Secret #4: Listening to the wrong people.

It never ceases to amaze us how many people take advice on their construction and remodeling project from people who are totally unqualified to give this critical advice. Quite often, when we see construction messes, (which we see virtually everyday) and we ask where they got the idea to do this or that, we inevitably hear things like:

“My brother-in-law told me to do that. He used to do work like this on the side when he was in college!”

“I asked the guy whose office is next to mine. He did the same thing to his home when he lived in Wisconsin!”

I read an article by such and such that said we should do…”

And so on.

Everyone’s got an opinion about what you should do with your remodeling dollars. “Do-it-yourself”, “hire a sub-contractor and supervise the job yourself”, etc. Unfortunately, just because someone is your relative (or whatever) doesn’t mean they know the answers to your questions and problems.

If you’ve got an idea or a thought about improving your home, call someone qualified to answer your questions.

Not calling at least three of the references provided. Many people ask for references but feel “shy” about calling. Call the references! You can never learn too much about the person that you are considering accepting. Take the few minutes to talk to these people. It will be worth it! Find out if the job was done on time and at the agreed upon price. Ask if the contractor was easy to reach and easy to deal with. And, ask if they would recommend that contractor to their family members.