TIPS BEFORE YOU HIRE A CONTRACTOR
TO REMODEL OR MAKE REPAIRS


Plan Ahead
Never start a project without an approved design and materials list. Make sure that your local planning and building department approves your design before you sign a contract to build. Note that the City of Chicago or the local Village/Municipality depending upon the Scope of Work may require a Building Permit.

Please Don't Overbuild
Overbuilding occurs when improvements cause your house to be over priced for your neighborhood, which may make it difficult to sell at a profit

Hiring a Contractor
Here are a few rules you should follow when hiring a contractor. These rules are designed to protect you and your contractor from any misunderstandings.

Written Contracts
Insist on a written contract that specifies construction details, a planned date of completion and an agreement for the contractor to clean up after the project is finished. Make sure that all contract changes are in writing and signed by you and the contractor. Never rely upon any verbal changes.

Contractor Payments
Be certain the contract includes a schedule of payments as the work progresses.

Subcontractors and Suppliers
Don't make final payments until you have seen receipts for bills paid by the contractor. A contractor's failure to pay a supplier may result in a lien on your home.

References and Bids
Depend upon references when selecting. Ask your friends, neighbors, and associates at work for references. Always interview as many contractors as possible (a minimum of three is recommended.) Check their references from people they've work for.

Insurance
Make sure that the contractor has appropriate insurance, including both general liability and workers compensation insurance.


¹Source: The League of American Homeowners

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NEW CONSTRUCTION TIPS
PROBLEMS TYPICALLY FOUND WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION

1. Poor paint job missed places, paint drips, or paint on areas where it should not be.
2. Poorly done drywall job with seams, nail and/or screw head pops showing.
3. Appliances not installed or poorly installed. For example the dishwasher not secured to the countertop.
4. Damaged appliances, resulting in lost warranties.
5. Failure to paint the tops, bottoms, and sides of exposed wood on wooden sashes and doors.
6. Failure to clean the ductwork, its always dirty.
7. Switches and receptacles that don't work.
8. Scratches and gaps on the hard wood floors.
9. Kitchen and bath cabinet doors are often not aligned. Doors, stiles, and rails are split, cracked, or broken.
10. Scratches or cracks within the granite or Formica counter top. 
11. Failure to properly bond or electrically install the garbage disposal.
12. Leaking plumbing traps.
13. Shower and bathtub tiles are often never caulked into the tub or floor, as they should be. 
14. The ceramic and marble floor and wall tiles are usually never sealed.
15. Loose shingles or debris remaining on the roof's surface.
16. The insulation board is usually broken during the installation of the exterior siding or the brick veneer.
17. Floor and ceiling mechanical and electrical penetrations are never sealed with an appropriate fire and fume-stopping material. This is a safety hazard!
18. Joist hangers are never nailed in every slot, as is required. The result is weak framing.
19. Mudsills are never flat washered and nutted, as they are required to be. The problem is the house will not be secured to the foundation.
20. There has rarely ever been a poured concrete foundation wall where the contractor poured it level and to the correct height and dimension. Gaps below the mudsill should be filed with a non-shrink structural mortar.
21. Cracks in foundation walls with water seepage.
22. Concrete contractors often do not remove their form ties or they forget to parge over any areas where the form ties were removed. Sooner or later, these form ties crack the foundation walls as they rust. Therefore all basements will take on water.
23. Many structural steel beams are not mortared into their beam pocket. This may cause the structural beam to shift.
24. Heating and cooling ducts are often never taped sealed with an approved heating tape, as is required. The result is lost air flow.
25. Supply and waste piping often do not have an adequate number of supports or fasteners to secure them.
26. Electricians and plumbers often notch or cut through joists and studs where they are not supposed to, making the framing weak.
27. Crawl spaces are usually not covered with plastic and stone, as they should be in order to prevent excessive moisture.
28. Dryers are almost never installed with steel flue pipes and clamps, as is required. This is a safety hazard.
29. The primary sources of heat loss, in new construction, are due to the lack of insulation or sealant around the band joist, the mudsill, and around the doors and windows. NOTE: Heating and cooling bills are going up$$$.
30. Over flow tray or tub not installed under the wash machine and hot water heater. This may result in future water damage.
31. There are always some cracked or open mortar joints on any masonry building.
32. Exterior structural lintels not painted as required. This will result in premature rusting and failure. Lintels are expensive to replace.
33. Most foundation windows and doors in masonry buildings are inadequately equipped with flashing and weep holes. They are required in order to prevent moisture penetration and possible mold growth.
34. Most municipalities require one basement exit window that is larger than the others. This exit window is required to have a ladder in the window well.
35. Down spouts never extend 5' or more from the foundation, as they should or exterior landscaping without proper grading. These are crucial for water management that will help prevent the potential for wet basements and possible foundation failure.

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