from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Are you planning to hire someone to work on your home or property? If so, you will need to do some homework. While the law provides some protection from fraudulent or incompetent contractors, it doesn’t guarantee honest transactions or perfect performance.[1] Protect your investment by being an informed, cautious consumer.

Steps

Before you hire a Contractor or Remodeler:

1. Plan your project carefully. If you know what you want done and can clearly explain it, you’re less likely to misunderstand instructions or encounter cost overruns.
2. Interview several qualified registered contractors and solicit written bids.
3. Verify that the contractors you are considering are registered by looking them up online. You can do this by typing (“your state” contractor lookup) into your favorite search engine.
4. Ask for references and then check them out. If possible, view the work, visit a site with work in progress and interview the homeowner.
5. Ask for references of suppliers that the contractor works with and check out his or her payment record.
6. Ask for a copy of the contractor’s license and insurance policy to verify what is covered.
7. Do an Internet search on the owner’s name to look for general comments that might be posted.
8. Evaluate all the aspects of the bids, including the scope of work, warranties, references, time frames and price.
9. Request that the contractor post a performance bond for the entire cost of the project if it is more than $6,000.
10. Try to anticipate problems and inconveniences, such as cost overruns or cleanup, and come to an agreement with your contractor on how they will be handled before the work begins.

Once you have chosen a Contractor or Remodeler

1. Obtain a written contract that includes price, payment terms, sales tax, permit fees (if applicable), the specific work to be performed, materials to be used, warranties and start and end date. It is also a good idea to include change-order processes, final review and sign-off procedures and cleanup.
2. Ask for a disclosure statement prior to work starting. Sample disclosure statements are available from your state’s governing office.
3. Make frequent inspections and consult your local building department about required permits. Make sure that all permits are in place and that inspections are in order.
4. When advancing money for materials, it may be possible to make checks payable to both the contractor and the supply house or to pay the supply house directly.
5. Put all change orders in writing and ask questions as work progresses. Avoid verbal contracts, and be very cautious about paying for work that has not been completed.
6. Request signed lien releases from all major subcontractors and suppliers on your job before making final payments.

See Video Below

Tips

• Protect yourself with permits. Contact your local city or county Building Department.
• Ask for the legally required disclosure statement that advises consumers about lien releases.
• Make sure the contractor is currently registered and for how long.
• Verify that the contractor has workers compensation insurance for his or her employees.

Warnings

• Be wary of contractors who:
  • Provide credentials or references that cannot be verified.
  • Offer a special price only if you sign today or use other high-pressure sales techniques.
  • Accept only cash, require large deposits or the entire cost up front or ask you to make the payment in their name.
  • Do not provide a written contract or complete bid.
  • Ask you to pick up the building permit. In most instances, the contractor is required to take out the permits. Permits are your protection and help ensure that work will meet local building codes.
  • Offer exceptionally long warranties.
  • Want to do most or all the work on weekends and after-hours.
  • Give you an offer that sounds “too good to be true.”

Related wikiHows

• How to Design Your Own Home
• How to Succeed at Any Home Improvement Project
• How to Get a Construction Loan (US)
• How to Become a Fix It All Householder
• How to Navigate the Home Building Process
• How to Make Blueprints
• How to Remodel a House
• How to Buy a Home
• How to Identify a Sears Kit Home
• How to Increase the Value of Your Home

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ http://www.lni.wa.gov/

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Hire the Right Contractor or Remodeler. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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People are now spending more time in their homes, with their family. Saving money and putting it back into their homes by remodeling.

The more elaborate, extreme, and over the top the project is seems to be the thing but keep in mind, the more extreme, the more project planning and expert involvement that is required.

Make sure for a small bathroom remodeling project that will require any plumbing, electrical or structural re-work, that you have a substantial amount of knowledge and resources to rely on.

Plus, either the license to do anything you want, or the right people in the trades to turn to get the job done correctly and to code…

…then your home remodeling projects will be easy and go as planned.

What is really difficult is working with limited resources and limited room.

Remodeling a small room and trying to do it right and cheaply, while still creating the best effect for your home, can be one of the toughest things you’ll ever have to do.

