Priced for Problems?
A remodeling industry observer has said many times that “remodeling horror stories often start with a great price.” Why?
When purchasing a mass-produced product such as vacuum cleaner, you can shop by price alone using the model number. The items are identical to each other regardless of the price you pay. But comparing the prices of one home remodeling contractor to another is rarely the best indicator of what you will receive. A low-ball contract can look very similar to a reasonably priced contract that comes in higher. On the surface, they describe that same project, but the devil is in the details.
  In order to present you with a lower price, a home remodeler can estimate based on using lower quality lumber, cabinets, flooring, windows, doors, plumbing fixtures and other materials. You won't know this until a few years later and things start to warp, fade, crack, jam, leak or squeak. They can skimp on things like the sub flooring, the actual amount of insulation they install, or the quality of the light fixtures they use.
"Allowances" for products you pick out after you sign the contract may have been based on the lowest cost products rather than those in line with the quality of your home or the quality you are expecting the home remodeler to provide. Then when you think you've selected a product covered in the estimate you learn that the allowance only covers a small portion of what you thought was already included in the price.
A well-run project requires more skill, planning, coordination, effort and cost than many low-priced remodelers allow for. A contractor using highly skilled carpenters, project managers, and specialty tradesmen in a well-trained and coordinated production team will deliver a better project that runs more smoothly than a contractor who uses low-cost, inexperienced labor and project managers.
It's certainly not illegal to estimate based on cheap materials or labor, but it can affect the price of a project 30% to 50% easily, sometimes more. And if a remodeler so under-prices a project that he can't finish it, you're stuck with a mess – literally.
Home remodeling contractors who do not carry workers' comp insurance for their workers open you up to potential liability for injuries and disabilities on the job. They may not carry general liability insurance or they may "save you money" by not pulling the required permits or getting inspections done. Some remodelers don't even bother to get the license required to be a remodeler.
These short-cuts are illegal. Some home remodelers ask that you take the permit out in your own name to save money. The person named on the permit is legally responsible for whether the project meets code and your remodeler knows this. If the project fails to meet code and the remodeler disappears to avoid the cost of fixing the problem, you are on the hook. You want the professional you hire to take responsibility for the quality of their work or you'd be doing it yourself.
The way to protect yourself from a too-good-to-be-true estimate and costly short-cuts is to make sure you use a licensed, legitimate, reputable remodeler. Ask good questions of them and their references before you sign and remember an estimate that is too good to be true might be an estimate that is priced for problems.
Our New Partnership with Rutt Cabinetry
Winn Design+Build has just become a dealer for Rutt Cabinetry, a respected manufacturer of very high-end custom cabinetry. We are extremely proud and excited to have the privilege of partnering with such a well known and quality-minded company as Rutt Cabinetry. We look forward to incorporating their beautiful cabinetry in many of our custom projects. We know that you will too! Ask us about Rutt HandCrafted Cabinetry for your next project.
Maintenance Tip: Just Add Water – But Not Too Much
Using less water in your landscaping and garden saves both money and a valuable resource. Here are some ideas for reducing the water needed in your yard:
- Plan your landscaping using native plants as well as alternatives to grass, such as gravel, rocks, mulch and paths;
- Group plants by their water requirements, keeping those that need more moisture in shady areas of the yard;
- To decrease evaporation, water when it's cool (early in the day but not at night, which encourages fungus and mildew) and use mulch;
- Set your mower as high as possible to leave grass longer, which shades the roots and reduces evaporation.
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Mike Winn |
