Bathroom Transform Magazine

8/13/2019 Bathroom Transform Magazine

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BATHROOMCONSUMER GUIDE TO

MARCH 2018 NO. 36PR C

Tips, tricks & ideas for your perfect bathroom

PICKING THE RIGHT

INSTALLER


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PRICE 6 99

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Your Bathroom, My Passion

Dear Friend,

Your bathroom is one of your homes most valuable assets.Selecting the right bathroom contractor will be the single

most important factor in determining whether your nextremodelling experience will be a pleasurable one or not. Infact, according to a recent 2012 study, 50% of the homeown-ers surveyed were dissatisfied to the point that they wouldnot hire the same contractor again.

To be completely satisfied with the outcome of your project,your bathroom contractor must incorporate the proper de-sign and scope of work and the right team of people. Everycontractor brings a different level of knowledge, commit-ment, and dedication to the table.

This guide was written to help you better understand thebathroom remodelling business so youll know exactly whatit takes to help ensure that your next project is a success.With this valuable information, youll be able tomake an inform ed and intelligent decision when choosing a

contractor for your next remodelling project.

Respectfully,

Jason Cohen,Director, Bathroom Transformation Specialists

Bathroom ransormationSpecialists Insurance Certificate.

2 Million Public Liability10 Million Employee Liability

Bat room rans ormation Specia istsAccredited Members O...


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Directors Thoughts

Persnickity?

Demanding?Hard To Please?Picky?Then I Am The Right Bathroom Remodeller For You!

In remodeling your bathroom, its all about the details, andme and my team are obsessed with them. Why? Because Idrather do things RIGHT rather than right now. It takes timeto do things properly and I refuse to compromise quality forspeed. Im not the fastest, and Im not the cheapest contractoraround, but according to my customers I exceed their expecta-tions with the final result.

Your investment in remodeling your bathroom is something Itake very seriously. Its all about YOU, your needs, lifestyle, andhaving minimal disruption during the construction. Thats

why I prefer to spend ample time with you to go through thedetails before we show. up.

My mobile number is 07913 909 357.

Feel free to interupt my dinner, or wake me up at 2 am oreven make me come home early from my holiday!

My Only Concern Is That Your Job Is 100% Perfect!

I am NOT The Fastest! I am NOT The Cheapest,.

I Am, However According To My Customers. The BEST!

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I Was Shocked AndEmbarrassedWhenI Found Out That Build-ers Were Britainss #1Most Complained AboutIndustry.Weve always done a good joband treated our customersright.

And weve been able to build a nice business because ofit. But Ive noticed over the years that some consumerswill choose less-than-reputable companies to do jobsfor them usually because they are quoted less money.

Dont get me wrong. Im all for good, honest competi-tion, but it pains me to see good folks risk their hardearned money with contractors who have no track re-cord, or worse, a bad (but hidden) track record.

Industry Standards WerentTough Enough

Before you hire any company to work on your home,make sure you ctake 20 minutes to read the rest of thisshort guide and INSIST that the company comply withEVERY SINGLE thing listed.

If you do, chances are excellent youll get exactly whatyou want out of your project..

High Pressure Sales TacticsAccording to the London Chamber Of Commerce complaints against home im-provement/home repair contractors are among THE most common consumercomplaints received.

Complaints range from highpressure sales tactics and confusion over contractterms to poor or incomplete workmanship and overcharging for the amount orquality of work provided.

Fortunately, much of this can be avoided with a little research. Unprofessionaland disreputable contractors can be easy to spot provided that you heed thisadvice and dont let the temptations of a low price keep you from seeing thewarning signs.


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Consumer Guide

Scary

Stats

One study of approximately1000 homeowners conductedin 2012 by Kitchen, Bathroom &Bedroom magazine revealed that50% of them would not hire thecontractor they originally chose to

remodel their home.

48% said they would not referthe contractor they chose to theirfriends.

Its been my experience thatmost people have the samebasic questions in mind whenconsidering a remodelingproject

1. How much will it cost?2. How long will it take?3. When can the work getstarted?

There are always a few exceptionsbut for the most part these are thethree most popular questions.

It has always amazedme that there are so fewquestions asked aboutthe contractor, the pro-cesses he or she uses tocomplete the project,questions about the em-ployees, subcontractors,

materials used, properscope of work, etc.

I believe the reason forthis lack of questioningis due to one or more ofthe following reasons:

1. People dont knowwhat they should ask.

2. They dont know howor are too afraid to ask.

3. They take too muchfor granted, danger-ously assuming that

most contractors fol-low standard businesspractices that dont re-ally vary much from onecontractor to the next.

