Wednesday, November 25, 2015

What To Ask Your Portland Remodeling Contractor

By Lonnie Trevarthen


The city of Portland has many qualified contractors. Their services range from residential to commercial buildings. A residential project may be one room only or the entire house. Define your remodel needs and then locate the Portland Remodeling Contractor that best meets those particular needs.

The most common types of residential remodels are updating bathrooms and kitchens. One website provides a very helpful checklist to help define the kitchen project. First evaluate how your family uses the kitchen or bathroom and what works or does not work with the current design. A list of yes or no questions will help the home owner prioritize and define their wish list. General industry guidelines will explain what the standards are with building codes.

By clearly defining their expectations home owners are able grasp the scope of the project. An accurate scope will help in defining a realistic budget. The smart consumer will interview three different contractors. The home owner will have a close working relationship with the contracting professional for the life of the project. It makes sense that the owner and the professional need to communicate effectively.

Perhaps the scale of your project is larger than one or two rooms. When remodeling an entire house, there will a lot of subcontractors coming in and out of your home. If possible, find substitute living quarters for the project duration to maintain your sanity. The process can be very stressful. Check references to see if the contractor has a history of completing projects on schedule and on budget.

Some companies offer special services such as mold remediation or fire and smoke restoration. This is a remodeling niche that requires specific training. Reinforcing a structure and seismic retrofitting are other niches that require additional training.

Take time making your decisions. Do research and talk to friends who have lived through a project similar to the one you are planning. With careful planning and patience you should be happy with the results.




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