HOW TO CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR

Choosing a Contractor

Even if you’re an avid DIY'er, you’ll eventually need a job done that’s just too big or complex to tackle by yourself.  That’s when you hire a contractor.  But how do you know you’re getting the best deal? Well, first, make sure you follow all the time-honored advice, such as asking friends and family to recommend a contractor, making sure you hire someone you’re comfortable with, and verifying that the contractor has been in business for a a considerable period of time, and has liability and worker’s compensation insurance. Then when you meet with your contractors to discuss the job, you should ask these questions to be confident that you’re getting the most for your remodeling dollar.

Earlier this month, I was called in to a home in Sacramento to complete a pre-listing home inspection. I was surprised when I found that the crawlspace showed signs of having been recently worked on. When I asked the homeowner about it, I was told that they had needed to  call in a second contractor when the first contractor hadn’t performed the work to the quality they’d hoped for. 

Unfortunately, this kind of story is becoming a more common occurrence. 
We at AJAX Home Inspections urge you to consider the following before you sign the contract...

Consider Credentials

AJAX Home Inspections recommends considering contractors who:

• Are licensed through the state board, and/or who has a license specifically for the work being completed on your home.
• Are associated with relevant organizations for the industry, such as the Building Performance Institute or Energy Star
• Have a number of years of experience in the industry.  It’s true that everyone has to start somewhere, but don’t feel as if you need pay to provide for rookie contractors to learn on your home.
• Request a Certificate of Insurance mailed directly to you from the contractor’s insurance carrier.

Get References

AJAX Home Inspections recommends that you:

• Get references from other homeowners you know or trust. Ask friends, family or neighbors who have had similar work done on their homes.
• Do your research.  Online review sites such as Angie’s List or Yelp can help you weed out troublesome contractor. A series of negative reviews may be a warning sign, as is the complete absence of reports (which might indicate the contractor hasn't been in business long).
• Ask the contractor for at least 4-6 references from previous clients, and be diligent about following up with the former clients about their satisfaction level with the completed job.

Get Detailed Quotes

AJAX Home Inspections recommends that a detailed quote should include:

• Reference material so you can research the products and systems being proposed.
• The payment terms and timeline. For example, you may pay 50% up front for materials and the remainder when work is complete, and timeline of the work proposed so you can plan accordingly..
• The name and contact information of the person who is in charge of your project onsite, to ensure that you know who you’re letting into your home, and who to get in touch with if things go wrong. If this isn’t provided with the quote, you should ask for this prior to work commencement.
• The detailed work that’s going to be completed, including the description or name of the products being used and how they’re going to be installed. If you don’t understand one of the products or services the contractor is recommending, ask for explanations and consider researching that item online to educate yourself before you sign the work order
• Work details which are important to you. For example, you may specify that that all work be completed between 9am and 3pm Monday through Friday, or that workers will return the work area to the current condition at the end of the work.

Trust Your Instincts

• Your home is your most valuable asset and your place of residence. If you’re uncomfortable with the person or company who you’re going to let into your personal space, consider continuing your search for a better fit. 
• If your experience takes a turn for the worst, DO NOT LET YOURSELF BE INTIMIDATED.  The last resort of an unprincipled contractor or tradesperson is to first appeal to your sympathy and, if that doesn’t get your money, to then become a threatening bully.  He or she will easily be bested once you show some spunk. You might hear stories about a dying mother, a truck that needs repair, materials that must be paid for before work can proceed, or a worker that needs an advance on wages. When this tactic fails to lighten your wallet, there will then be talk of a lien on your property, or the implication that something bad is going to happen to you or your home.  Stand firm. Make a police report if you like.  Don’t be swayed. People who do business this way will simply strike their tents and go on to the next victim who they hope will be easier to con than you proved to be.

