If you are interested in working in the Trades one of the biggest drawbacks for many people is being able to afford training and certification. The first thing you should understand is that although almost every area requires certification for Plumbing and Electrical Contractors many of the other trades do not need to be certified in every state. For instance in some states to be a HVAC Contractor you need to go …
Contractor Center
How To Deal With Contractors That Want The Home Owner To Get The Building Permits
There are a variety of reasons that a contractor might ask you to get a permit for the work they will be doing at your property. In almost every instance it is an indicator that the contractor isn’t performing work in a way that is legal. For this reason you must ask yourself is the risk worth the effort, expense and problems that could occur if you allow this contractor to do …
How To Deal With Contractor Changes That Increase Project Estimate Costs
Normally when a contractor comes out and reviews the work to be done they will provide you an estimate of the final cost. Estimates are just that they are an approximate value that the contractor will try to come in at for the work that they expect will be necessary to complete the job.
This is where the problem arises. The home owner looks at an estimate and thinks that this is the …
How To Understand Contractor Liability Insurance And Homeowner Responsibility
If you are looking to hire a contractor to work on your property there are some precautions that you should take before signing any contract and committing to having them perform the work. Simply because a contractor hands you a piece of paper that they want you to sign doesn’t mean that you have to agree to it. It may mean that they won’t perform the work if you don’t agree to all of …
How To understand Home Building Codes before you begin a project
Depending on your location and the project that you want to complete there are a variety of different building codes that you must comply with or your project may require hours of fixes or possibly even a complete tare out and do over.
For the most part these regulations help you the home owner or contractor complete a project that follows minimal requirements and standards for safety but when you get into regulations targeted at historic …
How To – Consumers Guide Working With Contractors And Understanding Project Timelines
Contract completion times are one of the most common complaints by consumers however by asking a few questions up front most of the headaches can be eliminated.
Like no other business Remodeling and Building Contractors are always blamed for longer then expected completion times, delays in service while the work is being completed and delays before work begins. In some cases the blame is justified however in many cases it is just miscommunication of all of the …
How To – Construction Project Timeline Management & General Contracting
Whether you are working on your own home or building homes for others one of the most important tasks in General Contracting and project management is understanding and planing your task timeline. As the saying goes you can’t put the cart before the horse but even if you know you need a horse and a cart there are so many other factors before you can take the ride.
Smaller projects like planting a garden can …
How To – Can I Withhold Final Payment From My Contractor?
Recently someone asked if they could fire their contractor at the end of the job and withhold final payment because the finishes and decorating in the new addition they had added to their home were not of good quality and the final completion date was two months past a three month completion estimate given in the contract.
There are two questions in this question. First was the work completed in a workman like fashion and …
Individual Health Insurance For Private Contractors
If you are a private contractor Health Insurance can be a big concern.
Purchasing insurance as an individual can be expensive and the availability of plans may not be the same as offered in other businesses.
The first place to look for Health Care options is with your business insurance broker. The same company that handles your liability insurance can often offer plans at a decent price to cover you and your family.
The next option you …
Farmers Market Associations
Across the country there are many different types of professional farmers markets and even home grown roadside vendors that share the extra produce from their gardens.
You probably have your own favorite market but the USDA has helped farmers setup associations to promote their produce sales.
If you are a farmer and would like to join or if you are a consumer and would just like to take a day trip to a market in your location here are some of the …