- How to hire a designer and insure they are keeping your
cost down.
- never pay a designer a percentage of the cost of the
project.
- make sure that you approve the cost of the materials
in your project
- make sure the ascetic design is not for the architects
portfolio, but what you can afford to pay for.
- never let the designer manage the contractor or the
project.
- make sure the designer provides inspections and reports
to you, not the contractor.
- hold the designer accountable for design errors that
result in unwanted change orders.
- Five types of construction contracts and the pros and
cons of each.
- see why awarding the contract based on the low bid
is often the most expensive.
- see how the design build type of construction is often
the best and least expensive.
- How to obtain bid estimates and negotiate the construction
contract.
- Steps to manage your contractor and keep them honest,
on time and on budget.
- how to avoid costly change orders you do not need
or want.
- how to motivate the contractor to finish on time.
- how to avoid liability that is the responsibility
of the contractor. (if you do not know how to avoid
this problem the contractor and workman can make you
pay.)
- how to stop a contractor and supplier from making
you pay twice for materials or for materials used on
another project. (If you do not know how to protect
yourself courts will side with a dishonest contractor
and make you pay.)
- How to inspect and insure your contractor provides
quality workmanship.
- A glossary of needed terms used in construction is provided.
- Written so owners can understand important definitions.
- If you do not understand certain construction definitions
it could cost you.
 
Several examples
of actual owners who were ripped of by contractors are provided
with information about how you can avoid their mistakes.
I have observed hundreds of
owner construction problems and I observed that one attitude
by the owner is often present. It is that the owner is often
more educated than the contractor and thinks that their superior
intelligence will protect them. This is a dangerous attitude;
contractors know how to ripp off owners and have had years
of experience of the loop holes in the laws that can give
them an opening to make owners pay extra. I have had the sad
experience of testifying in courts as an expert construction
witness in behalf of cheated home owners, then see the judge
rule in favor of the dishonest contractor.
My construction guide can flip
the table to insure an owner is not the victim and able to
prevail should litigation occur. More importantly with my
information; your contractor will be afraid to resort to litigation,
and be compelled to fix any problem.
With the purchase of this book
you get a free bid form, Inspection Form and Change Order
Form to help protect you and manage your contractor. |
