Bathroom remodels are unique in that labor plays a much larger role in their total cost than other home projects. Kitchen renovations, for example, require more money to be allocated to expensive appliances. Specific elements of a bathroom remodel, like complex plumbing work, drive up labor fees considerably.
Watch enough HGTV and you’ll feel like there’s no home renovation project you couldn’t handle yourself. Knocking down walls seems like fun, and it couldn’t be that hard to install a sink, right? Well, depending on the type of job you’re looking at, you may be seriously considering the question, “Do I hire a general contractor or do I DIY it?”
Say you’ve decided on a general contractor for your home renovation. You’ve considered your options, ruled out a design-build firm, know what you want and have someone in mind for the job. What next?
Before any renovation work is done on your home, you should have everything spelled out with your general contractor ahead of time. No matter what the project, your agreement with your contractor needs to be more ironclad than a handshake to protect you and your home from shoddy work.
In today’s remodeling world, there are generally two types of ways to execute a project: traditional construction also known as Design-Bid-Build (DBB) and Design-Build (DB). For the most part, a lead contractor is involved in both types of construction, however, there are some differences. So, what’s right for your project? Design-build vs. general contractors?
If you’re ready to remodel, and you’re really set on not going with a design-build solution, you’re probably going to need a contractor.
But where do you start? How do you know you’re going to get what you’re paying for? How do you find someone in the first place? What makes them qualified for the job? Well, if you follow these tips on how to pick a contractor that’s right for your project, your remodel should go as planned.