| PART One of a Two part article on How to Find | | | | contractor's license status with their particular |
| the Right Contractor | | | | State's, or Province's, contractors licensing board |
| When starting a commercial or residential real | | | | or State registrar of contractors. Many of the |
| estate construction project "begin with the end in | | | | registrars are online and the license status and |
| mind." | | | | history of the contractor(s) are available to check. |
| Finding the right Licensed Contractor is very | | | | Many states, such as the California's Contractors |
| important to all real estate owner or commercial | | | | State License Board, provide extensive |
| investors! Both homeowners and real estate | | | | information on the holders of the license, the |
| investors have discovered that improving | | | | license history, consumer complaints, and the |
| residential property by remodeling and updating | | | | bonding information. |
| kitchens, adding an additional bathroom, or installing | | | | Check out, verify and visit the Potential |
| new energy efficient windows may add a | | | | Contractor's References |
| significant value and utility to the property. In | | | | For the most part, licensed contractors with a |
| most cases reasonable upgrades to a kitchen, | | | | track record of being in the contracting business |
| adding that needed bathroom, cleaning up the | | | | at least five or more years are usually |
| exterior and yard of a house, and/or updating the | | | | competent, ethical, honest, dedicated, |
| landscaping will add value in excess of the | | | | hardworking, financially stable, and responsible in |
| investment in those types of improvements. | | | | their business dealings. |
| Commercial investors face the same basic | | | | Always ask the potential contractor(s) for at least |
| problem on their projects with fining the right | | | | three past, but recent, local references and one |
| contractor for the job! | | | | or two references of current jobs they are |
| Caveat Emptor or "Let the Buyer Beware" is | | | | working on. Make sure and call the past |
| good advice for both commercial investors & | | | | references to verify that they were completely |
| home owners! Unfortunately the biggest source | | | | satisfied with the contractor's work and the |
| of consumer complaints nationwide in the | | | | project overall. |
| construction business is on home improvement, | | | | Asking potential contractors for the names and |
| remodeling projects, or a commercial real estate | | | | addresses of their current local jobs will afford |
| project. Most complaints and serious problems | | | | you the opportunity to "stop by" first thing in the |
| come with the lack of research and diligence in | | | | morning to check out the work being done, and if |
| the contractor selection process, which results in | | | | the job site is clean and organized (it may need |
| homeowners and commercial real estate | | | | dusting and not be ready for company to drop |
| investors being the victims of a dishonest, | | | | by, but it should not be a total disaster). By |
| negligent, or unlicensed contractor(s). Most of the | | | | "dropping by" a current job site you might just |
| nightmare stories that I hear from homeowners | | | | "run into" the homeowner before they go to |
| and real estate investors about a home | | | | work. That is a great time to just ask: "How is |
| improvement or remodeling job gone bad was a | | | | the job going?' and "Are you happy with the |
| direct result of the homeowners and real estate | | | | quality and timeliness of the contractor's work?" |
| investors failure to check, verify, and to be clear | | | | and "Would you recommend them to your |
| as what is to done and how much it will cost. | | | | friends?" and lastly "How were any issues that |
| Fortunately, most of the construction project | | | | came up during the course of the project handled |
| problems and complaints could be avoided or at | | | | by the contractor?" |
| least seriously reduced if homeowners and real | | | | I recommend that homeowners and investors |
| estate investors do their homework in advance | | | | also check out the potential contractor(s) with |
| and select a reliable, honest, and proven licensed | | | | their local city or county building department, the |
| contractor. It is a sad but true comment that | | | | local city or county consumer protection agency, |
| most homeowners and commercial real estate | | | | the consumer fraud department of the district |
| investors spend less time choosing a contractor | | | | attorney's office or State Attorney General's |
| than they do planning a family vacation. | | | | office, and possibly the local Better Business |
| The process of hiring the right contactor for a | | | | Bureau. This probably sounds like over kill, but |
| project will take some serious and concentrated | | | | better safe than sorry. Homeowners and |
| effort on the part of homeowners and real | | | | investors should check with these organizations to |
| estate investors. Homeowners and real estate | | | | see if they have any information, especially |
| investors absolutely need to check and verify the | | | | negative information, about the potential |
| potential contractor's license status and should call | | | | contractor(s) they are investigating. They should |
| and visit with the potential contractor's references. | | | | find out if there are any complaints about the |
| Homeowners and investors should have | | | | potential contractor(s), or other relevant negative |
| contractors give them a written detailed scope of | | | | information on file about the potential |
| work, time frames with deadlines, break downs | | | | contractor(s). |
| of costs for materials and labor, and a written | | | | In addition to current and past references, |
| understanding of how and when process | | | | homeowners and real estate investors need to |
| payments will be paid. All of these need to be | | | | get additional data from the potential |
| part of a written contract. | | | | contractor(s). Homeowners and real estate |
| Selecting a Licensed General Contractor or | | | | investors must obtain the contractor's business |
| Licensed Subcontractor | | | | address and their business telephone and fax |
| General building contractors are basically project | | | | numbers. Be sure and verify that they are not |
| managers. They manage or supervise projects | | | | just a cellular phone with local private mail box. A |
| and they schedule and coordinate the use of | | | | potential contractor who essentially operates out |
| appropriate subcontractors as needed for a | | | | of the back of his pickup truck and only has a |
| particular construction or remodeling job. For | | | | cellular telephone may be very tough to track |
| example, if a homeowner or investor is doing a | | | | down if something goes wrong or there is repair |
| complete kitchen remodeling job which involves | | | | warrantee issues in the future. |
| several "trades," such as a plumber, electrician, | | | | One of the best ways to select a highly licensed |
| and carpenter, the use of a licensed general | | | | qualified contractor is to visit a local investor club |
| contractor is appropriate and highly recommended. | | | | [check out websites for investor club]and ask |
| If the homeowner or investor is doing a single | | | | experienced investors who they regularly use and |
| trade job such as putting on a new roof then a | | | | recommend for your type of project. Some |
| specialty or subcontractor could be hired to do | | | | times the personal recommendations from friends |
| that single project. | | | | or relatives, who recently had similar projects |
| Check out and verify the Potential Contractor's | | | | completed and were satisfied with the job, may |
| License Status | | | | prove to be worth checking out. Don't rely solely |
| When do homeowners and real estate investors | | | | on a recommendation from anyone, always check |
| need to check and verify a contractor's | | | | them out completely. |
| credentials for a job? Before a homeowner or | | | | There are no short cuts of the verification |
| investor even think of signing anything they should | | | | process to finding the right contractor. |
| check to ensure that the contractor is licensed, | | | | Homeowners and investors should not allow |
| bonded, insured, and has excellent local current | | | | themselves to be high pressured into not checking |
| references. Homeowners and real estate | | | | references before signing a contract by a silver |
| investors absolutely need to check and verify | | | | tongued, smooth-talking salesperson. |
| everything about the prospective contractor(s). | | | | PART II of this article "FINDING THE RIGHT |
| Homeowners and real estate investors always | | | | BUILDING CONTRACTOR" can be found on |
| need to check and verify the potential | | | | EzineArticles. |