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Working With A General Contractor Q. Why do I need a licensed General Contractor? A. By law, any project contracted over $25K requires a state-licensed General Contractor unless you act as the General Contractor yourself. More importantly is the fact that in order to obtain and keep a General Contractor’s license or an HIC license, a company must prove a certain level of expertise and financial stability. These credentials, along with workman’s compensation and liability insurance, solid references, and stability/length of time in business should all be key factors when hiring any design/build or other contractor. Q. Do I really need plans? A. We urge you not to proceed with any project over $ 20K without drawings and specifications that are clearly understandable. BetterBuilt Construction is a design/build company and general contractor that can assist you with these plans and specifications. We also have close working relationships with local architects for large projects. Q. Why does remodeling seem expensive compared to existing home prices? A. There are several reasons why the cost to remodel, renovate, or add on may seem high compared to new home construction. First, a distinction must be made between existing, tract, and custom (built to your specifications) home prices. All remodel work is custom and the cost compared to custom home construction is quite close. The other factor that makes remodeling seem more costly is the cost of additional, quality labor. It takes more time because care must be taken in and around your home. The skill and integrity of the workers must be of a high level because creative decisions must be made and you and your property must be respected. Clean-up must be performed on a daily basis and areas of the home must be protected from construction. All of these factors add time which means cost. Most people, when factoring in the cost of moving, the value of their location, the increase in value of their home, and the increase in the quality of their lives, find remodeling a smart choice. Q. What do you charge per square foot? A. BetterBuilt Construction is a custom general contractor and builder and there is no standard square foot price. With custom work every job is designed around the homeowner’s specifications. Q. Can you give me a ballpark price for my project? A. The wise alternative to asking for a “ballpark” price from any reputable company is to share your budget expectations. This allows you to find out if you need to scale back, re-design, or re-think your options. We have found that most people have done some homework and have a pretty good idea of what a project should cost. The key now is to put together clear plans and specifications based on your budget and your other requirements. Q. How long will my project take? A. Getting a realistic time estimate is critical to a good home improvement experience. A small project may take as few as 2-3 days, while a large addition or whole house renovation may take as long as 12 months. Two major variables are local weather conditions and the difficulty special order materials. Our proposals all include a realistic construction schedule that we take much pride in following. Q. Do you give free estimates? A. Always. Our initial in-home consultation and your first meeting with the Architect are no charge and we welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the feasibility of your project. After our initial consultation, we will offer our services as a design firm prior to submitting an estimate. A firm proposal needs to set specifications. Obviously, if you have professional plans and drawings already in hand we would offer a free competitive bid. Better Built is a New England and North Shore general contractor. Our Massachusetts service area includes Wenham MA, Peabody MA, Hamilton MA, Beverly MA, Salem MA, Middleton MA and Danvers MA. Our general contractor services include roofing, gutters, exterior siding, framing, exterior and interior painting, decks, home additions, green home remodeling and hardwood floors. |
