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To DIY or not DIY Part 2

So you decided on DIY vs not DIY for your project..now what?


If you weighed all the options, and chose to DIY then congrats! And good luck on your project. Hopefully it will turn out exactly how you imagined it would. Email us some pictures of the before & afters and we may showcase you in one of our upcoming blog posts!
Send your submissions to jay@thedoityourselfer.com
Decide that it would be better to hire a contractor?  Then you'll want to stack the odds in your favor when it comes to choosing the best person for the job. Don't worry if that seems like an impossible task these days. It's not. While it's true that there are a lot of less than stellar guys out there trust me..the good guys do exist.  Here's what you need to know to find a professional:

Since the obvious advice has been around for a while, I won't spend a whole lot of time on things you have heard already. This includes meeting with the contractor in person, getting neighbor referrals, checking with the BBB, checking with other online referral sources, and asking for references. You know that stuff already.
Start your search by going to or calling contractor supply centers. (NOT big box marts) Usually you should be able to find a plumbing supplier, electrical supplier, and building supplier. These stores are typically geared towards the pros as opposed to the big box marts being more homeowner friendly. Ask THEM for contractor referrals. The professionals have good relationships with places like these, and you should be able to get 2-3 names by asking. You will still have to do your due diligence, but it is a very good place to start.
Once you have a few names, start setting up appointments to meet with your prospective pros. Set aside a block of time if possible, so you won't be distracted. A word of advice here, don't be tempted to have more than one person show up at a time in an effort to speed up the process.

Top things you need to ask the next contractor you interview:

will you be there during the job, or will you have a designated foreman?

It's OK if the contractor has a dedicated foreman to run his jobs. He should be checking in with the job though, particularly if it goes more than one day. Find out what the standard practice is for him so there are no assumptions. You should get phone numbers for both just in case. Be wary of someone who does not leave a point of contact if he is not present. There may be communication issues during the job.

May I contact your insurer to verify your coverage?

There are several things you are looking for here. You'll need to look for liability and workman's comp policies. If the contractor stumbles excessively over this question it could mean a big red flag. Explain that you want to be sure the coverage is in force and will be appropriate for the job being done on your home. Not all insurance is the same. A common trick to save money is to get a lesser policy that won't cover more dangerous jobs such as roofing.

How do you pay your workers?

It's no surprise if the contractor needs to use subcontractors, especially for larger jobs. Because of the stigma, some guys try to hide this fact. Subs are not a concern if the contractor has a good working history with them. Be sure to ask about insurance for the subcontractors too, however, as they should also have their own liability and workman's comp policies.

How do you handle cancellations?

Did you know that there are right of rescission laws? That means if you sign a sales contract and change your mind within a specified amount of time, you will not be legally bound to the contract. Find out about your state's laws through here.
And yes, the contractor should absolutely be familiar with these laws already.

And for outside and/or larger projects:

Can i drive by a current jobsite?

Assure the contractor that you aren't looking to knock on their customer's door. What you are looking for here is a quick drive-by, and verification that the job is not left in complete disarray after the workday is done. Construction sites are messy of course, but should also be reasonably cleaned up at the end of each work day. You'll get to see how much respect the company has for the property they are working on.

do you have a few samples in my area to drive by?

The best way to check out the quality of the work on larger jobs is to take a look at samples of their finished product. Again, you don't want to be knocking on doors or being to obvious by stopping and gawking, but it's nice to see some local decent looking jobs. This works especially well for roofing, siding and front or garage doors. Be leery of the guy who can't come up with any places for you to view completed jobs.
Hopefully these pointers will help take some of the stress out of hiring a contractor should you need one. If you happen to hire a real good contractor, the upside is you can watch what he or she does and maybe learn a trick or two!

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