Top Tips for Working with Residential Contractors

When it comes to improving and maintaining your home, you want to be sure that any work done to your home is safe, adds value to the home and adds value to you and your family. This summer, I have completed many projects around my home, some of which I've completed with my husband and some we've hired out to skilled trades. Because this process can be stressful or even daunting at times, I would like to share some of my top tips for effectively dealing with contractors.

Deciding Whether to Hire out or DIY

First, I'd like to address the issue of whether to hire a contractor or do a home project yourself. If you know you prefer to hire a professional, by all means do so, but if you're handy, curious about DIY projects, or looking to save some money, it's often reasonable to look into doing the project yourself. I'd like to address some key considerations when deciding whether to hire a pro. While information abounds online, in magazines and on television about home improvements, just finding the instructions and following them usually isn't enough. Consider these questions before tackling any home improvement project yourself:

• How invested are you in the project? Are you willing to tackle any difficulties that emerge? What is your mode of recourse if you find yourself stuck? Do you have enough time to complete the project, even if it takes significantly more time than you initially estimated?
• What are the safety hazards involved in the project? Do you have and know how to use the proper safety equipment to complete the project successfully? If a building permit is required for your project, do you feel confident in finding out the building code and executing the work to pass inspection?
• Do you have any knowledgeable and willing friends or family members who can help you with the project?
• What is the dollar amount that is worth your time on the project vs. hiring a pro?

Finding Professionals for Your Project

There are several ways to locate skilled professionals for your projects. Here are a few:

• Ask neighbors and friends for references. 
• Consult your local Better Business Bureau Web site.
• Ask for referrals from contractors for other trades with whom you've worked successfully in the past and have a good working relationship.
• Ask for referrals from material suppliers. For example, your local paint shop is likely to have a list of painters and wallpaper specialists. Your local tile shop will likely have a list of tile installers.
• Consult Web sites that specialize in gathering lists of contractors in different trades and specialties. I have had mixed luck with such sites and do not like receiving unsolicited requests from the whole pool of contractors in a given category, but some people enjoy this process.

For any project, I suggest using a combination of methods to locate potential contractors. I find this results in a pool of professionals I would be comfortable hiring for a project. It feels better to me to hire the contractor that feels like the best fit for the project rather than hiring the only contractor who seems qualified for the job.

Once you have gathered a list of potential contractors, look up each business on your local Better Business Bureau Web site. What is their rating? How many complaints have been opened against them and were these resolved? If the business does not have a good rating or has unresolved complaints, this can be a sign of trouble. Next, review the contractor's Web site. How does your project fit in with the work described on their Web site? Are photos of actual projects available? Are customer testimonials on the Web site? How close is the business located to your home? Once you've gotten this far in the process, you'll likely have a feel for which potential contractors you'd like to contact for an estimate. I suggest getting bids from at least three contractors and potentially a few others, depending on the complexity of the work as well as the duration of your potential relationship. For example, if the project involves maintenance or you may need the contractor's services repeatedly, such as an HVAC technician, a landscaper, or a plumber, it is optimal to find a professional with whom you would enjoy interacting over time.

Choosing the Right Pro for the Job

When contacting professionals, how timely are they in returning your initial phone call? A concrete company recently contacted me two months after I had originally called them to request an estimate. By that time, I had entertained bids from four companies and the work was completed. Some trades are seasonal and it can be hard to find someone during the peak season, but the contractor should have enough resources to deal for this peak volume in their business. Does the contractor seem interested in your business? On the date of your scheduled estimate, do they arrive on time? I don't think I've ever hired someone who was late. It wasn't a matter of principle; it just seems to turn out that there were other negatives that stacked up against them and I've since learned to look at lateness as a telling sign. 

What materials does the contractor bring to the initial client meeting? Do they bring photo samples, letters of reference, listed references for you to contact, or sample materials for your project? Are they licensed and insured? How much experience do they have? Do they ask questions about your specific goals and needs for the project? Do they take notes on your conversation? Does their method of operation seem workable to you? Are they willing to pull a permit, where required? Building permits protect you, not only through the accompanying safety inspection process but that in they provide an additional layer of recourse if the work is not performed to satisfaction. How well do you communicate with the estimator? Even if the estimator is not the individual who will perform the work, this communication can be a sign of what it might be like to deal with the company overall. How does the contractor handle problems? Do they offer any satisfaction guarantees or warranty on their work? What is the method of payment? Look for contractors who collect payment on completion or at specific milestones. This gives you negotiating power. In addition, paying by credit card vs. check may offer you some additional leverage through the credit card issuer, should a problem arise with your project. Lastly, what is the form of agreement offered? For contracts on projects that are particularly complex, involved, or costly, such as a general contractor or an architect, it is prudent to consult an attorney before signing the contract. If you are going to be working with the contractor for a long period of time and there are multiple safety hazards at stake, it is wise to have to have the terms of the engagement clearly spelled out in a framework that will provide you with the least amount of stress working through issues that arise.