The purpose of thisguide is to help you be-come intimately awareof the ins and outs ofhow the remodellingbusiness works.

Not only will you knowexactly what questionsto ask but youll also bemuch more at ease andless apprehensive aboutasking them becauseyoull understand thatany good contractor willappreciate your intelli-gent questions and willlikely be far more inter-ested in working withyou as a result.

Furthermore, by expos-ing you to all of the in-gredients of a great joband a great contractorand showing you whatyoull need to look outfor, youll be in a muchbetter position to make

an intelligent decisionwhen it comes time tohire someone for yournext project.

This guide will provideyou with the necessaryknowledge and toolsthat will enable you tosee, quite obviously, theright contractor for yourparticular job.

This is not a how toguide on managing acontractor. While it maybe hard to believe with

all the stories out there,there are contractorswho require very little, ifany, managing on yourpart.

Many books and tipsIve read over the yearsseem to be directed to-ward helping you man-age a contractor. Thatmay have been helpfuladvice 20 or 30 yearsago, but times havechanged. A professionalcontractor, by defini-tion, does not need tobe managed.

A professional contrac-tor knows exactly whatneeds to be done, whenand how to do it andhow to manage it. Theyhave systems in placeand processes they fol-

low to help ensure con-sistent success.

A professional contrac-tor rarely needs to bereminded or told whatto do.


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COVER STORY

Having all of these criteria metobviously leads toward you beingcompletely satisfied. This not onlyis in your best interest for obviousreasons but its also in the contrac-tors best interest because satis-fied clients are many times morelikely to come back to buy again

AND refer other people. Gettinglots of referrals is what every smartcontractor wants!

Everything from this point for-ward will be written with this defi-nition in mind.

But before we can consider ensur-ing the success of your project, Iwill try to dispel some of the mostcommon misconceptions manypeople have about the bathroomremodelling business.

The following section details themost common misconceptions

that I believe get people into themost trouble. Lets take a look atthem now.

How to Avoid the 6 Most CommonMisconceptions about BathroomRemodelling

Misconception #1

You should always get three bids.

Not necessarily. This tactic isprobably responsible for more dis-satisfaction within the remodel-ling industry than any other singlefactor.

Why?

If your objective is to get a qualityjob at a fair price, simply compar-ing it to another estimate is oftenvery misleading. There arent anystandard prices or standardspecifications for bathroom re-

modelling projects.Each quote or esti-mate you receive isa reflection of whatsincluded in the actu-al job that a particu-lar contractor is plan-ning on completing

for you.

Given that you arebuying somethingthat does not yet ex-ist (as opposed to acar that you can testdrive, for example)its impossible to tellhow similar (or farapart) one contrac-tors proposed job isfrom the next.

Even if you think

everything is the same or similarenough,i t rarely is and you wontdiscover this until the job is under-way or worse yet, completely fin-ished. Thi s is after youve invested

some or all of your money. Most

likely this will amount to thou-sands of pounds!

In the case of buying a car andcomparing prices from one dealerto another, you are much morelikely comparing the EXACT samecar built by the same manufac-turer. But, youre not buying a car!In fact, what you are buying is noteven built yet. You cant try it out .You cant test drive it. You canteven see it!

This is true whether the remodel-ling project is basic or complex.Even with a job as basic as replac-

ing tiles in a bathroom or replac-ing a bath, one contractors meth-ods and materials can be (andoften are) vastly different from thenext. Even building codes dontadequately protect you fromthese variances.

When you compare prices in

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When you compare prices inthis business its far too easy to

be fooled or mislead by not fullyunderstanding what each con-tractor is planning on doing norhow each one plans to do it. Mostcontractors are not very good atcommunicating exactly what it isthat they plan on doing, nor arethey good at explaining how theymay differ from the other contrac-tors that you may be considering.

Therefore, if you get differentprices, without doing much ofthe other due diligence as I ex-plain throughout this guide, youmay believe all of the contractorsyouve called are much more simi-

lar than they really are. This mayvery well tempt you into justify-ing one of the lower priced con-tractors. In this business, takingan approach like this can be verydangerous and oftentimesVERYEXPENSIVE

If youre concerned about getting

a good deal, consider relying on

a contractor that has an excel-lent reputation. I believe its veryrare to find a contractor that hasearned an outstanding reputationof quality and service that chargestoo much for the work they pro-vide.

In fact, if they didnt do excep-tional work or charged too much,they wouldnt have a good reputa-tion nor a substantial list of satis-fied clients. They simply couldntfool such a large number of peo-ple into believing that they weregood if they werent indeed good.

