Hiring the wrong people to do building work can waste a lot of money. And time. There are a few general rules to follow to avoid making such an expensive mistake. If you think hiring the builder which is a member of some recognised trade organisation is wise decision think again - in this world of money some associations would be happy to send you a certificate of compliances and symbol of their organisation for displaying for couple of dollars.
Never
give work to door-to-door callers. If they seem reputable, ask them the address
of their company's office and send for information.
Wherever
possible you should employ people on personal recommendation from relatives or
friend. Alternatively you may ask the company that you are thinking of some
work and want get some recommendations from locals, ask them for names and
addresses of people in the area who have similar work done. Then you may wish
to contact them to find out if they were satisfied with the work.
Contact
two or three companies for quotations before deciding which to use. Prices can
vary according to the size of the company, or how busy they are.
Don't
be tempted to use an unknown company because it offers a 'Ten year guarantee'.
If the company goes bust, the guarantee is worth nothing.
Get
an agreement in writing, spelling out exactly what is to be done, what
materials will be used, how long the job will take and how much it will cost.
This protects you as well as the builder. Verbal agreements can often go wrong.
Commercial General
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On
large projects, consider employing a local architect or surveyor, who will be
responsible for ensuring that only reputable tradesmen are involved. Because of
their training and experience, architects can often save you more than the cost
of their fees.
Even
if the hired builder contractor is to do the entire job, prepare to be
involved. It is wise to keep an eye on the job, to make sure it is done the way
you want - particularly where any error or misunderstanding could not easily be
repaired. One such garden contractor did a 'tree surgery' in a my friend's
patio without her supervision - well, she was not happy to see her favorite
tree 'surgered' for a quarter!
Do
not sign anything that states you are satisfied with the completed job if you
are not satisfied or have not had time to inspect it thoroughly.
A
contractor is obliged by law to carry out the work agreed upon with reasonable
skill and care, within a reasonable time, to make a fair charge and to use
materials that are appropriate to the job.
If
the work is not done to your satisfaction, ask the contractor to put it right
within a specified time. Should your contractor argue about your complaint, and
refuse to cooperate with you, take the matter to the appropriate arbitration or
conciliation service.
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