One Stop Shopping. Is It For You?
Posted on Apr 03, 2007
While doing an estimate yesterday, I was asked if we could repair the cracked stucco on the exterior of the customer's home. The homeowner mentioned that one of the other companies that she called said they could. My response to her might be of some interest to you.
Hire Specialized Contractors
I explained that while it may seem convenient to deal with just one person and, no doubt, tempting to let one company handle all of her home improvement projects, there are some things to consider before doing so.
If a painting contractor says he can stucco your home, install crown moulding, doors and windows, do electrical work and even offers to give you an estimate for remodeling your kitchen, you should think twice before assuming that he's heaven sent. Painting is a specialized trade, and so are trim carpentry, stucco and plastering, electrical, plumbing and remodeling.
It takes many years to become skilled in any trade, and it is hard for a small business to offer quality craftsmanship outside of their specialized trade. In other words, companies that keep painters, trim carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc. on staff are practically non-existent.
It's generally a good idea to hire a painting contractor to paint, a window company replace your windows and a contractor who specializes in remodeling to remodel your kitchen or bath. Of course, there are some exceptions to this and some cross-training occurs in many trades.
Each of our paint crews, for example, has one or two men with experience in replacing rotten siding and trim. However, I would not accept a job and ask these men to frame a room addition to your home. While they are completely capable of replacing trim boards and siding, lumber on a deck, or replacing a picket missing from your cedar fence, framing an addition to your home is beyond their skill set.
Check Their Work First
I suggested to my customer that we bring in a plaster contractor to do the stucco project and if she wanted, w could oversee it as needed, scheduling and coordinating their work with our own. After she thought about it, I think she understood my point.
Some companies will offer several home improvement services, but to get the best quality results for your home, it is advisable to hire a contractor for each trade. If your projects are numerous and you just don't have the time to meet and negotiate with all of the subcontractors needed, another option would be to have a remodeling contractor oversee the completion of your home improvement needs. He or she can hire and manage subcontractors on each phase of your job.
A remodeling contractor will take bids from specialty subcontractors, negotiate with them as required and then coordinate, schedule and meet with each "sub" as the work on your home progresses. This coordinating work takes a lot of time and considerable expertise. A good remodeling contractor will bring his years of experience in working with subcontractors on projects like yours and will relieve you of many potential headaches that could result in trying to manage the job on your own.
Back to the original topic. Over the years I have seen some pretty dismal work produced by "jack of all trade" type companies. Some companies will say "We Can Do It All!"....maybe they can, but before you allow someone to work on your home, make sure that they are fully qualified in all of the trades that you are hiring them for.
In the words of Ronald Reagan, "Trust, but verify". Check their references and try to look at some of their work. You could end up saving yourself a lot of heartache.
Hire Specialized Contractors
I explained that while it may seem convenient to deal with just one person and, no doubt, tempting to let one company handle all of her home improvement projects, there are some things to consider before doing so.
If a painting contractor says he can stucco your home, install crown moulding, doors and windows, do electrical work and even offers to give you an estimate for remodeling your kitchen, you should think twice before assuming that he's heaven sent. Painting is a specialized trade, and so are trim carpentry, stucco and plastering, electrical, plumbing and remodeling.
It takes many years to become skilled in any trade, and it is hard for a small business to offer quality craftsmanship outside of their specialized trade. In other words, companies that keep painters, trim carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc. on staff are practically non-existent.
It's generally a good idea to hire a painting contractor to paint, a window company replace your windows and a contractor who specializes in remodeling to remodel your kitchen or bath. Of course, there are some exceptions to this and some cross-training occurs in many trades.
Each of our paint crews, for example, has one or two men with experience in replacing rotten siding and trim. However, I would not accept a job and ask these men to frame a room addition to your home. While they are completely capable of replacing trim boards and siding, lumber on a deck, or replacing a picket missing from your cedar fence, framing an addition to your home is beyond their skill set.
Check Their Work First
I suggested to my customer that we bring in a plaster contractor to do the stucco project and if she wanted, w could oversee it as needed, scheduling and coordinating their work with our own. After she thought about it, I think she understood my point.
Some companies will offer several home improvement services, but to get the best quality results for your home, it is advisable to hire a contractor for each trade. If your projects are numerous and you just don't have the time to meet and negotiate with all of the subcontractors needed, another option would be to have a remodeling contractor oversee the completion of your home improvement needs. He or she can hire and manage subcontractors on each phase of your job.
A remodeling contractor will take bids from specialty subcontractors, negotiate with them as required and then coordinate, schedule and meet with each "sub" as the work on your home progresses. This coordinating work takes a lot of time and considerable expertise. A good remodeling contractor will bring his years of experience in working with subcontractors on projects like yours and will relieve you of many potential headaches that could result in trying to manage the job on your own.
Back to the original topic. Over the years I have seen some pretty dismal work produced by "jack of all trade" type companies. Some companies will say "We Can Do It All!"....maybe they can, but before you allow someone to work on your home, make sure that they are fully qualified in all of the trades that you are hiring them for.
In the words of Ronald Reagan, "Trust, but verify". Check their references and try to look at some of their work. You could end up saving yourself a lot of heartache.