Things To Do In SW Florida

Lets talk about selecting the right contractor for your job. Recently, I was called to meet with a potential client that wanted the following list of things done to her home; a) remove and replace existing decking on back patio and stairs, b) extend existing pool cage to include extending the concrete apron, c) remodel her exterior built in cooking area, and finally, d) rebuild and resurface the handicap ramp to her rear patio.

As someone who has built many projects over the years, contractors by in large, can be, and typically are, over confident in their abilities. As a business owner, this is a necessary evil! However, it can lead us to accept jobs that may not be a good fit for our company.

As a case in point, on the project listed above, my company (and our employees) have tons of experience with decks and ramps; but not so much with extending the pool cage and concrete footing. This project should require multiple subcontractors to complete the project (and that’s exactly how I would have handled it). However, the owner wanted one contractor that could do everything. Gang, as a contractor this is a huge red flag. I did not make it far enough into the discussion with the home owner to find out why she only wanted one contractor, but I know two things about this: read more

You’ve done your homework and obtained some price averages that are relevant to your area for your upcoming bathroom renovation project; Great Job! Now its time to find a contractor – “Que the Jaws music”! This can be the point where panic sets in for some folks but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Back in the day (before indoor plumbing) the tried and true practice was to call 5 or 6 contractors in the hopes of getting 4 to 5 to actually look at your project, in the hopes of getting 2 or 3 to actually give you a bid. And you would get one really high number, one really low number and a third bid that wasn’t really a bid at all but rather an attempt to sign you up in the “book of the quarter club”. The good news is that you got 2 bids, the bad news is that they are light years apart and neither are doing the same thing, much less providing the same material.

Folks, lets take a step back and see how this could/should go.

Step 1: When you are ready to build your project spend as much time researching your contractor as you did in selecting the manufacture of your shower valves or engineered flooring. Contractors can be found rather easily. We are in phone books, on line, various magazines, newspapers, your neighbor even plays golf with a guy that went to school with a contractor! As soon as you tell one person you want to build something everyone has a contractor that you need to talk to (but not all contractors are meant to build your job – more on this in a bit). read more

Property Damage Insurance Claims…

So you recently filed an insurance claim for the water leak under your kitchen cabinets and you want your insurance company to pay up.  One of the first questions they will ask you is, “who installed your kitchen cabinets and faucet”?  Assuming you used a licensed and insured contractor you wont have anything to worry about.  However, if you used your friend’s brother’s cousin’s husband who owns a truck and a tape measure, but is not licensed and insured, your insurance company may deny your claim.

The post We’re Licensed! Why it Matters. appeared first on Sunset Builders.

Lead Generating Companies

The other day I was driving in my truck and I hear an advertisement from a well-known company offering a place for listeners to go and check up on contractors.  Not five seconds after this commercial started to play, my phone rings.  On the other end of the line was a sales person offering me the opportunity to get QUALIFIED project leads from folks right here in my work area; all for mere pennies on the dollar!  If that is not proof positive that there is a lot of money at stake in the lead generating business I don’t know what is.

We have all heard the heart-breaking story of the single parent or the elderly that gets beaten out of their hard-earned dollars by the mean old contractor.  I can already hear some of you saying to me, “Marc, we NEED companies like that because contractors are notoriously corrupt”.   If this is your thought process, believe me when I say, you are not alone, but also listen to me when I tell you this is a bunch of hogwash!

Have you ever heard the old saying, “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”?  Growing up, I heard that one and many more from my grandfather.  I didn’t understand him at the time because granny made me as many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as I could eat and never charged me a penny for them (well, she would steal a kiss or two).  I learned it’s meaning as I got older. read more

The Successful Marriage between Contractor and Customer

Any construction project is like a marriage; you have the bride and groom or the contractor and the customer and the ring or the project.  The bride can be the most beautiful woman of your dreams but if the groom doesn’t show up on time to the wedding there will be problems.  Likewise, the groom can be very hardworking but if the bride does not appreciate his work he will be left feeling empty and confused.  Finally, as every bride and groom knows, there is that one perfect ring out there that was made just for them!  And no other project will do.

In keeping with the marriage analogy above, I will attempt to offer some project counseling to the would-be brides and grooms of this world.

To have a successful marriage, I think you must start with three things; 1) a foundation of trust, 2) a willingness to compromise, and finally 3) open communication.

The contractor establishes trust by answering the initial phone call or returning it the same day, showing up to the initial sales call dressed professionally and arriving on time, and prepared to discuss the brides ring.   This initial trust is built on by providing a timely estimate, answering all correspondence in a timely fashion and generally showing interest in the bride. read more