We recently completed a small bathroom remodeling job at home. I’ve done house remodeling before and thought that redesigning the bathroom would be an easy DIY home project.

Small bathroom remodeling can be tricky, that’s why you need to know or learn the secrets, tips and tricks to remodeling, or hire a professional contractor.

Bathroom projects I’ve been involved with in the past were only a matter of taking out the old bathroom fixtures and replacing them, changing the tile and re-painting or replacing the wall paper.

The problem this time, I didn’t really anticipate how little space I had to work with. I needed more room to really do what I wanted to.

You see, our house is not very big, but it is very intelligently designed. The layout is excellent, and unnecessary use of space is minimized. Because of this factor, the upstairs bathroom is very small and stuck in a corner.

There WAS just enough room for the toilet, the shower, and the sink. Guess that’s why it was called a half bath.

When I started this remodeling job, I wanted to do more than just replace the old fixtures with new ones and sling some paint on the walls. I wanted more room for the shower, an extra bathroom cabinet, and room to divide the bathroom and toilet.

The problem is that we just didn’t think we had this option.

That was until we hired a building contractor and he was able to provide proof that we’d be O.K. by knocking out a wall and extending the bathroom a few feet, everything we wanted to do would work by doing it this way!

Still, it was no easy task. I’m a lic. HVACR Contractor not a builder and I was glad to admit that I had no business doing this project on my own.

I found the contractor for this small bathroom project by doing my homework and utilizing a proven system.

Because of doing it this way, we had peace of mind that the job was being done correctly and going to turn out like we dreamed.

As it turned out, this home improvement project went smooth and as “planned.”

I’m glad we made the decision to handle this home project this way but you may be the true DIY type and if so there are some great home improvement guides available.

This one may be just right for you. Click Here! Bathroom Design – A Complete Guide. How To Design And Plan Bathrooms Ranging From Simple Makeovers To Luxury Installations.

Hope you enjoyed this article and be on the lookout for future articles on remodeling and home improvement ideas.

No matter the size of your front yard or the reasons behind wanting or in some cases NEEDING to landscape, front yards usually have different planning requirements than other, more private areas of your garden.

First, the front yard is typically more open, making it easier for visitors to find their way to your front door. You must also consider that landscaping front yard designs should incorporate certain safety factors, guarding against intruders.

The style you choose may be a factor as well. For example, if you have a large front yard in the cottage garden style, this may affect access adversely, both for guests and intruders. A more open plan may be a better choice, but this doesn’t preclude using privacy screens or shrubbery to achieve both objectives of privacy, safety and good looks.

Let’s take a look at some design techniques you can use to create your ideal front yard landscaping.

If you might be selling your home in just a few years, you’re wise to heed that old real estate adage on ‘curb appeal’. When selling a home, the front yard landscaping is what prospective buyers see first.

This truly can make or break the sale. A well manicured front yard makes that buyer more enthusiastic about your home before they ever enter. In this case, you might want to give this factor some weight.

When you’re landscaping front yards, you want to scale your garden design to the size of the front yard. For example, a small front yard is overwhelmed with a single large tree as the main focus, causing the front yard to appear smaller, as well as awkward. Consult plant catalogs and gardening encyclopedias to find plants which are suited to the size of your front yard.

Before you settle on a specific style, browse the home and garden magazines to pick out plants and design features which you find appealing. Compile a portfolio of these various features, including lighting, trellises, pathway materials, edgings and statuary – whatever catches your eye.

Ultimately, you probably won’t use all of these, but this technique helps you focus and directs you to a style that suits all of your objectives.

A large front lawn, with green stretching from the street to your front door, edged with a curving flower bed next to a brick pathway, is perhaps the most open of landscaping front yard designs, but not the most interesting.

Consider breaking up the space with some well placed patio trees, which still allow easy access, but don’t give a direct line of sight to your front door. Back lighting and down lighting around these trees serves two purposes: safety against intruders and an element of drama.

A good compromise on landscaping front yard designs is to begin with an open look – on paper or with software – and address privacy and interest concerns as your design develops. Let’s say you love that big expanse of green lawn. Why not divide it in two, with flower beds at the perimeters which are broken up with a grouping of ornamental grasses close to the entryway?

