homes | advice

EDITOR'S NOTE: We felt any issue that touches on home financing, architecture and decor also ought to have some down- to-earth advice for homeowners planning to remodel. To that end, we invited Ken Willis, president of the League of California Homeowners and Upland city councilman to offer some advice:

By KEN WILLIS

EACH YEAR, the Contractors State License Board receives more than 20,000 complaints from homeowners. While that's a big number, it doesn't mean everyone is guilty of something, but it does mean that a lot of projects have not gone well. The Boy Scout motto, "be prepared," surely applies to home remodeling. Here are some tips to make sure the job is done right:

Planning, preparation
-- Before starting, decide what you want to have done. Draw sketches, keep magazine articles and have pictures to use as examples in order to explain what you want. The more time you spend in planning and preparation, the less time you will spend with buyer's remorse.

-- If the project is large, consider hiring an architect who specializes in home remodeling. Any expense for an architect usually pays off in both greater satisfaction and less frustration.

-- With drawn plans and a "materials list" in hand, seek bids from at least three contractors. An architect may recommend a contractor he regularly works with — but remember that contractor may not have the best price. Suggestion: let the architect's contractor bid against some others.

Hiring a contractor
-- Be sure the contractor has a license from the Contractors State License Board. Always check with the CSLB to insure that that the license is valid.

-- Insist that your contractor proves he or she has general liability and workers' compensation insurance. This is for your protection, because anything that happens on your property can come back on you if your contractor is uninsured. Note: a "license bond" is not the equivalent of general liability insurance.

-- Insist the contractor obtain all building permits. Ask to see the permits.

Contracts
-- Get a good contract and don't sign it right away. Take time to read it over. If your contractor insists that you sign right away, then get another contractor. Do not be pressured into signing until you're confident that you understand the terms.

-- If you have a "large" job, spend a few hundred dollars to have an attorney review the contract. Consider the attorney's review as an insurance policy against future headaches. It is worth the cost to have that attorney help you avoid some big mistakes.

-- Finally, if you sign a contract in your home or at a public home show, there's a three-day right of recision, which means you can cancel the contract without a reason as long as you are timely. You need to call the contractor to cancel and send a post-marked letter. If you sign a contract in the contractor's office or a regular place of business, such as a large home improvement store, your three-day right of recision is "voided."

-- Two "must-have" items in a good contract are a "materials list" and a "progress payment schedule."

The materials list provides detailed information about things like tile, flooring, paint, type of wood, roofing materials, sinks, faucets and more. It should include detailed descriptions, including model or serial numbers, to insure that you get what you paid for.

The progress payment schedule should always be spelled out in dollars and cents, never percentages. Identify each step of the job.

To start a job, pay either $1,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less. Then pay only for work that is finished, not in advance.

Never pay cash for anything. Always pay by check and keep a thorough accounting. Your control of the job is your checkbook.

After signing a contract, keep everything in a "job file." Your contract, all receipts, copies of building permits as well as change orders (hopefully not too many of these) and perhaps a diary with notes about who was at the site on what day, who you spoke to and what was said.

If you have questions or need advice, feel free to contact the League of California Homeowners, a nonprofit consumer group, at www.homeowners.org or call (909) 931-1653.