During the Project

Be kind and clear in your communication over the course of the project. If you feel bullied or disrespected at any time, confront the issue. If the matter is not resolved to your liking, you may consider firing the contractor. This may seem harsh, but can be the best course of action. For example, I once hired out some work for my parents. When the crew arrived, I found the lead member being rude and threatening to my elderly father, who was standing in the driveway when they arrived (an hour late). When I arrived on the scene, I introduced myself and introduced my father as the homeowner. I asked whether there was an issue and felt out the situation. The same individual proceeded to address me in a rude manner. I sent the crew packing, called the main number of the contractor and shared the details of our experience with the company's owner. Since no offer was made in return for our trouble, such as a sincere apology, a discount on their services, or anything else, I promptly located another contractor for the job. Even though I was visiting my parents and available on a very limited schedule to supervise the work, it was worth it. 

On the flip side, I have dealt with contractors over a period of many weeks where I was tense and anxious throughout the process. On a specific occasion that comes to mind, I wish I had fired the contractor. I have since had to pay someone else to fix problems that were not identified at the time of the original work. Had I acted at the time, I would have had to deal with unfinished work and inconvenience until a replacement could be found, but I may have saved myself some stress and money in the long run. It can be stressful to confront a bad situation, especially when you have done your due diligence to hire someone, but remember that it can be more stressful and potentially hazardous not to confront a situation head-on.

Thankfully, this sort of situation is the extreme, but do be prepared to answer questions and address issues during the project. If possible, try to schedule the work when you will not be involved in a major deadline at work or some other pressing matter. And while it may seem convenient to take the day off of work to be home for two different, unrelated projects, ask yourself whether you can handle the mess and noise of those two projects simultaneously. This will allow you to more easily answer any clarifying questions and make decisions the contractor asks you to make along the way. Do ask for drawings or written work steps, where appropriate for clarity for both you and the contractor. Miscommunications can occur even in the best of situations. Also, feel free to ask the contractor to wear booties and clean up after themselves. I once had a crew who left food wrappers, candy wrappers and beverage containers on the floor. This was not even a rough job site; it was a finished basement.

Check in with the contractor and ask how things are going along the way and if they are having any issues. Try to do so without standing over their shoulder. Remember, it's nice to offer a beverage or a snack, if the situation warrants, but do not feel obligated to offer lunch on a half-day project. Be prepared to face scheduling delays. Weather delays, obstacles from previous work, or other factors can disrupt the project schedule. If a delay occurs, do ask how the specific delay will impact the project schedule overall. This is particularly important if you are trying to finish a project before a holiday or the arrival of houseguests, as well as if there is another project scheduled after the current project. For example, if your painter falls behind, it is best to contact the flooring installer to adjust that schedule accordingly.

Be sure to provide both thanks and feedback along the way. If the contractor gives you a progress report, thank them for the information. If they clean up as they go or do something else courteous, thank them for that, too. On the flip side, if the supervisor or project manager checks in with the crew, but leaves you in the lurch, let them know what your communication needs are.

Closing out the Project

When the work is completed, be sure to do a final walkthrough with the contractor. Even if you are unfamiliar with electrical work, for example, the information the electrician shares with you may be helpful when you have another contractor come in to your home. For example, he or she may mention a cable splitter in an awkward crawl space that becomes crucial information when your television provider is troubleshooting a problem with your cable service. The more you learn about your home, the more confidence you will likely gain in dealing with future home improvement projects and with contractors in different trades. When you have successfully dealt with the inconvenience of scheduling showers or taking showers at the gym during a bathroom remodel, you will have a better sense of whether you are ready to have your ceilings opened up to install recessed lighting in several rooms of your home.

Once the project at hand is complete, ask about any maintenance you need to perform or any signs that would require you to follow up with the contractor. Depending on the type of project, there may be some  tweaks that are needed, such as adjusting the vents in your new heating system or touching up paint on an exterior paint job. This is also the time to collect any documentation about equipment, warranties, potential tax rebates for energy-saving projects, and receipts for your home improvement files.

Following these tips and taking deep breaths along the way will help you handle home improvement projects with ease.

Copyright 2011. Rocky Mountain Cozy. All photos and content are copyrighted and not to be reproduced without permission.

A Brand New Space From Nothin'
Eddie and I have been in our house for almost two years. The first summer I was in countdown mode to our wedding. The second summer I spent recovering from an accident. While our renovations are well under way on the inside of our home, we've done little with our neglected landscape except beat back the weeds. . . until now.


