Philip Schmidt - Dont Sweat It... Hire It!: An A to Z Guide to Finding, Hiring & Managing Home Improvement Pros

D ONT S WEAT I T ...
Hire It!

A N A TO Z G UIDE TO F INDING , H IRING & M ANAGING H OME I MPROVEMENT P ROS

B Y
P HILIP S CHMIDT

www.creativepub.com

Copyright 2007
Creative Publishing international, Inc.
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401
1-800-328-0590
www.creativepub.com
All rights reserved

Printed by R.R. Donnelley

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Digital Edition: 978-1-61673-337-7
Softcover Edition: 978-1-58923-310-2

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Schmidt, Philip.

Dont sweat it, hire it : an A to Z guide to finding, hiring & managing home improvement pros / Philip Schmidt.
p. cm.

Summary: Easy-to-understand guide to hiring professionals to do your home repairs and improvements--Provided by publisher.
Includes index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-58923-310-2 (soft cover)

ISBN-10: 1-58923-310-7 (soft cover)
1. Dwellings--Remodeling. 2. Contractors--Selection and appointment. I. Title.
TH4816.S276 2007
643.7--dc22
2007007258

President/CEO: Ken Fund
VP for Sales & Marketing: Peter Ackroyd

Home Improvement Group

Publisher: Bryan Trandem
Managing Editor: Tracy Stanley
Senior Acquisition Editor: Mark Johanson
Production Editor: Jennifer Gehlhar

Creative Director: Michele Lanci-Altomare
Senior Design Manager: Brad Springer
Design Managers: Jon Simpson, Mary Rohl

Director of Photography: Tim Himsel
Lead Photographer: Steve Galvin
Shop Manager: Bryan Mclain

Production Managers: Linda Halls, Laura Hokkanen

Page Layout Artist: Kari Johnston
Author: Philip Schmidt

Contents

Introduction

BACK IN MY DAYS WORKING AS A CARPENTER, people I met socially often asked me to work on some project at their own houses. A new deck, drywall, a kitchen remodel...it didnt matter what type of job it was or whether I was qualifiedthey just needed help. They were desperate for it.

Now that Im a full-time writer of home reference books, people still want to hire me to do the hands-on work for them. Thats a little like asking a pharmacist to handle your surgery, but if I happened to have written about ceramic tile or whatever project theyre currently struggling with, the next question is Can I hire you?

Dont Sweat It...Hire It! is my tenth book, and I can say unequivocally that Ive never seen such universal enthusiasm for a subject. Whenever someone learns what Ive been working on, I hear responses like, I could have used that six months ago when I hired that loser to do my bathroom or I need that book. When does it come out?

The point Im making is that people need hired help almost as much as they hate the process of finding that help. How else can you explain people so desperate for a professional that theyll offer the job to a writer?

The fact is, theres no easy answer to the question of how to find a good, honest, reliable contractor. There is, however, a tried-and-true process that works regardless of the size of the job or the number of pros needed to complete it.

This book teaches you that process. It also teaches you about virtually every type of professional youre likely to hire for work on your homefrom architects to window cleaners, gardeners to basement remodelers. The Ps alone include painters, plasterers, plumbers, pest control operators, and pressure washers (yes, there is such a job as professional pressure washer).

Learning about the pros themselves will help you focus on contractors who specialize in your type of project. For example, if you need an electrician for a remodel, you want someone whos good at snaking wires through walls and tying into existing systems, not someone who primarily does new commercial work. And although youre hiring out the labor, youll be reminded time and again to do some project planning, shop around for materials, and decide what you want before starting your contractor search. This knowledge will guide you when looking for a pro and make you a shrewd negotiator when hiring one.

Surrounding this books A to Z list of professionals are four chapters that together cover the basics of finding and interviewing contractors, making sure your job contract and other matters of fine print are in order, and preparing for and managing the crew of workers wholl be invading your home. offers additional help for those recklessly brave souls contemplating a major home improvementthe kind big enough to warrant using a general contractor.

So you see? Theres really nothing to fear. If you follow the process and do your homework, youll soon be the proud owner of a newly enhanced or repaired home. And youll stop wondering how you can ask your mail carrier to build you a new garage.

P HILIP S CHMIDT

CHAPTER ONE
Getting Started

Before we address the big question of where to look for home improvement contractors, lets preview the basics. Just as there are 10 Commandments, 10 points in a perfect score, and 10 fingers on your hands for conveniently counting off 10-item lists, there are also 10 Rules for Hiring and Working With Professionals. In different numbers and different combinations, these rules can help you no matter where you happen to look for professional help and will apply to almost any type of project (no matter how small) and any type of contractor (no matter how pricey).

Youll also reencounter the rules in various forms throughout this book, usually when a particular item is especially important. In general, however, you should assume that all 10 rules apply. So without further ado...

10 RULES FOR HIRING & WORKING WITH PROFESSIONALS

1. Know your project and get involved.

This is first on the list because, in many hiring situations, it helps to know exactly what you want or need before you cast about for a contractor. For example, lets say youre planning to replace your old deck. Do you want traditional redwood decking, or are you ready to try one of those low-maintenance composites everyone is talking about? For railings, you could go with steel cable, vinyl, iron, or basic wood. Making these decisions requires researching the various products available and considering your options and needs. (Heres a tip: asking contractors for recommendations isnt always a good idea, because many will simply steer you toward the products they like to use.) Once you know what you want, youve already narrowed down your contractor search to those who specialize in your chosen material (see Rule #7).

The other critical aspect of understanding your project comes later, after youve hired a pro. Before any work starts, make sure your contractor knows exactly what you expect. Check his work at the end of each day, and most importantly, make sure youre reachable at all times. See for a complete discussion of how to keep the job going smoothly.

2. Seek referrals.

A personal referral from someone you know (or an industry professional whom you trust) is the best way to learn about a contractor. And there are many other legitimate ways to learn about good local pros, as youll see below. Its usually wise to avoid door-to-door solicitors; door-to-door marketing and aggressive mail or flyer campaigns are still favorite avenues for shysters.