This past summer, homeowners faced shortages of home project materials and labor and an increase in prices. These challenges caused a bottleneck of project demands. Increasing prices and unavailability of materials may make your project double in cost.
Unfortunately, I do not foresee next summer being less of a headache. Here are a few of my tips for hiring trusted home vendors for your upcoming projects.
- Only use trusted vendors; get referrals from family or friends.
- Make sure vendors are licensed, bonded, and insured before the work starts; require proof be emailed to you.
- Not happy with the work in progress? Know your rights before the work starts. What are your options per your agreement for stopping the project in progress?
- When negotiating the project scope, ask how quickly the vendor can start and how long they expect to complete.
- What are the hidden costs? Are you or the vendor paying for the materials? Shop the material yourself and figure out what the vendor’s markup is for procuring materials. Are the materials currently available?
- Be present or have a friend on site when work is going on. Coming home from vacation to the wrong color house is no fun. Project oversight is a must.
- Start getting bids now for 2022 summer projects. Get at least three quotes and ask when they expire. Vendors may offer discounts for booking next summer’s projects now.
Sarah Hoey is the IHCA executive director.
As published in Fall 2021 Connections >>
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