Another issue that comes up in a lot of construction projects has to do with deadlines not being met.  When choosing your contractor, you can set realistic expectations right up front if you know what to ask and what to look out for.  Here are some guidelines to keep you from getting the standard “Oh, we’ll finish the job pretty quickly” answer so commonly handed out by contractors when they’re asked about a timeline.

1. Instead of just asking “How long will it take?” you should dig deeper and ask “What types of schedule problems might occur and affect the proposed schedule?”  This way you’ll help the contractor plan the project timeline out a little more thoroughly than he might have otherwise.  You’ll also set your own expectations realistically so that when something DOES come up that affects the schedule (which does happen sometimes) you aren’t caught off guard.
2. Ask for a written schedule.  All contractors don’t provide a written schedule, but it never hurts to ask!  Letting the contractor know you are on top of the schedule will make him try a little harder to meet deadlines you have set together.
3. Be a little flexible, especially on bigger projects.  There are many things that can affect the schedule and you need to make sure you don’t sacrifice quality by trying to meet deadlines.  Here are just some of the things that could potentially affect a project schedule: site conditions, weather delays, unexpected problems discovered during renovations, material shortages, etc.
4. Ask for frequent updates from the contractor so you’re always in the loop and so he feels responsible to keep things moving along as they should be.

A good contractor should be able to give you a reasonably close time estimate and then keep you posted as the job proceeds.  Keeping the suggestions on this page in mind as you consider which Santa Maria contractors you’ll work with should help you eliminate a lot of the scheduling frustrations that many times accompany construction projects.

If you’d like a quote on your residential or commercial construction project, our Santa Maria contractors would love to hear from you.  We are John K Construction, and we can be contacted directly at (805)929-8346 or johnkconstruct@aol.com.

Project Timeline · Santa Maria Contractor buyers guide · Santa Maria Contractors

Obviously, one of the main questions on your mind if you’re looking to get quotes from Santa Maria contractors to help with your construction project is, “How much is this going to cost?”  That is a very important question to get answered before choosing your contractor, but there are a couple things you should know before making your decision based on the quotes you receive back.

Many times, less than honest contractors will quote a really low number to get the job and then start working you for more money as the project goes on.  You’ll notice they’ll play the “change order” game charging you much higher prices than originally quoted for needed or unforeseen changes.  Beware as a really low bid often equates to low quality, a slow production schedule, poor communication, or all of the above!  Once they have your home all torn apart, you’ll feel stuck and at their mercy, and they know it!

Here is what you should do to make sure you get the best quality at the best price, and that you know what to expect from the start:

1. Have an accurate plan.  The more accurate your plan is, the more accurate your bids will be.  If you aren’t totally sure on the details of your project yet, have a contractor help you nail the plans down first, then get bids on the full job.
2. Make sure all contractors you’re getting bids from are quoting from the same set of plans, so you are comparing apples to apples.  A good contractor can usually detect costly deficiencies in the plans and provide information or optional prices to alert you of these forthcoming problems.
3. When getting bids, don’t just ask “how much will it cost” but rather dig deeper. Ask questions like “Is that a firm bid” and “How will the payment process work” and “Will there be a deposit”.  California state law stipulates that a deposit paid to a contractor can not exceed 10% of the project value or $1,000, whichever is less!  So many contractors want a larger percentage before they ever start your job, claiming they need it for materials, so be careful!

It’s important when comparing Santa Maria contractors to get accurate quotes as well as to let the contractor you choose know you’re on top of things and won’t be taken advantage of.  Follow the instructions in this article and you should be in good shape!  If you’d like us to give you a quote, please contact us by phone at (805)929-8346 or email at johnkconstruct@aol.com to tell us more about your project.

Santa Maria Contractor buyers guide · Santa Maria Contractors

When it comes to hiring a licensed Santa maria contractor you definitely shouldn’t mess around!  Unfortunately, all contractors aren’t honest about whether or not they are in fact licensed.  Usually a person hiring a new contractor will at least ask “Are you a licensed contractor?”  But this question is way too easy for an unscrupulous contractor to simply answer “yes” to, whether it’s actually the truth or not.  In fact, I once knew a remodeling contractor who always responded yes to this question, even though the only thing he actually had was a city business license.

If your project totals $500 or more, the California Contractor’s State License Board requires that the contractor be licensed, and unfortunately unlicensed, unqualified “contractors” are as numerous as the sands of the seas.  Here are the two essential steps you must follow to make sure you aren’t hiring an unlicensed contractor:

1. Ask the right question!  Ask this: “How long have you been a licensed contractor?”  This question is more specific than the simple “yes/no” question listed above and will make it a bit more difficult for the “contractor” to be dishonest.
2. Visit the California Contractor’s State License Board website to check on the license status of the contractor being considered.  There is a ton of helpful information available at the CSLB website.  Visit it at http://www.cslb.ca.gov.

*If you’re dealing with a salesman instead of an actual contractor himself, be sure to research the requirements of a “Home Improvement Salesman” on the CSLB website.
We are fully licensed Santa Maria contractors and would love to help you out with your project.  The Central Coast area is our home and our business is locally run.  Contact us today at (805)929-8346.

Santa Maria Contractor buyers guide · Santa Maria Contractors