Real Estate


Mortgages Real Estate Investments Plus

Home Loan Deals & Mortgage Refinancing Tips


 RSS  feed      Home      

Real Estate - Click here to save on your mortgage

Be A Successful Loan Officer - Insider Land Secrets - Building Business Credit - Mortgage Secrets - Personal Loan - Bad Credit Loans


Share |


You are free to use content from this page in your blog or website, in return for a link back to this page from that blog or website.



Hiring A Contractor - 10 Mistakes To Avoid


A very smart attorney I know paid $7,000 for a roof repair, only to have the roof leak the next time it rained. The contractor stalled, made excuses, but never did a thing about it. Anyone can have these kinds of problems when having repairs or improvements done, but to make it less likely, avoid the folowing mistakes when hiring a contractor.

1. Not knowing what you want. If you don't know what you want, you might not like what you get. Also, if you change your mind and change the job halfway through, the contract - and price - have changed (Hint: it won't get cheaper). Know clearly what you want done.

2. Not getting everything in writing. You don't want to hear, "I didn't say I was going to include the gutters."

3. Not having dates in the contract. Did you want it finished this year? You better have it in the contract.

4. Paying too much up front. A deposit may be a reasonable request when the contract is signed, and money for materials prior to the start date. Never pay in full before the job is finished.

5. Hiring unlicensed contractors. Actually, this can be okay, if you know what you are doing (and he does). The license doesn't mean you get expertise, but it does mean you get leverage. A contractor will right his wrongs to avoid losing that license.

6. Hiring the first one in the phone book. Ask friends who had work done, or the owner of a hardware store. Find a recommendation based on a similar job to yours.

7. Thinking there will be no problems. Weather delays, employees quitting, and more will happen. Having problems is okay, but it's not okay if the contractor can't work out the issues to your satisfaction.

8. Expecting neatness. Believe it or not, it is sometimes efficient to leave things laying where they'll next be used. There will be messes, so prepare accordingly. Cover things if it will be a dusty job, for example. Also be clear in the contract that the jobsite will be cleaned up at the end of the job.

9. Not having penalties in the contract. This is important on large jobs. It's one thing to say "Work to be completed by May 2nd," but better to add, "$100 per day to be deducted from the contract price for each day the job is unfinished beyond May 2nd." That's what I call a motivational clause.

10. Thinking contracts will prevent problems. They help, but unreasonable people on either side of a contract can ignore them, or use "literal readings" to make things even worse. Find someone you can work with, and keep your eyes open.

Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com


Cat 10542


Lucky Horseshoe Ranch - 10 acres - Presidio County, Texas
ebay image$2.25 (2 Bids)
End Date: Friday Feb-10-2012 19:00:39 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

10 ACRES OF BUILDABLE LAND FOR SALE: Bold Springs, TN
ebay image$22,000.00
End Date: Thursday Feb-23-2012 12:30:28 PST
Buy It Now for only: $22,000.00
Buy It Now | Add to watch list

GOLCONDA, NEVADA 10 ACRE OLD GOLD MINE!
ebay image$15,000.00 (0 Bids)
End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 11:03:08 PST
Buy It Now for only: $19,000.00
Buy It Now | Bid now | Add to watch list

FANTASTIC 10 ACRES OF LAND~WEST OF BARSTOW CALIFORNIA~OWNER FINANCE!
ebay image$25.00 (0 Bids)
End Date: Sunday Feb-12-2012 12:04:41 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

RARE 10 ACRE NEVADA RANCH ADJOINS BLM LAND! MINERAL RIGHTS! PAVED HWY ACCESS!!
ebay image$195.00
End Date: Sunday Mar-4-2012 12:28:21 PST
Buy It Now for only: $195.00
Buy It Now | Add to watch list

10 acres Sweetwater County WY, NW of Rawlings, close to road real deal NR
ebay image$2,300.00 (0 Bids)
End Date: Sunday Feb-12-2012 15:00:17 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

FREE 2012 USAGE BLUEGREEN RESORT POINTS 10,000 FALLS VILLAGE BRANSON, MISSOURI
ebay image$46.31 (0 Bids)
End Date: Sunday Feb-12-2012 16:00:13 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

10 AC PRESIDIO TEXAS,CTY ROAD,NO RESERVE,CASH SALE
ebay image$50.00 (0 Bids)
End Date: Sunday Feb-12-2012 17:00:34 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

10 ACRE NEVADA RANCH POWER~EZ ACCESS~GREAT VIEWS W/MINERAL RIGHTS! ADJOINS BLM
ebay image$195.00
End Date: Monday Feb-13-2012 4:04:57 PST
Buy It Now for only: $195.00
Buy It Now | Add to watch list

10 unit Apartment Building with 5 stores NO RESERVE NO BACK TAXES
ebay image$3,900.00 (1 Bid)
End Date: Sunday Feb-12-2012 18:18:07 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

10 ACRES - WEST TEXAS - IN SECRET SPRINGS - RANCH / HUNT / HORSES $95/MO TERMS!
ebay image$25.00 (0 Bids)
End Date: Sunday Feb-12-2012 19:00:55 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

SAN DIEGO, OCEAN VIEW, NEW UNDER CONSTRUCTION-10,632 SQ/FT, 8BR.5BA.ON 11ACRES
ebay image$2,300,000.00
End Date: Tuesday Feb-21-2012 14:11:43 PST
Buy It Now for only: $2,300,000.00
Buy It Now | Add to watch list

~SW TX 10 Ac 1/2 MI TO BIG BEND PARK GREAT VIEWS HWY RR160~
ebay image$152.50 (7 Bids)
End Date: Sunday Feb-12-2012 21:30:53 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

Large property bordering 10,000+ acres National Forest! LOW price & payments!
ebay image$20.00 (1 Bid)
End Date: Monday Feb-13-2012 13:00:11 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

Home Business Plan

Peel Away Ads Marketing And Advertising without Pop-Ups, Fly-Ins or Pop-Unders
home | Realestate site map | custom google search | Realestate articles | Privacy policy
Copyright © 2009 www.dovada.net.au