Many people who consider themethod of getting multiple bidssimply believe they are well servedto solicit bids, then, throw out thehigh and the low and take the onefrom the middle. As you continueto learn everything that I share inthis guide, youll soon be free ofthis distorted thinking.

Instead of simply inviting contrac-

tors to come by to look at your job,ask around first to see who has agood reputation in your area fordoing a great job on projects simi-lar to yours. Get recommenda-tions from friends, relatives, neigh-bors, and local merchants.

Take note of any job signs that yousee in your area and stop by thejobsite to have a look around. Talkto the homeowners to see whatthey have to say about the con-tractor.

If you feel confident enough withthe quality, dependability and

reputation of the recommendedcontractor, by all means, considerstopping there without contact-ing others. It may go against con-ventional wisdom but I honestlybelieve you will be far happier asa result. Additionally, calling othercontractors may simply confuseyou.


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GOINGWITHALOWPRICE

SAVESYOUMONEY?Think about this for a minute. If you have solicited severalbids and go with the contractor that has the lowest price,youve just awarded your job to the guy that just figured outthe CHEAPEST way to get your project done!

Is this what you really want?

One of the most common signs of trouble ahead is some-

one offering to do work for a low price. A vast majority ofthe horror stories you hear about on TV shows like the `BBCsRogue Traders, Watch Dog & Cowboy Traders are about peo-ple having nightmare experiences with contractors stemfrom people buying a job from a lower- priced contractor.Like the age old sayings go: You get what you pay for!andYou cant get something for nothing! Be extremely carefulin choosing your contractor based upon the lowest price.

Better yet just dont do it at all!

But you may be thinking: well, if all things are equal, goingwith the lowest price is smart buying! Isnt it?

Absolutely, 100% yes!

But things are almost NEVER, EVER equal in the bathroomremodelling business!

Even if you have the most complete set of professional draw-ings and a twenty-five page written set of specifications de-scribing every little detail, things can still be very, very differ-ent from one contractor to the next.

What is true, though, is the more detail the better. As youllsoon discover, I am a huge fan of details. They are criticalin order to help establish expectations. But again, even themost detailed plans leave a lot, and I mean a lot to be dis-covered.

PRICE

MISCONCEPTION 2

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Materials Guide

IShouldBuyThe

MaterialsMyselfToSaveMoney?

Misconception 3

MOST PROFESSIONALCONTRACTORS WILL NOTBE INTERESTED IN WORKING UNDER THESE CONDITIONS AND FOR VERY

GOOD REASONS.FIRST, IF YOURE PROVIDING

THE MATERIALS, THERES AVERY GOOD CHANCE OF GET

TING THE WRONG OR NOTENOUGH MATERIALS.

Having the wrong materials de-

livered, working with poor qualitymaterials or unfamiliar suppliers is asource of major frustration for con-tractors and may cost them timeand money. Most will just avoidthis arrangement altogether.

Second, the markup that a contrac-tor makes on materials is not dis-cretionary.

It is needed to cover the cost of op-erating expenses that are requiredto run a successful business and tomake a reasonable profit. If a con-tractor is not able to make this mon-ey on the materials, he will have tomake it up somewhere else, usuallyby way of higher labor prices.

Oftentimes, the contractor has ne-gotiated discounts for many of thedifferent materials they use to helpoffset their markup. Sometimesthe discount is substantial enoughto cover all of the markup.

Sometimes, contractors will havyou supply the materials, particlarly when the materials are out the ordinary.

You will want to be careful with tharrangement because many timcontractors do not offer a warranon items not supplied by them. Itbest, in my opinion, to just let th

contractor provide all materials.This way you are safe, the contractis happy, and there is no confusioabout who is ultimately responble should something go wrong.


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INSURANCE

ARE YOU

FULLY INSURED?

The term fully-insured must mean that the contractor carries all of thenecessary insurance to provide me with adequate protection.

Surprisingly, this is not always the case!

DOYOUHAVE

INSURANCE ?

Contractors are required to carry a minimum of two insur-

ances; employee liability insurance (if he hires one or moreemployees or assistants) and Public Liability insurance. Em-ployee Liability covers you if a person that is working onyour property is injured.

Public liability insurance covers mostly property relatedthings like a broken window or damage to your personalproperty by the contractor. Person al injuries are by far yourgreatest potential exposure in most cases.

While both types of insurance have become very expensivein recent years, of the two, Employee liability insurance isconsiderably more expensive up to four to five times asmuch as public liability insurance.

