GET TO KNOW THE LINGO!Its easy sometimes to get confused with the construction lingo when your contractor uses unfamiliar terms. Most of what's said you probably understand prefectly, but some, well, maybe not so much. Like "How 'bout we cantilever over the cricket and add a rake fascia?" Before you give them the thumbs up, see what they're saying. Click construction dictionary.The NEW lingo, however, in this new era of planetary awareness is "GreenSpeak." More and more the materials and the work is going green. What's your carbon footprint? Do you know what your embodied energy is? What's the difference between Passive Solar and Active Solar? For a closer look, click greenspeak. Finally, you may need to know what a contractor really means when he says what he says.
Here's 10 tips for making sure your contractor measures up: 1. Hire licensed contractors only. 2. Check a contractor's license number with the state. 3. Get three references; review past work. 4. Get at least three bids. 5. Get a written contract, and don't sign anything 6. Never pay more than 10 percent down or $1,000, 7. Don't let your payments get ahead of 8. Don't make a final payment until 9. Keep a job file of all papers 10. Don't pay cash. |
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