Renovating your Pittsburgh home (Crafton: fit in, buy, construction)

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by juliegt

[indent]Ask your friends and neighbors which companies they use. Contact those companies and ask for references. Contact the references. Ask the references if the work was done to their liking, and if it was done in a timely manner for the price quoted. How did the company handle any problems that arose? Was the job site cleaned up and organized at the end of each workday?

Verify that the company has the proper licenses and insurance. Also check with the state licensing agency to see if there are any complaints filed.

Ask to see a finished project and to tour one of their job sites.

Join Angie's List and contact "A" rated companies (ask the questions I mentioned earlier and ask for references, etc.). The reviews on AL are real. We worked very hard to maintain our "A" rating at the company I used to work for.

Do your homework so that you have some idea of what a project like yours will cost. Get estimates from at least three companies. If any of the estimates is dramatically higher or lower than average find out why. Make sure that quantities and types of materials used are the about the same on each estimate.

Run from anyone telling you that you don't need a permit for structural work. Building codes are there for a reason.

I repeat: "Why is it so difficult to find a good contractor?" What other industry requires the customer to be so vigilant and do so much work? Used cars are the only comparable thing I can think of.

Thank you for the tips though; they are definitely good ideas, even if a little time consuming.

[Q-tip motha]

Originally Posted by juliegt

I've posted this elsewhere, but it bears repeating. I used to work for a very reputable general contractor. Tips on how to choose good home improvement companies:

Ask your friends and neighbors which companies they use. Contact those companies and ask for references. Contact the references. Ask the references if the work was done to their liking, and if it was done in a timely manner for the price quoted. How did the company handle any problems that arose? Was the job site cleaned up and organized at the end of each workday?

Verify that the company has the proper licenses and insurance. Also check with the state licensing agency to see if there are any complaints filed.

Ask to see a finished project and to tour one of their job sites.

Join Angie's List and contact "A" rated companies (ask the questions I mentioned earlier and ask for references, etc.). The reviews on AL are real. We worked very hard to maintain our "A" rating at the company I used to work for.

Do your homework so that you have some idea of what a project like yours will cost. Get estimates from at least three companies. If any of the estimates is dramatically higher or lower than average find out why. Make sure that quantities and types of materials used are the about the same on each estimate.

Run from anyone telling you that you don't need a permit for structural work. Building codes are there for a reason.

Nothing is foolproof, but if you follow these guidelines you will have a much better chance of getting the work done properly for a fair price. Many of the horror stories I've heard are from people who didn't do their homework when choosing a contractor, or who chose the too good to be true estimate, or cut corners by not getting permits for structural work...

Good advice. We assumed we would be ok because we were referred by a friend who had a positive experience with them. Lessons learned the hard way.

[Q-tip motha]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I repeat: "Why is it so difficult to find a good contractor?" What other industry requires the customer to be so vigilant and do so much work? Used cars are the only comparable thing I can think of.

Thank you for the tips though; they are definitely good ideas, even if a little time consuming.

If you think that's bad try briefly consulting with someone at Lowe's or Home Depot about a project you're doing. If the employee is female or a younger male you can get some solid advisement. If the employee is a man in his 40s or older you get a prick who's compensating for some kind of inferiority complex who will be anything but helpful. Can't tell you how many times this has proven to be the case for me since I first started renovating our house in 2010.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I repeat: "Why is it so difficult to find a good contractor?" What other industry requires the customer to be so vigilant and do so much work? Used cars are the only comparable thing I can think of.

Thank you for the tips though; they are definitely good ideas, even if a little time consuming.

Yes, it is time consuming, but well worth it. At my last job we used to joke that we were right up there with used car salesmen in the public eye. I would have mentioned to use companies that are members of NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) because they have strict ethical guidelines for their members. However, the Pittsburgh chapter doesn't have a lot of members. I have been doing a major remodel on my home and I am using companies I found on Angie's List. Overall it has been a good experience. The work should be completed in a few weeks.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Q-tip motha

I swear with every step that we start of this project it seems that 2 or 3 more little side projects get tacked onto it.

That is the nature of the beast of remodeling! BTDT!

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by Q-tip motha

If you think that's bad try briefly consulting with someone at Lowe's or Home Depot about a project you're doing. If the employee is female or a younger male you can get some solid advisement. If the employee is a man in his 40s or older you get a prick who's compensating for some kind of inferiority complex who will be anything but helpful. Can't tell you how many times this has proven to be the case for me since I first started renovating our house in 2010.

I find that the middle aged or older guys generally know what they're talking about, whereas I don't know many 20-somethings who have any clue about home improvement. Pretty much everything I know about fixing up old houses I learned from guys my dad's age, because they have been there and done that. I don't know many guys my age who have restored old houses, maybe a couple, but they learned from the older pros, too.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I really like my plaster walls, but they do have cracks and imperfections (especially apparent with semi-gloss paint). I can't decide if it's better to keep the original plaster or replace it for a more perfectly flat wall. I'm leaning towards keeping them just because that's free and easy, but am curious if drywall can truly fill plaster's shoes in an old house. Replacing it would give me access to the wiring, which may or may not have hidden knob & tube junction boxes.

Why not just smooth out any imperfections in the plaster with joint compound? That's what I did in my kitchen and it came out beautiful. It took a lot of time, though. You can use caulk to fill cracks in plaster and they won't crack again later that way. Removing the old, painted-over wallpaper and crumbling plaster, and filling in the holes was the hard part.

[Q-tip motha]

Spending the weekend putting the light fixtures and sink in.

[Q-tip motha]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I find that the middle aged or older guys generally know what they're talking about, whereas I don't know many 20-somethings who have any clue about home improvement. Pretty much everything I know about fixing up old houses I learned from guys my dad's age, because they have been there and done that. I don't know many guys my age who have restored old houses, maybe a couple, but they learned from the older pros, too.

I believe you, its just always difficult to get that information out of them.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Q-tip motha

Spending the weekend putting the light fixtures and sink in.

Nice.