Why you need to ask the right questions?

I have experienced some great work done by contractors, and I have had some horrific work done in which I am currently seeking a legal remedy for. What was the difference? The great work was done by contractors who were extremely competent who followed an ethical code of conduct that guided their words and actions. The lousy work was done by contractors who either were incompetent and/or lacked the integrity and honor to live up to their commitments and do the job that they were hired to do.

 

Not every lousy service provider outcome is done by contractors who are incompetent. We are all human and we all make mistakes. An ethical contractor will treat you the way they would want to be treated if they were the customer and you were the contractor. Thus, if they make a mistake, they will be accountable and take responsibility for their error and remediate the error to the satisfaction of the customer.

 

Thus, what questions should you ask every contractor before you hire them? If you are hiring a larger company, some of these questions may not be as crucial. However, if you are hiring an independent contractor off of Craigslist, Angi's or from a friend's referral, some basic questions are:

1. Are you insured?

2. What is your insured limit?

3. Do you have insurance that covers poor workmanship and defects (fyi...general liability insurance DOES NOT cover poor workmanship)?

4. May I have a copy of your insurance policy/policies?  (There is a little known secret on how you can get your project insured which allows YOU, not your contractor, to file a poor workmanship claim. Email me and I will share this secret.)

5. Can you provide me with references that I can contact?

6. Can you provide me with pictures of your work?

7. And many more...

For our comprehensive Contractor Checklist, please email me at warren@wkharper.com or complete the "Contact Us" form on the Home page.

 

On time, on budget, best quality

I have had many people in construction tell me that you can have any of the two but not al three. Why not? Why can't we experience projects that are done on time, on budget and with exceptional quality? I have found that the main problems are not supernatural acts outside of human control. Many problems rest on the shoulders of both customers and contractors who fail to set clear expectations of what will be delivered, at what time, at what maximum cost and at what standard. Essentially, is there a clearly defined agreement stating these desired outcomes with remediation actions if these outcomes are not delivered? If not, the risk increases greatly for not experience an on time, on budget and quality result.

 

To increase the probability of a well executed project, a simple statement of work (SOW) and code of conduct agreement can greatly increase the likelihood of this occurring.

 

To receive our FREE Code of Conduct agreement and sample SOW, please email me at warren@wkharper.com or complete the "Contact Us" form on the Home page.

 

What to do if your dream project becomes a nightmare?

What if you have done your best to select a contractor who you believe will do an excellent job, on time and on budget; but you discover the contractor has done a lousy job due to poor workmanship. You attempt to contact the contractor but they refuse to make it right. Do you have any legal options? Maybe.

 

I had a concrete contractor commit to me in text messages and in person that if there were any problems with my concrete deck, he would make it right. Several defects were discovered with his work and he began not returning calls. I am currently in a legal battle to get his lousy work paid for by either the contractor or his insurance provider. But what if he does not have the right type of insurance to cover poor workmanship or is simply a looser who can't or won't take responsibility for his mistakes. Simple answer: I'm screwed!

 

That is why I have started Kaamalot. To help you to learn from my mistakes and have a better results.

 

If you are considering legal actions or if you want to have a legal service essentially on retainer to review contracts and protect your best interests, I highly recommend Rocket Lawyer. You can try there service for FREE and cancel anytime. If you need demand letters prepared or a civil lawsuit filed, they will put you in touch with a lawyer local in your area and you can save up to 40% off the attorney's hourly rate.

 

I did not know about Rocket Lawyer before I started my legal actions against my concrete contractor; thus, I have paid a $500 retainer to an attorney's office and their rate is $125/hr. If I had used Rocket Lawyer, I would have paid $39.99 as a Premium Member and my per hour rate for a local attorney could have been $75/hr. Thus, a 4-hour retainer could have cost me only $300!

 

To ask a lawyer a question at Rocket Lawyer, click here.

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Also, there is a little known secret on how you can get your project insured which allows YOU, not your contractor, to file a poor workmanship claim. Email me and I will share this secret.