Construction Contractor on a Budget: 7 Tips to Hire a Construction Companies

Home and office owners are increasingly hiring construction contractors to ensure that their lack of time, expertise, and blueprints should not be an obstacle to get their dream designed and decorated properties. However, hiring a suitable builder or renovator requires you to consider certain essential prerequisites so that you get the most suitable one and that too within your budget.

The following are seven practical suggestions one should follow while scouting for the most appropriate among short-listed construction companies.

• Do Your Homework
A smart home is your dream and you owe an obligation toward it. You must plan the general outline and things to be built, added, or renovated. Find out if any of your friends had a similar home building or renovation earlier. Unless you have the basic idea of what you need, it is very likely that builders and renovation contractors may take you for a ride. On the other hand, basic awareness about the task enables home and office owners to evaluate each proposal thoroughly and catch hold of construction companies quoting exorbitant costs.

• Go for Local Home Builders
Local home builders offer an advantage in budget, accessibility, and ability to handle on-site problems. Their proximity allows them to save on transport and other costs and pass these benefits to clients. They can also be easily reached, monitored, and verified. Neighborhood construction contractors are aware of local licensing requirements, better placed to deal with authorities, and more effectively handle inconveniences caused to neighbors during the building period.

• Scrutinize Expertise, Reputation of Construction Contractors
It is essential to check if short-listed contractors have adequate expertise for your job. Home building and remodeling require different skills. Even the size and scale of projects and latest design incorporation demand different level of expertise. Ensure your short-listed companies are well experienced and proficient in handling your job requisites. Also, verify the credibility of each contractor you deem fit for the job. Check online reviews and client feedback to judge their competence, expertise, customer care, adherence to the timeline, and quality of work.

• Shortlist More Than One Construction Companies
To get the best price, you must shortlist multiple home contractors. More options not only allow you to make a comparative analysis prior to selecting the best possible candidate but also enable you to bargain. In both situations, you will be able to get extra benefits each contractor wish to add to its offer or even scale back quoted price estimates.

• Seek Quotes With Blueprint Details
Notwithstanding your primary concern for budget, you should also seek detailed plan on how the job will be done. Ask home builders to present before you their license and insurance details, facts on supplier network, latest construction designs, completion time-frame, assure quality and service warranty, how to address a complaint, whom to contact in case of emergency, how to tackle, and construction-related inconvenience.

• Plan Your Budget, Bargain
Make a decision on how much you are ready to spend on home building or renovation. Inform contractors about your budget and ask them on the possibilities of sticking to that. You should also be a bit flexible with your budget and ready to accept if construction companies present some new designs, features, or additions to your original plan with reasonable cost escalation.

• Written Contract Is A Must
No hiring of construction companies should be made without a written contract. It acts as an assurance against cost escalation, delayed completion, inconvenient work schedule, labor problems, low-quality material use, communication difficulties, and lack of technical expertise.

These suggestions are the fundamentals aimed at helping you hire the most suitable home contractors and assuring protection against trouble during the construction process. Take every possible precaution beforehand and allow yourself to remain stress free while supervising the work on your dream home.

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10 Common Mistakes Most Construction Companies Make

A majority of American and Canadian construction companies, both small and big, continue to reel under financial pressure despite a seemingly surge in home building and renovation in their respective countries. Their shrinking client base, an outcome of ineffective business strategy, unsustainable practices, and bad contracts, is fast contributing to loss of business and increasing financial difficulties. Here are 10 common mistakes home renovation and construction companies make.

