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Choosing a General Contractor

Bob and Joe cover the best ways to choose a general contractor. Joe feels the number one way is by referrals. Start with your architect, if you don�t have one try your local building inspectors and find out who is building up to code and those that pass inspection on the first try, that people are happy with. You can try your local building supply store, while many of the Big Box stores have boards with builder�s business cards, smaller suppliers may have personal contacts in the trades to share with you. Next and probably the best for small to medium size projects is to talk with neighbors and friends. If you�re outgoing stop by a project you see going on in your neighborhood. Talk to the homeowner and the contractor if you can. Complement the work and if you feel it is done well get the contractor�s name for your future project. Three important things to ask the homeowner you contact; Was the job done schedule, was it done on budget and was it performed safely, cleanly and managed well? Back at the office, Joe shows off his massive flow chart for the complex Malibu project that includes over forty tradesmen and five months of construction timetables.
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Choosing a General Contractor

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" You know -- one of the questions that I been asked for years and years very often is how do you create a really good general contractor what's your response that. I think that that's a very good question it's a very tough question. Then the name of the game construction business world -- and a way to get referrals. I would be there through your work basic ways to do a project of this size there's always an architect. And he's gonna have a referrals he's in that context these were in the past that he wants to really bring out of that job well he feels confident with them and they happen track record of performing -- what about homeowners were just doing an addition or home improvement. Well thank you see the way -- did -- go to their local building officials they're building inspectors and you know the contractors who can perform. In the contractors that are doing things to codes and have problems or don't have problems and who have been established -- that that's correct -- the other hand you go to your local lumberyard right particle supplier. They would probably recommend somebody and pays the bills that's that's an important thank you you're and I think probably the most important way to go yeah we -- talk to your neighbors. Where you're driving down the road NBC project is under construction that's similar to yours doesn't stop -- introduce yourself compliment this compliment them on their product. And asked him do the job yeah I really rely -- that also mean it's a way of making a new trend in the community to compliment somebody and -- home improvement they're going to feel good about the going to invite you went to take a closer look and you're gonna get a real close look at the work that's been done well let's they're gonna come back and they're going to say you went to this project -- managed problem. There's three here -- of important things to be -- done job done on time did you get a job job job done on budget right and loses its beauty and wellness. Its job and cleaned up and one of the clean and accurate yet."

" Getting it in Montana but it really depends on what you've got -- Iraq well I try to use of cloture tonight my particular job. And for this job here budget of about five to six months and we started in September and -- going into February 1993. Right. Factory -- register it established what's going to happen as far as like the job. I try to bring -- jot down into classifications. What needs to be done first then what needs and when you learned that they need to be done right -- most important thing is job set up in we've already got that handled. We've got asbestos removal which something we'll be seeing later on this afternoon right we've already started demolition as you can see we've heard it started case -- And so it yeah -- all the other items listed here. To build a job out to completion yes and they of course follow from right to left -- spread along the calendar depending on where they fall that's correct. Is this the kind of information usually. Share with a quiet I would most generally sure with it. Plan because I think it's important for him to be able to judge whether I'm on schedule it's good for -- to know whether I'm on schedule. By the -- I -- good chart to. The payment schedule right -- when -- an -- drawn such and such a dates they can tell whether. I've got to demolition completed their on Sunday -- percent down death case there's certain place if I drop lumber is certain frank. So it's very important tool that is not only that but when there's they see all the cast of characters there. And when there is a follow up in the job in understand it's not just your fault may be one of the subsequent reform that's correct and job at the sides here we've got about forty different treatment. -- bird blinds that are going to be into this job."

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