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Renovation and remodeling contractors are notorious for being bad business managers. Many contractors are skilled at building kitchens, bathrooms, room additions, painting, patios, etc, however, they are horrible at managing cash flow. When a contractor runs out of money when performing work on your project, your life can become a miserable Hell.
Bad Money Barry is a skilled contractor but also a bad money manager. When Barry is short on cash, he will use tricks such as unwarranted change orders to pad his pocket with extra cash.
Learn how to combat Bad Money Barry and avoid going over your project budget and experiencing project failure.
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Renovation and remodeling can become confusing, chaotic, and expensive fast. One of the main reasons this fact rings true is because the contractor can contribute to unnecessary expensive changes that lead to budget-busting cost overruns.
Better Way Barney is the guy or gal on the contractor's staff who is the self-designated expert who loves to stray away from the project plan by doing the construction project better than outlined on the plan. Of course, these improvements come at a cost to your pockets. Additionally, some of these suggested changes disturb other areas of your project thus causing more project budget destruction.
Learn how to combat Better Way Barney and avoid going over your project budget and experiencing project failure.
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Renovation and remodeling contractors use ambiguity as a tool to increase their profits by using cheap materials. When the homeowner discovers that cheap materials are being used, the contractor charges the homeowner higher than normal fees to use long-lasting, high-grade materials. In some cases, your project budget could double or triple. Many homeowners don't specify the materials to be used on their project and create "grey areas" of interpretation for the contractor to decide which materials are best for the best. This is a bad idea. This is where Ambiguous Andy comes in a robs your bank account by up charging you for the material upgrade.
Learn how to combat Ambiguous Andy and avoid project failure.
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Time is a critical component of any renovation or remodeling project. It's so important, it one of the key components of the Golden Triangle in construction, Scope, Time, Cost. Greedy contractors will often experience self-caused time delays and use "creative imagination" to make their delays your cost. The contractor will blame the homeowner or property owner for stalling the project by causing obstructions to the job site via physical obstacles or access issues. Additionally, obscure and ambiguous phases in the proposal or contract can make you liable for any delay which adds to the destruction of your project budget.
Learn how to combat Stall Em Steve and avoid project failure.
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To get awarded a construction contract, contractors will use confidence as a tactic to trick the property owner into becoming the contractor of choice. The contractor will continually tell you "no problem" when it comes to overcoming any project challenges and performing the renovation or remodeling work. You've been introduced to "No Problem Paul." Paul tells you everything you want to hear and gives you a great price. Unfortunately, Paul overpromises and underdelivers which eventually causes you aggravation, time, and money.
Learn how to combat No Problem Paul and avoid project failure.
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When contractors have a lot of customers and a backlog of construction projects, finding skilled people to perform the work can be a challenge. Contractors are faced with the reality of having to hire people who may not be the most qualified. These unqualified people are known as the C crew. The C crew is not as efficient as the A or B crew and is often a lot slower and less profitable for the construction company. The C crew is known as Slow-Mo Stanley. Unfortunately, the renovation or remodeling contractor will try to make you (the homeowner) pay more money for your project to compensate for Slow-Mo Stanley's work habits and lack of skill. Learn how to combat Slow-Mo Stanley and keep this unskilled contractor's employee from draining your bank account.
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The free estimate can cost you thousands if you're not careful. Contractors use an estimator to arrive at the cost to construct your renovation or remodeling project. Unfortunately, the actual site conditions may not be in alignment with the estimator's cost expectations. When the construction crew starts construction Disaster Dave will work in tandem with Edward the Estimator to justify extra costs (change orders) to exploit your bank account. Learn the tactics and strategies to combat this dubious practice and prevent your project from becoming a financial hell.
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Contractors are always trying to make an extra buck. Sometimes the extra money contractors earn through change orders is well deserved however, many times the extra charges are theft. Contractors will use any means to convince the homeowner or property owner that the change orders are legitimate. One of the tools that contractors use is an employee named "Not in Quote Quincy." Quincy will attempt to use the estimate/proposal as the means to negotiate change orders even if a contract agreement exists outside of the initial proposal. Learn how to combat Not in Quote Quincy and save thousands on your renovation or remodeling project.
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Contractors are in the business of making money. Many times contractors get greedy and use clever tactics to line their pockets with additional profits. In a previous episode, we discussed Change Order Charlie and how Change Orders can be used to make your project a living hell. In this episode, we discuss one Proposal Pete who is one of Change Order Charlie's buddies. Proposal Pete loves telling you "what's not included" in your project, which results in money extraction from your bank account. Learn how to combat Proposal Pete and come out with a winning renovation or remodeling project.
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Renovation and remodeling contractors can take on traits attributed to the dark corners of society. Often, the contractor takes on the role of a pimp. Contractors use psychological tricks to gain additional profit from your project while providing little to no value in exchange. Many times the contractor (pimp) develops and utilizes customer stereotypes to objectify and trick the property owner out of money. It is the ultimate goal of the contractor to use Change Orders to turn your dream project into a construction hell. Learn how to gain the edge on cash corrupt pimps by understanding their tricks and combating their trick with "Mental Game."
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In this episode of Build It Coach, we continue the discussion of using a consultant in order to provide quality assurance. Project milestones, schedules, and failure points are highlighted in order to help the homeowner properly plan the project with the consultant and contractor. The project specifications of your project may supersede local code requirements. If you are not a construction professional, using a consultant can mean life or death of the success of your renovation or remodeling project.
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In this episode of Build It Coach, we continue the discussion of using a consultant in order to provide quality assurance. Project milestones, schedules, and failure points are highlighted in order to help the homeowner properly plan the project with the consultant and contractor. The project specifications of your project may supersede local code requirements. If you are not a construction professional, using a consultant can mean life or death of the success of your renovation or remodeling project.