• Lack of A Good Business Plan
Risks are inevitable part of construction business and only a stout business plan can assure safety against all odds. But many jump into the race without effective and complete planning. Aimless business flounder at the sight of risk possibilities and companies become unable to counter odds successfully. Home contractors must consider realities in the most comprehensive form, find ways to make adaptations and adjustments at the right earnest, and follow a planned direction beating competitions.
• Improper Marketing Strategy
A good marketing strategy is the key to succeed. However, many construction companies, in Canada in particular, are yet to fully incorporate the latest technology to their marketing camping. Inability to exploit social media potential, video marketing and the mobile merchandising is causing great loss to home contractors. Successive surveys indicate social media marketing is key to boost business across all industries and it carries a major chunk of neighborhood business prospects.
• Unable To Discern Bad Contracts
Construction companies should avoid accepting bad contracts. Those with penalty clauses, delayed payment provisions, work not commensurate with home builder or renovation contractor skills and experiences, and may put them in a negative situation. Such contracts have the potential to cause financial losses and bring a bad reputation.
• Failure To Address Customer Concerns on Priority Basis
Positive feedback by customers is the biggest asset to expand construction business. Those not replaying to customers queries and concerns on a priority basis face the specter of rejection. Negative review brands a company unprofessional, without adequate customer care, and improper communication, the essential considerations by customers to hire a contractor.
• No Prudent Financial Management
Lack of prudent financial practices is a major mistake that many construction companies make. Home renovation or building requires contractors to pay for registration, licensing, insurance, equipment, manpower, and other expenditures. The more variety of services a company offers, the higher is the startup cost. Those making huge investments or taking loans at the onset feel immense pressure if the cash flow is not as expected. Therefore, the less a contractor invests in capital expenditure and the more it saves, the smaller is the chance of financial strain.
• No Proper License and Certification
Home building and renovations includes a variety of services. Construction companies offering many of these services without proper certification or license may lose out in competition. Lack of certification leads many consumers to consider it a sign of no expertise in a field. Home builders may have to pay fines and incur bad name if the government penalizes them for providing services without proper license.
• Static Skills, Technology, Systems
In a competitive world, continued enhancement of skill and systems are essential for business growth and expansion. Construction business is ever evolving with new themes, technology, and tools and companies must upgrade themselves accordingly. Those remaining static face the risk of losing prospective customers to better-equipped contractors, who poised to do home building and renovation jobs more effectively and more quickly.
• Fighting With A Bad Client
It is always a grave mistake to fight with a client notwithstanding how bad is he. There are customers who keep changing job requirements, delay payments, bully or harass the employees, or frequently compares with other contractors. Such customers are not worth keeping, as he has only a negative feedback. Better leave aside such people without wasting resources.
• Eager To Have Hand on All Jobs
Construction industry is highly specialized and there is seldom any company claiming to be the master of all trades. One specializes in restoration of historical building, the other in per-fabricated homes, third in kitchen improvement, and the so on. A contractor must not say yes to job it does not have expertise in. Lack of experience and skills result in inefficiency and poor quality. Better do jobs most proficient at and avoid bad reputation.
• No Insurance Cover
Without insurance cover, construction companies are at greater risk of financial loss. Many builders avoid insurance thinking about high premium rate. However, such a mistake is a grave threat in construction industry, where accidents, property damage, and unfortunate incidents are not rare despite the highest degree of security. Such incidents, in the absence of insurance cover, put companies at the risk of huge financial losses.

Whether it is a startup or existing construction companies, these conman construction companies mistakes must be avoided to ensure that the contractors remain immune from any risk and expand their business with excellent professional services.

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Hiring a Home Renovation Contractor: Spending Big Not Enough, Pick Right Men

Canadians spent a whopping $68 billion on house remodelling and renovation compared to $20 billion on house purchases in 2014 and the story continues in 2015 too. Visitors passing through any neighbourhood in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton and elsewhere are assured of having glances of work vans loaded with supplies for local construction companies doing remodelling work. Indeed, Canadians are willing to open their wallet and hire best home renovation contractors to update homes with luxury colour pallet, personalize hardware, refurbish kitchen design with trademark and even add more space to live or make an income.

The Experience
Now the million-dollar question, residents are spending a big chunk of their savings, but how they sum up their experiences? Is it good or just average so-so? Do they think hired home improvement contractors are true professionals? What prevents them to make an excellent remark? Do they still think the home remodeling service providers engaged are a mark less than perfect choices?
Montreal resident and life coach Anna Riddell’s story is an example how big spending goes astray and hassles keep you seething in anger when you fail to hire the right renovation contractor. Busy in her professional engagement, the mother of three had no time to check for Montreal construction companies offering renovation services. Anna preferred to go with a friend’s referral and hired a home renovation contractor without any homework.
She erred first in hiring a renovation contractor who worked only in renovating bathrooms and no previous experience of doing kitchen and basement remodeling jobs. And this selection made Anna to remorse and she struggled to keep her mind off things. Anna did not hesitate to pay $5,000 to the Montreal construction contractor before the work started and another equal installment a week later. Her ordeal began with delays, substandard work and lack of communication with the chosen renovation contractor, who also jumbled in getting supplies, finalizing kitchen designs, engage interior designers, plumber and carpenters, as the need arises.
The end result – Mrs Riddell got a kitchen after four-time schedule overshot and it came with water lines disconnected, cabinets not properly packed, flooring look less than ordinary, woodwork awfully lacking and plumbing nightmare. The biggest of all headaches her kitchen failed in municipal inspection. She was scared of shoddy or unfinished work.
Dozens of calls made to her contractor went unanswered. She has already paid $10,000 and still nowhere. An online search revealed the renovation service provider had no kitchen remodeling experience and many like her wrote scores of disillusioned feedbacks. A rude shock she was somehow able to wither.
Anna went through all available names of Montreal construction services in her locality again and selected one among five shortlisted renovation contractors. This time she did her homework well searching and contacting referrals and reading feedbacks. All short-listed contractors are asked for point of communication, estimates, insurance, lien check, pros and suppliers with them and registration numbers. She also searched the company name using words, such as “scam,” “rip-off,” or “complaint” before selecting the chosen one. She signed a proper agreement with a defined cost and schedule.
An additional $8,000 she incurred to finish the job left by the previous home renovation company. But this time she was completely free from any hassle, albeit more than ever cautious. However, no need to scramble here and there and incur headache over construction contractor’s failure to return a customer’s calls. She learnt her lesson for not doing homework at the first instance and validating credibility of the home renovation contractor prior to hiring him.