Be On Your Guard If:

• The contractor / tradesman wants to repair something other than what you called about, i.e., you want a sticking window fixed and they want to replace your gutters also.
• The contractor / tradesman is evasive about describing exactly what they’re going to do or how much they’re going to charge you. Remember, you need a contract with everything in writing as to exactly what’s going to be done and exactly what the cost will be.
• The contractor / tradesman is evasive about insurance coverage or offers a copy of his insurance instead of giving you the name of his insurance carrier so you can call and get a Certificate of Insurance mailed directly to you.
• The contractor / tradesman is vague about referrals or offers only two or three.
• The contractor’s / tradesman’s attitude implies that their time is "too valuable to waste" to answering your questions completely.  Be wary of technical jargon or hurried explanations that are hard to understand.
• The contractor / tradesman doesn’t belong to any professional or business organizations.
• The contractor / tradesman talks in a loud, aggressive, condescending manner or exhibits threatening body language.
• The contractor / tradesman is more interested in talking about, or getting, your money than they are in taking care of your problem.

Lastly, if you don’t remember anything else, remember this

DON’T PAY BEFORE THE JOB’S BEEN DONE TO YOUR SATISFACTION.

REMEMBER: YOU CONTROL THE JOB WITH YOUR MONEY!

Lower Your Electric Bill – Cooling and Heating Tips

At this time of year, scarily huge electricity bills start appearing in mailboxes.  Our central air systems help us escape the heat, but powering them can make us feel faint!  Clients are always asking us how to save on energy bills. Here are a few quick, easy and inexpensive things you can do to reduce your bill this summer. These items pay for themselves before you know it!

Attic Hatch Cover 

Have you ever gone into your attic on a hot summer day?  It feels hot enough to fry an egg up there! Hot air moves to where cool air is found, so in the summer, that means the hot air is moving to your living areas.  You are essentially paying to heat your attic in the winter and cool it in the summer.  If you have one of those pull-down attic stairs, experts say that the efficiency of your attic insulation is reduced by 55%!  There’s a great solution for this problem: an attic door cover. It installs easily and is made of heavy-duty foam, so it’s lightweight.  You can still get in and out of your attic easily, but the air transfer is reduced.

Programmable Thermostat

Programmable thermostats can save you up to 33% on your energy bill!  You can purchase a great one for about $75, and they’re relatively simple to install.  For the summer, if you are out of the house all day, you can program it to let the house get a couple of degrees warmer while you are gone, and then cool down again when you are in the house.  Why have your A/C working hard when you are not even home to enjoy the coolness?

Also, turning your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit is the best setting for your air conditioner during warmer months.  Reducing your home's temperature to 72 degrees Fahrenheit could increase your cooling costs 12 to 47%.  OUCH!  

Remember, setting it really low at first will not help your home cool faster. It will use more energy, and if you forget to adjust it, you will be running far less efficiently than you think.

Sealing Outlets or Switches

Outlets and switches on walls leading to the exterior of your house are a source of energy loss. In the summer, the warm air in between the walls leaks inside through these areas.  That warmer air entering the house makes your A/C unit work harder, costing you money.

It’s cheap and easy to correct this problem.  You can buy thin foam sealers that fit behind the plates.  These cost about 50 cents each, and can be found in your local home improvement store near the weather-stripping.  You just unscrew the plate, insert the sealer and re-secure the plate. Done!

Weather-stripping

We have seen many homes in which the weather-stripping started to fall off after many years,  and the homeowner just removed it without replacing it.  Bad idea.  Experts say a 1/4″ gap around a door or window is like having a 9″ hole in your house!  Even a 1/8″ gap is like having a 6″ hole!  You wouldn’t let your house have holes like that, so why do you let your door have a gap? Time to fix it!  By properly sealing the door with weather-stripping, you save money on your heating and cooling bills.  Weather-stripping is inexpensive and easy to install.  It comes with adhesive on it, so you just peel and stick.

Letting the Light In

Natural light is great, but the sun's heat can raise the temperature in your home. Make sure blinds and drapes are closed to help reduce the sun's thermal heat. If you are intent on letting the light in, install reflective film on the windows to block some of the heat. You also want to reserve heat and humidity producing tasks like cooking and doing the laundry to early morning or late evening.

Use Your Fans

Ceiling or table fans can also make a huge difference in cooling your home.  They're not a replacement for your air conditioner, but they can give supplemental cooling.  Substituting fans for air conditioners on milder days can save 60% or more in energy costs!  Appropriately setting the fan on your air conditioner can help you save as well.  Set the fan speed on high, except in very humid weather. This helps push cool air around the house.

We at AJAX wish you a happy, safe, and COOL summer!