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In this episode of Build It Coach, we ask and answer the question, should I hire a consultant? Why? Most homeowners or property owners are not experts in the remodeling or renovation business. We rely upon the expert advice of our contractor and trust his/her advice when it comes to making construction decisions. Many times our trust is taken for granted and the contractor gets away with performing bad work. You can avoid this mental-draining, bank account robbing, frustrating experience by hiring a consultant who can help you inspect the quality of work.
Consultants are inexpensive and are worth their weight in gold. There is a proper way to use a consultant so that you can avoid a clash between your contractor and consultant. In part I of Consultant Clash, learn why you should use a consult and get a hint into part II on when to use a consultant.
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Unfortunately, renovation and remodeling owners forget a simple truth. For your project to get done, it involves PEOPLE. Yes, it sounds simple. People can have a huge influence on whether your project is a success or failure.
People need to be managed so that your project doesn't get derailed and experience an untimely costly delay.
In this episode, we explore a critical tool that helps you manage people who influence your project or may perceive to be impacted by your project. That tool is the Stakeholders Registry. A failure to manage Stakeholders could lead to gloom and doom.
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Before moving forward with designing or constructing your renovation or remodeling project, you should understand the Why of your project. It sounds basic, it may sound spooky or woo-woo, however, you should have a clear understanding of Why you truly want to spend time, money, and energy transforming a space in your home or property. Transformation can be a positive or negative experience.
Understanding the Why will allow you to tap into the emotional requirements that need to be integrated into the design and scope of work of your project. If you don't understand the Why, it is possible to build a fantastic looking project that doesn't meet your emotions, functional or intended needs.
In this episode, we give you techniques on how to discover your Why? You will tap different parts of your brain, ask insightful questions, and discover the Root Cause of your project. You will learn how to ask the correct questions which will eventually lead you to your master question. The master question which will identify the key features that must appear in your renovation or remodeling project. Not only will your project look great but it will also meet your emotional needs.
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Documenting the existing conditions of your renovation or remodeling project is very important. Failure to do so can lead to rework which can lead to unplanned costs, project delays, and major cost overruns.
It is common for homeowners to be optimistic and hope that their property is a condition that won't lead to budget-busting cost overruns. Unfortunately, these optimistic views contradict the reality of most renovation or remodeling projects.
In this podcast episode, Dale Scriven, PMP, DBIA provides strategies that allow you to come out ahead when it comes to documenting, discovering, and financing your home's existing conditions.
The following topics are discussed:
HopeGetting the requirementsInvestigatingContingencyIf a homeowner follows the advice discussed in this podcast and avoids optimistic, hopeful, wishful thinking, the homeowner has an opportunity to save thousands of dollars.
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Inviting a contractor to provide a bid/price for your project is an art and a skill. You can use the Request for Proposal Document (RFP) as a tool to help you choose a great contractor to construct your renovation or remodeling project. The RFP puts the homeowner and property owner in charge. The contractor must respond to your RFP correctly in order to have any hopes to construct your project. The RFP also serves as a checklist that allows the property owner to plan and organize their project goals. The RFP is consists of several important sections to include:
Date & Title/Name of the ProjectProject Scope Statement that references the plans, specifications and/or a detailed scope of workApproximate Start DateApproximate DurationBid Award Rules (Low Bid, Quality of Bid, Best Value)Bid Requirements to include the Bid Pricing Sheet and Preliminary Project ScheduleContract Attachments (Safety Plan, HOA Rules, Local City Ordinances) Your rules, to include taking off shoes, work hours, smoking, cursing, Subcontract Agreement (Fixed Price, GMP, Cost Plus, Time & Material)Bonding RequirementsInsurance RequirementsRewards or Liquidated DamagesWarranty RequirementsPermits, Fees, InspectionsLearn the magic of the RFP document so that you can hire a great contractor and avoid project chaos and money loss.
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When getting contractor pricing for your renovation or remodeling project, it's important to obtain multiple bids. A a minimum, you should obtain two bids. Three bids are optimal and four bids may be too many. In this Quick Tips episode, critical information is provided regarding how to analyze bids and how to identify the best quality bid. Don't treat your project like a commodity. The low bid isn't necessarily the best bid.
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There are multiple process used to design and construct a renovation or remodeling project. Two main processes are Design Bid Build and Design-Build. Both processes have clearly defined roles, responsibilities, do, and don'ts.
In this part II episode, Dale Scriven, The Build It Coach highlights best practices for Design Build and identifies the core responsibility for each party to include the owner and the design build firm.
Design build allows the owner to enjoy "one stop shopping" to include the opportunity to transfer risk to the design build firm as long as the owner understands the difference between prescriptive and performance requirements. Design build can save the owner thousands of dollars from change order, cost overruns and time delays. Furthermore finger pointing between the designer, contractor and owner can be avoided by creating a team approach with the proper collaboration.
Listen to this episode.
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Renovation and remodeling projects have multiple project delivery systems. Two main systems are Design Bid Build and Design-Build. Both systems have clearly defined roles, responsibilities, do, and don'ts.
In this episode, Dale Scriven, The Build It Coach highlights best practices for Design Bid Build and identifies the core responsibility for each party to include the owner, designer, and contractor.
Common mistakes are identified when owners stray from the beaten path by allowing contractors to dictate design decisions. It is important for the owner, designer, and contractor to stay disciplined and provide the expertise they are responsible for and liable for during a renovation or remodeling project. Failure to maintain discipline could lead to project failure.
Listen to this episode.
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