The Checkmate: Renovize Solution
Hundreds of Montreal residents like Anna suffer from mental and physical agony and end up losing money and time. They have paid thousands of dollars for home improvement, but rarely have an excellent experience. News reports show countless instances where Canadians are scammed through substandard work of shady professionals and forced to hire a second construction contractor for renovation.
To avert an Anna-like experience, be attentive to certain points.

• Check the registration of the renovation contractor you are about to hire.
• Registered ones have proper office and liability insurance.
• Verify if any complaint pending against the contractor
• Search referrals and reviews online
• Ask for a lien waiver to ensure you do not have any liability to suppliers or workers
• Sign a written contract before the work starts and insert schedule, cost and cancel clauses
• Beware of frequent cash demands by the contractor.
• Avoid upfront payments exceeding one-fourth of the estimate.
• Pay in installments as the work is done.
• Seek multiple estimate proposals before hiring one renovation contractor.

Renovize, an online directory of Montreal construction professionals, offer a reliable source to search trusted and expert contractors in your locality. We listed professionals, such as home builders, construction contractors, renovation contractors, carpenters, electricians, digital security installers, Cabinet and countertop suppliers, flooring services, plumbers, architects, interior designers, paining services and lot more construction and renovation service providers after their verification and validation. Consumers can check referrals, learn about their experience, get several estimates, and communicate without any obligation. Learn more about things to do before hiring a construction contractor.

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Asphalt vs. Concrete Driveway

When it comes to installing a driveway, the most pressing question is whether to go with asphalt or concrete. You are looking for the best material for your driveway. Both materials need solid foundations. Though concrete lasts longer, asphalt is less expensive to install but requires more maintenance. Professional asphalt contractors suggest that both materials require solid foundations, because the life of a driveway depends on its foundation.

However, when it comes to choosing the driveway surface, you ought to consider your budget and location. In winter, concrete driveways are exposed to damage if wrong de-icing product is used. Contrarily, asphalt is a better material that flexes and can thus handle temperature fluctuations.

Asphalt or Concrete Driveways

Driveway is the first aesthetic area of your property that visitors tend to notice. The kind of material you use affects both its durability and function.

Concrete Driveways

Cement is mixed with sand and gravel to create concrete, which is a strong, durable material that lasts long. As a result, it requires less maintenance and repair. However, temperature changes can have a significant effect on concrete surfaces. Being an expensive alternative to other types of cementing options, concrete is costly to repair. Though it has a smooth, attractive surface, any crack on concrete surfaces stands out and can cause extensive damage. It requires overhaul or extensive repair, as you can't add a topcoat to the damaged concrete surface.

Concrete driveways do not require sealing to ensure longevity; however, sealed concrete surfaces are less prone to stains and discoloration. Oil-based stains on concrete are hard to remove and require a degreaser. If you have a custom concrete surface, the best way to ensure longevity is regular sealing every few years.

Asphalt Driveways

Cheaper to install compared to concrete, asphalt surfaces require sealing after 6 months or a year. These driveways require regular maintenance and sealing every 2-3 years. With a good base, your asphalt driveway can last more than 30 years.

Though price fluctuations in crude oil can affect the cost of asphalt, it is still lower compared to concrete installations. If done by professional asphalt paving services providers, asphalt driveways can prove to be your best investment.

There are a number of factors that can increase the cost of concrete, including custom texture, pattern, and color choices. A basic concrete driveway is costly due to the construction, rebar, and curing time.

Repairs

Cracks in asphalt surfaces are easier to repair compared to concrete driveways. In fact, any repaired crack on an asphalt driveway easily blends into the original surface, thanks to the nature of asphalt’s tar base. This makes asphalt an attractive choice for driveway that can add enough value and curb appeal to property.

Concrete repairs are more apparent under the impact of weathering, fading, and discoloration. Repairing ensures a long lifespan to concrete. However, it is highly unlikely that the concrete driveway would bear the same charm as the original paved surface. Asphalt surfaces are less likely to crack in colder climates, unlike concrete that comes under the impact of heat and thaw conditions and tends to crack.

If you are considering a paving project for your property, get in touch with expert asphalt contractors that can offer you the best value for your money.

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