How to Save Money When Working With Contractors

Homeowners are faced with an ongoing list of maintenance and repairs, and many require professional service contractors. Adding a room onto your house, remodeling a kitchen or repairing a roof require some specialized skills and often become expensive. Fortunately, there are several things homeowners can do to save money when working with contractors.

DIY or No?

How can you tell if a home repair or improvement project requires a professional or if you can take it on yourself? The National Association of the Remodeling Industry recommends considering the following before trying to do a home improvement project yourself:

• Do you enjoy working with your hands?
• Do you have the time, abilities and tools to do the work?
• Is it safe for you to do the work yourself?
• Will you be able to get the materials needed?
• Can you realistically do a quality job comparable to what a professional would do?

NARI says that if you answer no to any of these questions, you’d probably be better off hiring a contractor for the job.

In addition, home repair expert Bob Vila says there are pros and cons to being your own general contractor versus hiring a professional. Saving 10 to 30 percent on the overall cost is one of the main reasons to be your own general contractor; however, getting exactly what you want and the satisfaction of real involvement are also important factors.

Save Money on Contractor Fees

There are lots of expenses involved with contracted home improvement projects, many of which are hidden and negotiable.

For instance, you can save money by avoiding service charges for home consultations. Ask for free quotes or estimates of how much it will cost instead of paying consultation or follow-up fees. Another way is to have a lawyer experienced in construction contracts review your contract before signing it or paying any type of deposit. Make sure you understand what the contractor is charging for, have the project clearly defined and ensure that the contract is for a firm price and set timeline.

Save Money on Diagnosis or Repairs

If you have a home repair or maintenance problem that you have researched, investigated and found the source, you do not need a professional to repeat that work. Call several contractors to learn what they charge to do just the maintenance or repair and nothing else. For example, if you have evidence of termites, research and trace it to the source so that you don’t need to hire a pest control contractor for a consultation.

After you have determined the problem, you have several options:

• You can hire a contractor to recommend a solution, and then do it yourself.
• You can hire a contractor to do only the final application after you found the source.
• Or, if you are really ambitious, you can do all of the work yourself.

Regardless of the path you choose, doing any of the work yourself will save you money in diagnostic and repair fees.