Since I work as a general contractor jobs can vary from tile to electrical, plumbing, dry wall and general building. I have many different tools that can be specialized for certain types of jobs. These are a few that really stand out from the pack for me on a daily basis for building or remodeling.

Titanium Hammer- It’s light weight. I can use it all day and not feel like I have been using it all day!

Pneumatic nail gun- Makes a day of nailing a lot easier.

One-handed Reciprocating Saw- It makes cutting into dry wall a piece of cake.

Reciprocating saw

Cordless impact driver- Not your average screwdriver.

iphone- I can’t imagine not having my mobile office hanging off my belt.

A few other tools like a tape measure, square, skill saw, pliers, wire cutters, wrenches and pencils round out my most used tool list.

You decide that you want to hire a contractor to remodel your kitchen. You’ve heard that you should get at least three bids. So you ask your neighbors, friends and co-workers if they know anyone they’d recommend. You search online for contractors in your area. You check out a few websites, make some calls and line up appointments. Then the bids start to come in. If you are lucky, they will be similar in price. After you check out their references and licenses, you can choose the one you liked the best. Or the bids could vary widely in price. Like most money conscious consumers these days, you may think you should go with the lowest bid. I will tell you why you shouldn’t do that.

You should thoroughly check out any contractors that you are interested in. Are they licensed? That can be easily looked up on the online state license board website. Ask for references from the contractor and call them. Ask to see pictures of finished products if they don’t already have them on their websites. There are a few reasons why a bid can come in extremely below the other contractors. It’s possible that the contractor may have no idea what they are doing, they completely missed something, they are under-biding it on purpose to get the job or they are not carrying the proper insurances to protect you the customer from their mistakes (or maybe all of those things). After they get the job they either tell you there is way more work then they expected and ask for more money half way into the project or they won’t do the job correctly. You may end up paying for it in the long run by getting shoddy work or half finished work. Then you will have to hire a different contractor to come in and fix the job that the cheap one couldn’t or wouldn’t finish.

There is nothing wrong with asking the contractor to explain his bid and how he came up with his price. Maybe you really like the contractor who came in with the highest bid but you aren’t happy with the price discrepancy. Ask him to explain the bid and see if there is any way the price could be lowered. Ask the other contractors with the lower bids how they came up with theirs. It could be a time difference, as in how long the contractor thinks the job will take to get done. It could be a difference in the quality of products used. It could be the way you explained what you wanted. If you tell one contractor that you want to get the job done the cheapest way but don’t tell the other contractors that then you should get a bid from some based on quality products and craftsmanship and other’s based on the least expensive way to do the job. Whatever you do, don’t get a bid from one contractor and then take it to another and say, “Can you beat this price?” Of course they will come in with a lower bid to get the job (unless it is a ridiculously low bid to begin with) and yet again, you are asking for trouble by doing that because what are they cutting corners on to make it cheaper? Don’t try to compare a bid from a contractor and a handyman. They are in two complete different categories. Compare apples to apples. And please don’t think every contractor is out there trying to rip you off. Most of us a very hard working, conscientious people who love to repair, rebuild, and remodel. Communication and doing your homework is key to getting a contractor that will do the job right from the start. After all, getting the “best “deal is not always best!

Building mom's house 85'

own house, my friends houses, and various clients. When United decided they would lay me off, I decided it was time for me to step off the cliff and become a full-time contractor. Being self-employed has many challenges but being my own boss and being able to help people with their building projects, having happy clients in the end, is so much more rewarding to me than anything I was doing before. So “Thanks Mom” for helping become what I am today.  Happy Mother’s Day!

Tiled Shower that is Wheelchair accessible

We are getting a lot of calls to remodel homes to make them more “friendly” to those that are having a harder time getting around. We have found some things that will help in this area. The first thing to think about are stairs or different level’s in a house. There may come a day when you are unsteady on your feet or using a wheelchair, walker or cane. Stairs and different level floors in a home will make it very difficult to get around.

We have a client who wants to add a bedroom and bathroom onto their house. Our opinion was asked as to  whether they should build a second story or bump out the side. We told them that it just wouldn’t be logical for them to go up. They are both in their 70′s and very active. But that won’t be the case forever. What makes a home easier to get around when that day comes? It’s the ability to enter and move around without any of the obstacles such as steps and narrow doors. Your bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchen may need to be wheelchair accessible. Everyone’s needs are different, so you’ll have to make a few changes to any plan to suit your individual requirements. But the main things you will want are level floors and accessible bathrooms.

Many bathrooms have narrow doorways that won’t allow wheelchairs or walkers. If your house is one of those, you should  have them widened to 36″. The door should swing outward, rather than inward (or a pocket door works well too). Another client of ours planned ahead before knee replacement surgery by having us remodel the bathroom. We took out the tub and tiled the shower floor without a ledge to trip over. A handheld shower nozzle was installed for a seated shower. We also installed heavy-duty grab bars (reinforced the walls first) in the shower and by the toilet. Other things to think about are the sinks which can be changed by taking out cabinets and installing a counter top that a wheelchair can be rolled up to and a single lever faucets which are easier to use (this would work well for doors too).

No one likes to think about these things before they need to but if you are considering any remodeling, you should take all these ideas into account while you are at it.

So what happens in a down economy to your local contractors?  Some will give up and close down the business. Other’s will be shut down by too much debt. Some of us will survive. We will tighten our belts and hang in there for the long haul. We will keep our high overhead under control with minimum inventory. We will try to keep our best employee’s working, even part-time, so we don’t lose them altogether. We learn new ways of getting the word out about what we do. Advertising has changed from newspapers, mailers and phone books to social media. We start business blogs and join LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter. We join referral based networking groups such as BNI and the local chamber of commerce. We contact our previous happy customers, asking them for referrals and reminding them about that job they mentioned they wanted to do “someday,” just in case this is that day now.

I guess what I am trying to say with all this is that the industry of construction is here to stay. It can’t be imported. It is a basic necessity of life, like food or water. Some people will try to do it themselves or put it off until it’s absolutely necessary, but eventually they will have to hire a contractor for something (to fix the thing they tried to do themselves in many cases). Those of us who have survived will be there when they do…ready to repair, remodel or build what is needed. If you know of a good contractor, call him for that job you’ve been putting off or refer him to someone who needs his expertise. The local economy will thank you!

But concerning gifts, sometimes I get lost when I start trying to be too practical. My heart is in the right place when it comes to the people I care about but a nice big flashlight for Christmas or a small lightweight chainsaw for a Valentine’s Day present doesn’t go to far to impress the female population of my household. Even though they can use it! Chocolates, flowers and sappy cards sure make everyone a lot easier to get along with around here. You might be saying, “Steve, what planet are you from?” Mars? My answer…yes. Sometimes millions of miles still separate us. But some of us men have to learn the hard way what matters most. After I get done cutting the tree down with that great chainsaw I bought you, I’d love a bite or two of the chocolates you gave me.