• Follow us:

Archive for the ‘Design Contractor’ Category

Of Warranties, the Home Contractor and You

Monday, March 27th, 2017

Well-built structures serve as sturdy and beautiful frames to these charming dining room pieces. Featured here is the Hooker Furniture Dining Room Sanctuary Round Dining Table.

The construction of a new home or remodeling an existing one can be a pretty complex and expensive process. In an ideal world, everything goes the way you planned it and when the dust is cleared, you happily settle into your lovely home. Unfortunately – and more often than not – this is not the case. The building and remodeling process can take months to accomplish. Also, you find out that months later, the shower isn’t working anymore and roof shows a leak. So what do you do then?

Good Thing There’s Warranty

So what is a warranty? This may seem like a small piece of paper but it is one of the first things that you should ask your contractor. Warranty protects both you and the builder; you, from shoddy projects and the builders from being liable for their work for a lifetime.

Warranties are often included within a contract. There isn’t a standard length of time on which warranties are set. It is negotiable so this means that you and the contractor must come to an agreement regarding the timeframe in which the warranty is still in effect.

Warranties also describe the probable problems as well as the remedies for which the contractor is responsible for. The mechanism on how to address disputes is also discussed. Again, this is the ideal case.

Before you say yes to warranty, you must understand some basic rules that govern this protection. In the U.S., there is the so-called implied warranty that does not have to be spelled out in your contract. This includes good workmanship as well as habitability. These simply imply that the house must be habitable and safe by the time the homeowners move in.

Statutes of limitation state how long the homeowner can invoke legal claims (e.g. breach of contract). Statutes of repose, on the other hand, are applicable to construction projects and set the specific time on which the contractors are reliable for their projects.

Lastly, the right to repair law states that the homeowner must first give the contractor a chance to repair the problem before suing him.

There isn’t a single standard for the entire industry when it comes to warranties. A lot of residential contractors adopted the one year warranty for their projects. This is beneficial to the builder because it limits their risk. The homeowner, on the other hand, might end up trading away the implied warranty in the process.

Since this is so, be sure to review your contract and see if the one year warranty is ample for you. You could actually go beyond warranties. A lot of good builders – may you find one – continue to be accommodating even beyond a year. Repairs and fixes can be made even after the one year warranty has already expired.

Don’t worry, though, as warranty issues are quite rare. Builders have to do quality projects so that they protect themselves and the owners as well.

Remember that as the homeowner, you can actually request for a longer warranty period. You could state that you’re amenable to one year warranty except for latent defects. After all, these kinds of defects are those that take years to discover (e.g. foundation issues).

One other option is to ask your contractor about their insurance. Most of them have products that offer extended warranty. There are even some that offer as long as 10 years; these are, of course, already backed by insurance companies. Such insurance is often paid for by the contractor but the cost is passed on to the customer.

You can also ask the help of an attorney so that you ascertain that you’re not giving up any rights. You also need to screen your contractor carefully so that the home construction or renovation project goes smoothly.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Design Contractor, Interior Design 101, The Interior Designer | Comments Off on Of Warranties, the Home Contractor and You

The Renovation Plan, Your Schedule and Budget

Monday, August 8th, 2016

 1586-75900B-MULTI6 Resort Fabric Covered Sideboard

1586-75900B-MULTI6 Resort Fabric Covered Sideboard

As a home renovation client, you might feel that you have very little influence when it comes to the makeover project; yet you have more control that you might actually lead yourself to think. Keep in mind that the scope of the project and the materials to be used are all going to be up to you.

The secret to working on a renovation project and keeping it on schedule and on the right budget is to plan all the details before the ground even breaks. If you have not renovated or rebuilt a home in the past, then it’s time that you learn some tricks on how to complete the project.

Know Your Goal

Before you even meet up with a professional, you must know what you would want to accomplish. Would you like to renovate the entire kitchen or just a portion of it? Would you want an elegant upgrade, complete replacement of the furnishings, or would you just like to replace a long-loved backsplash?

A few homeowners know when it is time to renovate their current home yet most of them aren’t sure how to go about with the project. Most of them end up deciding to work with professionals who help in interior design advice and developing a plan.

Prepare the Construction Plans

One of the most crucial documents that you will use are construction plans. These building plans should have the approval of an agency to ascertain that the home meets safety and local codes. If you are not familiar with the building codes as well as construction methods, then you should think of hiring a professional to draft the plans for you.

Different states have different drafting rules. These can also depend on the type and size of the renovation project. Ask people from the local building department to explain the current rules in your area.

