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| Remodeling and Home Services |
Kitchen and Bathroom Designers provide expert product knowledge within their specialties, but they may lack construction experience or miss design opportunities associated with additions or movement of walls, according to building experts. If the project involves high-dollar budgets in which expensive cabinets, materials and appliances will be used, consider either of these professionals.
Home Center Staff Designers are an easy, immediate and cost-effective way to learn about basic design ideas. You can check your local home-center store to learn about classes it is offering or simply visit the store and discuss with staff designers what you’re planning to build. You will find that design skills among the staff varies widely. Also, be aware that the staff will recommend solutions using their store’s products.
Interior Designers and Home Decorators are specialists who offer advice on furniture, wall coverings, colors, styles and overall physical appearance of your project. While not essential to the process, these professionals can save you both time and money by helping you narrow down your choices and utilizing professional discounts for materials, such as furniture, home accessories, wallpaper or paint. Communicating your personal style and preferences is important when you meet with an interior designer or home decorator. Be prepared to show examples of styles you like that you’ve found in magazines or books. Based on your input, these professionals will develop ideas that will work for the space and help create a setting that represents your artistic sensibility. Keep in mind that while an interior designer also may do some interior space planning, most of them usually focus on interior decorating by selecting finishing touches such as carpets, drapes, paint colors, fabrics and furnishings. You may find that their duties overlap or can be interchangeable with those of both residential designers and interior decorators.
Draftspersons primarily prepare technical drawings of designs created by others although some can assist with the design. These days, most drafters work in Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD) programs. You already may have a good idea of a floor plan you like; if that’s the case, it’s not uncommon to hire a draftsperson to draw the blueprints and have them checked by an engineer before speaking with general contractors to bid, apply for permits and build.
As you speak with these various professionals in the home-building process, look for people whose experience, designs and ideas best reflect your taste and sensibilities. There also should be good communication flow and understanding about the project. After all, it’s about building your new home, one of the largest investments you’ll make in your lifetime and the center of your family’s life.
PAYING FOR THE WORK
It is normal for a contractor to ask for partial payment in advance and, provided you have taken the precautions recommended, you should expect to provide a part of the cost before the work begins. However, it is notorious that scammers involved in door-to-door ripoffs will ask for payment in full in advance and then abscond without completing (sometimes without even starting) the job.
Even with a reputable business and a sound, written contract in place, you should not pay in full until the work is complete and you have inspected it yourself and found it satisfactory. A partial payment schedule usually will specify what part of the job has been done when a payment is due. Inspect the work and make sure the contractor has met the schedule before you make your payment.
If you are asked to sign a certificate of completion, do not do so until all the work is completely finished, the site is cleaned up and you are satisfied.
CONSIDER A PAYMENT-AND-PERFORMANCE BOND
On larger jobs, you may want to request a payment-and-performance bond. While there will be an additional charge, it provides assurance that your project will be completed. A reputable contractor will be bondable for a small additional fee.
FINANCING A REMODELING PROJECT
If the job is expensive enough that you will need to finance it, shop around for the best terms on the financing. This is separate from taking bids on the cost of the work. In choosing your source of financing, you will be concerned with the rate of interest, finance charges and the terms of the payout. As with any financing agreement, you should calculate the entire cost of interest and charges for the term of the loan.
Many homeowners obtain financing for a remodel, especially for larger projects. There are various financing plans readily available to homeowners, among the most popular being the home-equity loan, which bases the loan amount on the equity in the home.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has loans specifically for home improvements that are available through many banks and lending institutions. The FHA requires that the contractor be approved by the lender; but proceed with caution. That in itself does not guarantee the contractor’s work. Other financing options include personal loans and credit-card loans. For more information about financing a remodeling project, NARI’s Homeowner’s Guide online at www.nari.org discusses financing in greater depth.
Home Center Staff Designers are an easy, immediate and cost-effective way to learn about basic design ideas. You can check your local home-center store to learn about classes it is offering or simply visit the store and discuss with staff designers what you’re planning to build. You will find that design skills among the staff varies widely. Also, be aware that the staff will recommend solutions using their store’s products.
Interior Designers and Home Decorators are specialists who offer advice on furniture, wall coverings, colors, styles and overall physical appearance of your project. While not essential to the process, these professionals can save you both time and money by helping you narrow down your choices and utilizing professional discounts for materials, such as furniture, home accessories, wallpaper or paint. Communicating your personal style and preferences is important when you meet with an interior designer or home decorator. Be prepared to show examples of styles you like that you’ve found in magazines or books. Based on your input, these professionals will develop ideas that will work for the space and help create a setting that represents your artistic sensibility. Keep in mind that while an interior designer also may do some interior space planning, most of them usually focus on interior decorating by selecting finishing touches such as carpets, drapes, paint colors, fabrics and furnishings. You may find that their duties overlap or can be interchangeable with those of both residential designers and interior decorators.
Draftspersons primarily prepare technical drawings of designs created by others although some can assist with the design. These days, most drafters work in Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD) programs. You already may have a good idea of a floor plan you like; if that’s the case, it’s not uncommon to hire a draftsperson to draw the blueprints and have them checked by an engineer before speaking with general contractors to bid, apply for permits and build.
As you speak with these various professionals in the home-building process, look for people whose experience, designs and ideas best reflect your taste and sensibilities. There also should be good communication flow and understanding about the project. After all, it’s about building your new home, one of the largest investments you’ll make in your lifetime and the center of your family’s life.
PAYING FOR THE WORK
It is normal for a contractor to ask for partial payment in advance and, provided you have taken the precautions recommended, you should expect to provide a part of the cost before the work begins. However, it is notorious that scammers involved in door-to-door ripoffs will ask for payment in full in advance and then abscond without completing (sometimes without even starting) the job.
Even with a reputable business and a sound, written contract in place, you should not pay in full until the work is complete and you have inspected it yourself and found it satisfactory. A partial payment schedule usually will specify what part of the job has been done when a payment is due. Inspect the work and make sure the contractor has met the schedule before you make your payment.
If you are asked to sign a certificate of completion, do not do so until all the work is completely finished, the site is cleaned up and you are satisfied.
CONSIDER A PAYMENT-AND-PERFORMANCE BOND
On larger jobs, you may want to request a payment-and-performance bond. While there will be an additional charge, it provides assurance that your project will be completed. A reputable contractor will be bondable for a small additional fee.
FINANCING A REMODELING PROJECT
If the job is expensive enough that you will need to finance it, shop around for the best terms on the financing. This is separate from taking bids on the cost of the work. In choosing your source of financing, you will be concerned with the rate of interest, finance charges and the terms of the payout. As with any financing agreement, you should calculate the entire cost of interest and charges for the term of the loan.
Many homeowners obtain financing for a remodel, especially for larger projects. There are various financing plans readily available to homeowners, among the most popular being the home-equity loan, which bases the loan amount on the equity in the home.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has loans specifically for home improvements that are available through many banks and lending institutions. The FHA requires that the contractor be approved by the lender; but proceed with caution. That in itself does not guarantee the contractor’s work. Other financing options include personal loans and credit-card loans. For more information about financing a remodeling project, NARI’s Homeowner’s Guide online at www.nari.org discusses financing in greater depth.
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