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Should I Remodel or Build New?
Build new homes has almost come to a halt in our area and many areas around the country. So the question might come up..."Do I want to remodel my existing home or build a new one?" It makes sense that with building being so slow you should be able to get some really great deals. Some cities and counties are offering incentives of no impact fees to encourage some building but is it really the thing to do right now?
Let's take a look at the existing housing market. If you bought your home between 2005 - 2006 then you have probably experienced a loss of about 50% of value. That really hurts! If you paid $230,000 for your house you may see homes like yours selling for $115,000 or even less. OUCH!! The bad thing about this is prices have gone so low that you cannot even think about building the same house for the price it is selling for in today's market.
Not so for new homes. I don't know how but I see some new homes being built and sold for 15% to 20% more than everything else on the market. So should you build or remodel? Well remodeling costs have come down just like building cost. In fact many tradesman are willing to work for a lot less than they would a few years ago just so they can feed their families. Most Remodeling Contractors have scaled way back on their overhead and are passing the savings on to their customers.
My choice would be to stay where I am and do the remodeling. Of course that is what I do but I think that if you read this blog you may be curious. Send me an email and ask me how I can help you with your next project. valueproremodeling@gmail.com
Tim Davis
Let's take a look at the existing housing market. If you bought your home between 2005 - 2006 then you have probably experienced a loss of about 50% of value. That really hurts! If you paid $230,000 for your house you may see homes like yours selling for $115,000 or even less. OUCH!! The bad thing about this is prices have gone so low that you cannot even think about building the same house for the price it is selling for in today's market.
Not so for new homes. I don't know how but I see some new homes being built and sold for 15% to 20% more than everything else on the market. So should you build or remodel? Well remodeling costs have come down just like building cost. In fact many tradesman are willing to work for a lot less than they would a few years ago just so they can feed their families. Most Remodeling Contractors have scaled way back on their overhead and are passing the savings on to their customers.
My choice would be to stay where I am and do the remodeling. Of course that is what I do but I think that if you read this blog you may be curious. Send me an email and ask me how I can help you with your next project. valueproremodeling@gmail.com
Tim Davis
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