|
Introduction
to
Hiring a contractor to do work is a normal part of living for most people. Some of us hire "contractors" for help in doing simple things like painting or cleaning, while others hire for more major undertakings. It doesn't matter how small the job is: if you don't follow certain basic guidelines, things will go wrong. Working
With Your Contractor is the first book in an informational series
that serves as a coach to help you through your projects. By spending
a little time up front in planning your project and researching
your professionals, The organization of these books includes much of what I have learned in the various roles I have been in: homeowner, contractor, architect, consultant. In Working With Your Contractor, the first two chapters address how you define what it is you want your contractor to build. The first chapter speaks to the importance of remembering time-- your time-- as part of planning & building the project. This is something that I find most people forget in the process of building something. The second chapter addresses how you can define your goals so you can communicate clearly what it is that you want the contractor to construct.
We
have created a special web site exclusively for owners of Working
With Your Contractor. It's a new concept called Webpendix(TM),
set up especially for readers to download more information and forms
that are too cumbersome to place in the physical book and to provide
documents that you can use directly or tailor for your project.
The Webpendix awaits your exploration with a plethora of resources
at your disposal to get you through your project more quickly and
with fewer hassles.
Secure credit card ordering via PayPal.com WEB DISCOUNT US $21.95 + shipping & handling (Copy
custom-signed by author (ORIGINAL RETAIL $29.95) |
you
will be well rewarded by the satisfactory end result and a less
stressful journey to get there. 
The
chapters that follow are about the functional & logistical issues
about working with contractors. Chapters 3 and 4 provide information
about how all contractors work and the many different types of contracting
firms. Chapter 5 shows a time-tested way to select a contractor.
Chapter 6 is about how to have a decent agreement with a contractor.
Chapters 7 and 8 are about how to work with a contractor during
construction and how to handle mistakes (yes they will occur!)
on your project. There is a large section for appendices that provides
you with many samples and techniques.