Every profession emphasizes different roles. Interior designers and architects are the ones that come up with concepts. They are also the ones that usually draw plans. General contractors are the ones that build the plans while landscape architects create plans and designs for the outdoors.

Know Your Options

Many experts provide a range of services from project management to the final construction. There are those who charge by the hour and those who compute per project. There are also architectural firms that provide design services.

After knowing which team to handle your design project, then you should make your choice regarding who to become your first member. Most hire a designer, architect, builder or a remodeler depending on their current priorities.

Interview a few people then ask for references. Take the time to drive to their past projects. Follow these basic guidelines when hiring an interior designer.

FFDM American Cherry Collection

FFDM American Cherry Collection

Set the Right Budget

Not everyone may stay on budget, in fact, only about a third is able to work on a renovation project within their initial budget. Another third exceeded their budgets while only about 3% were able to achieve a project that’s below their budget. The worst group was those who had no budget to begin with. Those who went over their budgets reasoned that they chose more elegant materials and finishes.

Kitchen renovations can cost anywhere from $50,700 or more depending on the square feet that need to be worked on. Master bathroom renovation could include furniture and appliance replacement. Asking for an estimate should give you ample leeway in terms of budget. Rather than do the project yourself and risk possible mishaps, it’s way better to ask a team of professionals to complete the project for you.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Design Contractor, Interior Design 101, The Interior Designer | No Comments »

The Design-Build Contractor – Who Is He?

Friday, July 29th, 2016

1586-80151A-GRY1 Lulu Shaped Console Table 4056CR Henry Exposed Wood: Achieving this look is easy if you know which design elements to balance. Don’t know what to do? Hire an expert.

1586-80151A-GRY1 Lulu Shaped Console Table 4056CR Henry Exposed Wood: Achieving this look is easy if you know which design elements to balance. Don’t know what to do? Hire an expert.

A lot of residential contractors take on design projects here and there usually with the cooperation of the homeowner. The latter could bring photos, sketches, even tear-outs from interior design magazines or books. This is true when it comes to remodeling where the design choices are constrained by some pre-existing circumstances.

Technically speaking, design contractors provide the design-build services yet they are not referred to as design builders. They also do not charge separately for their design project so long as this is not a line item on their estimate.

On bigger home remodels, though, a lot of contractors prefer to work off another person’s plan unless design is a part of their service. Still some allow homeowners to terminate the contract right after the design stage, allowing you to make use of another contractor’s plans. This is a crucial choice that you would want to see in your contract. Contracts may offer discounts if you would be working with the same contractor during construction.

There are various approaches to design-build bidding as well as contracts. A lot of design-build companies work through negotiated bid since they don’t generally put out the plans to different contractors for bidding. In this case, a contractor will share a portion of the costs with the homeowner and would negotiate a fee (whether hourly, by percentage or fixed) for the services that they offer.

Choosing the Right Design-Build Contractor

If you are hiring a designer and a contractor which is the same person, you need to ask the kind of questions that you would ask an architect/designer and the contractor. When you evaluate a company, be sure to separate the construction from the design side. This is because you might like their design projects but not their construction ones.

Talk to people from the design team and ask about how they work together during the design stage. See how they have previously worked with clients and how they charge for their designs. As to the construction side, ask questions that you would ask a general contractor.

Ask for references then ask their previous clients regarding the design and building phases. You need to know what went well, what surprises or problems came up, any cost overruns and how they were handled, and how much the clients eventually liked the project.

Another important thing to remember is the total cost of the project and a breakdown of the fees.

Make it a point to have the design company take full responsibility of the mistakes should anything happen. Have this stipulated in the contract.

 Hooker Furniture Home Office

Hooker Furniture Home Office

Advantages of Hiring a Design-Build Contractor

The greatest things that you will enjoy when you hire a design-build contractor are the same advantages that you get from a general contractor. You also get to simplify the process by hiring a one-stop-shop for construction and design.

Hiring just one company for design and construction means you save significantly. There will also be no disputes between the design and construction departments since they are technically in the same department.

You get to have more design freedom when you deal with just one company. Here, you can control the specs such as the fixtures that you use, finishes and mechanical equipment.

Lastly, find a reputable design-build contractor. He should also be someone who you would like to work with. You would also be likely to save money if you hire a single expert rather than a team of professionals. Make sure also that you keep the plans that you would work with so you can still use them with another contractor (should the need for another expert arise).

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Design Contractor | No Comments »