Our side yard was a funky, derelict space with summertime weeds that grew more than 10-feet tall and a pollen count that prevented us from opening our bedroom windows. Set off from the rest of our yard with a chain-link fence, it had been some sort of planting bed at sometime in its history. Cosmos and sunflowers were the only signs of once was. My husband and I decided to take on this outdoor space first since it was wholly unusable to us. While focusing first on curb appeal may have been a more obvious choice, the beefy estimates we received scared us away from that project for now. Also, while our two dogs have the backyard, my husband and I didn't have an outdoor space where we can leave some comfy cushions without becoming dog toys for our younger dog. We decided to create a grown-up space just for us, with dogs allowed by invitation only. Thus our serenity garden was born.


At first, our vision included planting beds for homegrown veggies and herbs as well as a lounging space, maybe with a little water feature. In the weekends while the snow cleared and we waited for our landscaping crew to help with demolition and re-grading of the space, my husband and I walked the yard, letting our vision emerge. I took photos, we placed chairs where we envisioned our lounge space and we laid sticks where we thought the various elements might be placed. Here is the sketch I first drew for planning purposes.

The Starting Vision

We placed a small water feature in the corner, a patio for lounging, guest seating, some raised planting beds, and something to occupy the central area--either some containers or a fire feature. As we laid out our sticks on the ground, our priorities became clearer. Apparently, a tranquil lounge area was more important to us for this space than the planting beds. Rule #1 of design for any space for me is function. We found room for our potager in an unused dog run. Discussing our plans with the landscaper, he suggested we proceed with demolition and let the cleared space guide us in finalizing the details of our design. We could all get a better look once the scrabble was gone. Thankfully, we were early enough in the season before the weeds took over. We just had some overgrown bushes, trees and other debris to remove.

A Pile of Tangled Mess

And so the demolition began . . . 

Demolition with Many a Machine

And then the rain began. After receiving very little snowfall at our elevation (we're just outside Denver at somewhere around 5,600 or 5,800 feet), it rained and rained. Our backyard became a mud pit and our schedule flew out the window. As the mud dried, the landscaper and I sloshed through the backyard to finalize the design. We expanded the patio and he suggested a slightly larger water feature to screen any street noise. As our house sits on a corner that provides access to a popular trail for horses, cyclists and pedestrians in one direction and a path to the community pool in the other, the larger water feature was a go. With the augmentation of the patio, we decided to add a path to our front gate that eliminated the practicality of a fire pit in the side yard. For this year, we'll stick with our chimenea in the backyard until we redesign that space down the road.


The finished side yard matches and exceeds our initial vision, with the final details falling into place beautifully. As with any new outdoor space, the Serenity Garden is more about the raw space and furniture than the actual plantings. The plantings are wee, and the photos do not do the space true justice.

The Serenity Garden Patio Now

Little touches are still pending completion, like the planting of our climbing flowers on a series of trellises and the completion of the electrical to put the water feature on a switch and provide some lighting. Overall, we are delighted with the results.

Water Feature

As for our water feature, though bigger than we originally planned, we love it. The sound of the waterfall is so soothing. When we open our bedroom windows at night, instead of being gagged by pollen spores, we hear a gentle babble reminiscent of a mountain stream.

Wall Art for a Vertical Element

Now as we recline in our chaise lounges or sit in any of the additional seating, we have a polished, playful space with the bones of an excellent garden. We've dubbed our side yard the Serenity Garden because of the peacefulness and pleasure this wonderful, formerly useless space evokes.


The creation of this space has inspired my husband, Eddie, and I to plant a bed in our front yard and to create the beginnings of what we've named our Cheer Garden in our backyard.

The Cheer Garden

This one bed symbolizes the beginnings of overhauling our backyard. Filled with native perennnials, we included a couple of East Coast favorites like the delphiniums and tree rose as a nod to our Eastern roots. The sculptural flowers are a nod to building our home in the Rockies. The flowers are made from recycled horseshoes. They add a quirky element to the newly planted bed and will keep us from kitsch as long as we don't add gnomes, butterflies, gazing balls, penants and the like. 

Rocky Mountain Flower--Horseshoe Style

This is a case where one accessory suffices. Anything more anywhere in our backyard would likely be too much.


The Cheer Garden bed isn't quite finished. We still need to convert the existing irrigation to drip before mulching, as well as capping off the retaining wall Eddie built. It's a small step for our backyard, but it's an important starting point. The Cheer Garden fills our view as either of us stands at our kitchen sink. As we dine from our gazebo, there are now two great views in either direction--one of the water feature and the other of our Cheer Garden.


Now we finally have an outdoor space where we can kick back to recharge us for tackling those other indoor projects.

Copyright 2011. Rocky Mountain Cozy. All photos and content are copyrighted and not to be reproduced without permission.