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Estimates

At this point, you should have checked out the Contractors, (per our Contractor's page),  you plan to get bids from and are ready to proceed with getting Estimates.
When you are sending your job/project "out to Bid", make absolutely sure that all Bidders have exactly the same information.  That way you will know that the pricing should be comparable. 
  • Try to limit the number of Bidders to three, Contractors get really annoyed when they find out , (and they do find out), that there are many others bidding on a job.  
  • If a Contractor calls and asks to make a substitution for a product or a construction method make sure you understand why and what impact it will have on the price, to be fair to the other Bidders. 
  • The more information a Contractor gathers on your Project, the smoother the remodeling will go.  Any Contractor really interested in your Project should make a site visit to your home to investigate existing conditions.  This may also hinder certain site condition change orders down the road.
  • Give your Bidders a reasonable due date of when you need your written proposals. 
  • There should be a list of products selection and specifica

  • tions that include manufacturers.  If you or your Designer have not specified this list, then tell your Bidders to specify what they recommend.  For example, if it's a HVAC installation you will want to know what type of equipment, type of ductwork is being used and where supplies and returns are being located, what the SEER rating is, etc...these are the types of things that you don't want to have discussions about when the installers are on site, it can cost you money to change things if you don't pay attention in the beginning . Or many times a lower price is useless when a system doesn't work properly with your existing house.
  • No matter what the type of remodeling project, make sure you understand all the options and what you are getting. Any good contractor will be able to walk you thru this and have a proper spec sheet with their contract. If you are unsure of any system, a good Contractor will also be able to bring in his particular subcontractor for a consultation to discuss options.

Proposals

When your estimate is complete, a good Contractor will take this information and write you a Proposal that speaks to the Scope of Work for your Project as well as the Materials and Specifications to be used on your job. 
  • The Proposal should be very specific about any Materials, Products, Specifications, Construction Methods, or Notations that deviate or modify the original plans and specs.  
  • The Proposal should also include any Site Conditions that the Contractor wants to highlight. 
  • The Proposals you receive should be reviewed carefully.  They should be within 10% of each other in price.  If they are not, then something is incorrect and you should investigate. 
  • It is best to actually meet with each Contractor to review the Proposal if they are very in-depth.
  • If you have a Project that involves any cabinetry, you should always have a Legend or List that enumerates each cabinets, its' location, and any interior accessories.
  • If there are any Materials/Products that have not been selected, than there must be a monetary allowance amount built into the Proposal for the future Material/Product and installation, if any, equivalent to the standards of the Project.
  • A Proposal will generally briefly discuss some Contract terms, but the Contract Documents themselves will be detailed for Terms and Conditions and will include the Proposal as an attachment.
  • Upon acceptance of a Proposal, Construction Contract Documents should be drawn up and reviewed, it is always a good idea to have your attorney review any type of document.

For further information on Contracts, please go on to Contract Document Management and Contract Document Advice.

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