Customer Reviews

The Unofficial Guide to Hiring Contractors (Unofficial Guides)

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If I ever do any remodeling again, I'm handing a copy of this book to the contractor! It's so clear on what you should expect from your contractor, and what you can do to make the job move smoothly -- and what to do when the inevitable problems creep in. Speaking of creeps, the contractors I used when I renovated my NYC co-op were the worst -- the work looked great, but they were from Long Island and had failed to do the work to NYC code! The problems wound up costing me hundreds of dollars and hours of time, and the contractors had disappeared by the time the bills came due, even after they swore they'd make the changes themselves at no cost to me. Did I ever have the kind of binding contract this book talks about? Contract -- what's a contract? I was foolish, yes, but I won't be caught in this bind again, thanks to the Unofficial Guide.

This book is a gem. If you are thinking about remodeling, buy the book and read it before you do anything! I used this book as my guide to remodeling my 1000-sq-foot ranch, improving the kitchen, baths and windows. This book was at its best when it came to tips about dealing with contractors and builders (and what the differences are!!) I believe that my wife and I would be much more out of pocket and out of temper if we hadn't followed Mr. Stephens' sound advice.