How Do I Work with a Remodeler?

   If architectural plans are required for your remodeling job and in most cases they are, the contract the remodeler presents to you should require that you approve them before work begins. When you receive the plans, study them carefully to make sure they illustrate your project accurately before you give your approval in writing.

   Changes in  the scope of the project that occur during construction are commonly called change orders. Any changes in the work a remodeler is to do should be put in writing as an amendment to the contract (including any change in costs) and that contract should be signed by you and the remodeler.

   Consumer affairs professionals recommend that you withhold a negotiated percentage of the contract price (typically 5 percent) for Commercial work until the job is completed and you have received a release of lean minus the retainage. On a residential remodeling project if a permit is required, the fee for the permit could be paid back at the end of a project to the remodeler when a C.O. (Certificate of Occupancy) has been issued by the local building inspector. This practice helps to protect the home owner against unfinished projects.

   You should not sign a completion certificate until all the work called for in the contract is properly completed. Lenders usually require a signed completion certificate before they will release the last payment.