If you have a big remodeling or renovation job that needs to be completed in your home or business, chances are good that you don’t possess the necessary skills for completing this job on your own.
Or perhaps you do, but just simply don’t have the time.
This is where hiring a reputable and dependable general contractor comes into play. It’s one of the most important decisions you’ll make when it comes to implementing and completing any major home renovation project.
But regardless of how many references you check and how good your intentions are, not every general contractor is going to be exactly what he says he is. And that’s when you may be faced with the unenviable task of firing the contractor you’ve hired to do the work.
We’ll go over a few steps today that you should keep in mind whenever you need to hire, or fire, a contractor from a job at your home or place of business.
Let’s start with the more pleasant task of hiring someone for the job:
Do Your Homework
You want to focus on individuals or companies that can show prior experience with the type of project that you envision. It would also help if they have testimonials from former clients, and maybe even photos of past projects that you can take a look at. “We provide pictures and references on all room additions, kitchen remodels, and bathroom remodels in San Antonio” says Eddie Sanchez a remodeler in South Texas.
Interview Multiple Contractors
You’ll want to ask things like how much experience they have with these types of projects, if they can apply for and receive the necessary permits for the job and how long they feel the project is going to take.
Get Quotes
It’s important to note that the lowest quote might not be the best one. You also want to consider factors such as experience, work samples and more. Always compare quotes from various contractors.
Put It In Writing
You want to be sure that you get the terms of the accepted quote in writing. This will also come into play when you need to unfortunately fire someone, which you can read more about below.
Now, let’s talk about how you can go about firing a contractor who isn’t living up to his or her end of the bargain. The keyword to keep in mind here is “carefully,” especially if you don’t have a termination clause in your contract.
Proceed With Caution
If you’re going to fire a contractor after you have a completed and signed contract, you’re going to need to do so very methodically. So before you act rashly, be sure that you have all your ducks in a row and then proceed with caution.
You Need to Have a Very Good Reason
Once you have a signed agreement, you need to keep in mind that this is legally enforceable. So you need to have a really good reason for backing out of the deal. Reasons would include if the contractor is stealing from your home or business, causing damage to your property or perhaps even something like consistently missing deadlines.
Document Everything
You’ll be on much safer ground if you’ve documented everything during the renovation process. A lawyer or judge is not just going to take your word for it, so be sure you have documentation to back up your claims.
