Building a new home, renovating an existing house or make home improvements to properties, involves considerable planning and has huge implications financing for all involved. Therefore extremely important to appoint a contractor who has the necessary expertise, experience and a track record.

When looking for a contractor you may want to consider the following suggestions:

1. Do not accept the lowest tender price alone!
– Ask at least three (3) contractors to quote on the job you want done.
– Stipulate the details of what you want specified in the tender and compare the offers to ensure that contractors have discounted all items and then evaluate the bids.
– Compare the prices against each other to evaluate which offer is cheaper than the other.
– Ask the contractor to specify in his bid, in detail, what materials are to be used and where, in order to avoid further conflicts.
– Contractors may cost some provisional items for you to choose from related products, or if they are unsure of the quantities.
– Make sure that the offers to allow them provisional quantities and products.
– Examine carefully the offer, and award the bid based on specifications, not only in the price.

2. Read the contract
– Read the contract and make sure their obligations before signing.
– Beware of biased wording in the contract.
– Do not sign any documentation until formally award the contract to a specific contractor.
– The contract must be properly understood and signed by both parties.

3. Check references of contractors before awarding of the bid
– Ask for references and follow up by phone or go see the work being carried out.
– Check if the demands of quality you and find out how the contractor treated its customers before signing, in addition to asking the customer service they received, in case it was missing.

4. No deposits pay without security
– It is common for contractors to request large deposits in advance.

5. Do not pay each time the contractor's payment request
– Payments must be scheduled in the contract and pay accordingly, on receipt of an invoice. Keep a record of all payments.

6. Keep a record and not negotiating in good faith, without documentation.
– A full written report of all decisions taken between you and the contractor should be retained. Dates and prices (if any) must always be mentioned.
– It is normal that the decisions to be taken during the contract to change original specifications.
– Before the contractor apply changes, make sure you have given a price (or additional cost savings) for the change, and be sure that keep records of all additional costs, since these supplements can be mounted on the value and impact of its budget.

7. Do not accept labor bad
– If you are unhappy with some aspect or quality of any part of the work, the contractor shall as soon as possible, as some aspects may be difficult or impossible to rectify later.
– Insist that the errors are corrected before the final payments.

About the Author:

Jan Lombaard is the founder of http://www.builditall.co.za The National Building, Renovating and Home Improvement Directory of South Africa. He has been actively involved in the building and renovating industry for the last 12 years.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Appointment of a Building Contractor in South Africa

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