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    A Contractor Tells All: A Guide to Saving Money & Avoiding Trouble On Your Next Home Project
    A Contractor Tells All: A Guide to Saving Money & Avoiding Trouble On Your Next Home Project
    A Contractor Tells All: A Guide to Saving Money & Avoiding Trouble On Your Next Home Project
    Ebook86 pages52 minutes

    A Contractor Tells All: A Guide to Saving Money & Avoiding Trouble On Your Next Home Project

    By Mike Joy

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Mike Joy lays out an inside look at the home-construction industry. Mike knows the business firsthand -- he works full time as a painting and drywall contractor in Dallas, Texas, and has worked in the construction trades, on and off, since the early 1970s. 

    Mike’s focus is not so much about how to do your own home repairs but how to deal with contractors who do repairs for you.
     
    Mike wants every homeowner to understand the contractor/customer relationship so that your next construction project does not turn into a money pit, a waste of time.
     
    Mike outlines scams homeowners need to avoid when it comes to carpentry, painting, electrical work, HVAC and plumbing. He details some common repairs that con artists like to use.
     
    And finally, Mike tells you the ways to make the relationship with your contractor work so that you get the “most bang for the buck’ from your construction project, no matter the size.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateSep 30, 2016
    ISBN9781483581798
    A Contractor Tells All: A Guide to Saving Money & Avoiding Trouble On Your Next Home Project

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      Book preview

      A Contractor Tells All - Mike Joy

      I wrote this book to give people information they need to deal with contractors and get construction projects completed with as little waste and aggravation as possible.

      I consider giving people tips on where they get the most bang for the buck to be one of the central themes of this project.

      Within all of the construction trades, there are ways to get the best results for your money.

      There are really two sides to the bang for the buck concept in construction. The first involves not doing things that you might have considered doing. For example, I tell people over and over that they should look at ceilings and wood trim carefully when considering re-painting rooms.

      Frequently, you can skip repainting them: the ceilings are normally white and go with any color, and the wood trim is usually in good shape and can easily be cleaned. You save money whenever you do not paint things that are already fine.

      The other side of bang for the buck involves doing things that achieve the great results without emptying your wallet. Again to use painting as an example, skip painting ceilings and wood trim and just paint the walls in a room. This technique gives you the maximum bang for the buck. Walls are relatively easy to paint, and once painted, they can fill a room up with a color that fits your style.

      In every trade there are similar tricks of the trade for achieving the most bang for the buck.

      Simply put, a recommendation from a trusted source is the best way to find a building contractor. However, my customers often tell me that they don’t know who to ask for a good recommendation to find a contractor. This is a legitimate concern.

      Start by asking everyone around your workplace for a lead. Then ask all of your friends. Finally, be bold and ask people you do not know well but whom you suspect might know someone. A manager at your local hardware, paint, or home repair store might very well know a good contractor. I suggest you do not ask a regular employee, though; chances are he or she does not possess the expertise needed to assist you properly.

      nother viable source of information is a real estate agent. Perhaps you have a friend or a friend of a friend who is in real estate. Agents frequently know people who do home remodeling because they often assist homeowners—both the sellers and the buyers—find tradespeople. Often times these tradespeople are highly qualified because they are tasked with making a home look perfect before or after a sale.

      You might even consider paying the store where you buy your construction products from to do the installation at your home. The trick when going this route is to find a well-known, well-established store that has been in your town or city for a long period of time—one that has a great reputation for quality and is interested in protecting its reputation.

      Finally, the Internet has opened up new avenues for locating contractors. "AngiesList.com" and other sites seem to have very good potential for finding qualified contractors.

      Always be sure to do your homework on any recommendation, whether it comes from a friend, real estate agent, the Internet, or a stranger. The home improvement project is ultimately yours, and you must live with the consequences of your choices. Again, Internet sites like Yelp, Angie’s List, the Better Business Bureau, and other Internet review sites can help you navigate this somewhat difficult terrain. Always try to find contractors who are highly rated, do the job in a courteous and timely manner, and satisfy their customers. You probably will never find the perfect contractor —but you can find plenty of great

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