When choosing candidates for the flower beds, think about seasonal color. Interplanting spring bulbs with later blooming annuals and perennials can provide three seasons of color. Look for winter color in ornamental grasses and plants like Cottoneaster, with bright red berries in the dead of winter.

Lighting is an essential consideration when landscaping front yards, particularly along pathways, steps, porches and decks. You want these areas to be well lighted. Solar lighting is an inexpensive and attractive way to accomplish this.

Landscaping front yards requires careful planning. Follow these guidelines, and settle on all of your design components before you start digging. You’ll have a lovely front yard!

For more information on landscaping, check out these great links from our friends over at Our Backyard Oasis!

How To Redo A Front Yard After A Severe Water Disaster

How To Create A Moveable Garden

Patios have always been popular in America and beyond. Especially in the warmer regions of the West and southern states, like Florida.

The purpose of a home patio is a place to gather with friends and family in a relaxing and comfortable environment. There are probably as many patio landscaping ideas as there are patios. The best patio landscaping ideas are inspired by your own imagination. The design depends on many aspects of course.

The main thing to consider is making comfortable and appealing, your very own getaway spot in the garden, one that serves your purposes and lifestyle.

To get started, thumb through some of the top rated garden design magazines. By doing this you’re sure to notice certain features of different patio designs that you really love. Perhaps a certain type of patio lighting will be just the thing to make your patio come to life!

You might see a certain style of paving stones that create just the right focus you want for your patio.  Look for home and garden guides online or magazines that have a directory that gives product manufacturers and details telling you where you can purchase certain item.

If the magazine doesn’t give the information you should still tear out that page and start a folder that you can take with you to various vendors, who can help you match up with the right product for your needs.

Now that you have a sense of the look for your patio, it’s time for more practical considerations.

The functional aspect of your patio landscaping ideas plays a big part in how happy you’ll be with your final design. If it looks like it belongs in a magazine, but doesn’t suit your lifestyle, it doesn’t work.

For example, if you love to entertain, you’ll want to consider the style and placement of patio furniture, including a dining table large enough to accommodate your family and guests.

If you enjoy the backyard barbecues you may want to consider a design that includes an area just for that. Maybe you’re looking for patio landscaping ideas that offer more privacy, with the patio serving as a little getaway spot when you want to kick back with a cold drink and a good book, in this case your patio furnishings might consist of a couple of chaise lounges and a small fire pit.

The patio should also provide some shade for those hot summer afternoons. If there are no mature trees in your location, you might want to construct or purchase an awning or arbor structure.

Plants indisputably bring the patio setting to life, creating a softening effect to an otherwise bare patio. Hanging plants can be filled with bright summer annuals and replanted each spring. If your patio landscaping ideas lean towards the function of a retreat, you might want to partially surround the patio with planter boxes.

Perennials can be a good choice, as they come back on their own each year and are less maintenance intensive than annuals. You might also enjoy a partial surround of ornamental grasses, both as a windbreak and for the soothing effect of the rustling grasses in the breeze. Many of these look spectacular in winter. Pots of bulbs on the patio makes a splendid spring flower display.

In conclusion…as you can see there’s no limit to the best patio landscaping ideas. Choose those that inspire you to spend many happy hours, enjoying your little piece of heaven.

Related information:

Check out our friends over at Backyard Oasis for some Colorful Patio Plant Designs

Garden Seat/Table Plans
Simple blueprints of a unique
combo garden seat table for your patio.

Are you considering a tankless water heater?

Keep in mind that they can run entirely on gas (both propane and natural gas)  are available and require no electricity.

When shopping for a new hot water heater and considering going tankless, it is important to select the correct water heater.

ALWAYS NOTE many of them say gas, but they still require electricity for the electric spark ignition and electrical components.

This is always important for us at Home And Garden Guide Online to point this out to or website visitors who are considering a tankless hot water heater for their home or garden greenhouse.

Some of our customers say they want one that runs entirely on electricity.

It’s important to note that when you want to run a heater completely off of electricity, your current electrical service must be able to handle it? 

To continue reading, be sure to check out our complete Tankless Water Heater Guide