Many contractors illegally avoid paying for the more ex-pensive Employee liability insurance by claiming they dont

actually need it due to the fact that they technically donthave any employees.

If the contractor really only works by himself he may needjust the Liability insurance. But if he hires anyone to assisthim and doesnt have a Employee liability policy in placeyou may be dangerously exposed should that hired handget hurt while working on your home. Most bathroom jobsrequire more than one person to complete them. Thereforeyou almost always need this protection.

In most cases, your homeowners policy only covers injuries

incurred by people considered to be casual labor like a maidor gardener. Its a whole different story when it comes tohired contractors.

To be safe, stick to those contractors who carry both policies.And remember, Fully Insured doesnt always mean what itimplies.

To verify that a contractor has both Liability and WorkersCompensation insurance, ask for the name and phone num-ber of the carrier so that you can call to verify if a particularcontractor is adequately covered.

At the very least, ask for certificates of insurance before yousign a contract.

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HOW A CHILD REACTS TO

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR?Every industry has its share of scams and con artists. Theremodelling industry is no exception. However, spotting a realscam or con artist in this business is relatively easy provided youpay attention to the clues.

One clue is that we tend to get a gutfeeling if someone is tryingto pull one over on us. But what about when someone does not

attempt to intentionally scam us? This is more difficult to detect,especially when someone is truly being honest and sincere.

Im referring to the honest contractors that are either inexperi-enced, incompetent or both. They may mean well, but their lackof skill or knowledge or inability to be able to complete or man-age your project correctly can be just as devastating as the workof a truly unscrupulous contractor. In other words, its not alwaysthe bad guys you need to look out for. More often than not, inthis business, its the honest guy that doesnt know what the heckhes doing that you need to look out for most.

Theres a big difference between being willing and being ableand there seems to be no shortage of people willing to do yourparticular job.

Lets take a look at some of the things you will want to look out

For High-PressureSales Tactics

With the remodelling business becoming more and more com-petitive each year, many contractors resort to high-pressure tac-tics to get you to sign on the spot. These people generally havetheir own private agenda. They are not interested in you or theeventual outcome of your project as much as making the sale,and will sometimes promise anything to get you to sign. Youshould never feel pressured into making a decision about choos-ing your contractor.

If you ever feel pressured by a contractor or salesman, politelyask them to back off. If they persist, its time to look for anothercontractor. High pressure usually leads to a poor decision whenremodelling. A qualified, reputable professional would neverpressure anyone into a commitment.

Unusual Payment Terms

Beware of the contractor who asks that you pay for the entire jobupfront or asks you to pay in cash. A reputable, professional con-tractor will generally ask for a reasonable deposit and will pro-pose a reasonable payment schedule.

There are too many horror stories about contractors who disap-peared with a homeowners money without finishing the project.A professional contractor will present an equitable, mutually ac-ceptable payment plan, usually based on the progress of your

project.

Unverifiable Credentials

If you cant verify a contractors company, name, address, aphone number, its a sure bet that trouble lies ahead. Manythese fly-by-night contractors are called pick-up-truck bu

ers. These guys dont have verifiable businesses and are moenough to pack up and leave your job without a trace. A verifiaaddress is a must.

The Price Reduction

This scam occurs when you say no to or show a bit of reluctato the initial offer and in response the salesperson offers a lowprice for the exact same work. Substantial reductions in pwithout changes in the scope of work or specifications likely nifies that the contractor is trying to get a higher price for somthing that is worth less to begin with and is just trying to sathe sale.

In my book this is bad business. Personally, I think this pracsuggests dishonesty on the part of the contractor. If you ctrust him now, you surely cant trust him later.

If you and the contractor negotiate different materials, methoor circumstances that clearly have an impact on the cost, would be fine. Otherwise the priceshould be the price.

No Contract or Proposal

I cant tell you how many headaches and how much frustratiocould have been prevented if only there were a carefully drafcontract with a defined scope of work, clear specifications, adetailed terms.

Insist on a thorough contract or proposal that includes all the tails!

By following this rule you will substantially increase your chanof being satisfied. I believe many problems stem from people

ing ahead with someone they feel good abouta nd taking much for granted. Do not assume it is included unless it is spelout in writing!

In addition to the benefits that come from knowing what to pect, if a contractor takes the time necessary to compile a tailed document, there will be far fewer unforeseen issues amisunderstandings, which will result in less stress for both parand a project that moves along much more smoothly.If there is ever a misunderstanding, chances are it can be eacleared up by referencing this critical document.

Misconception 4


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HOW A CHILD REACTS TO LOSS

Incomplete Specifications or Unclear Terms

Pay particular attention to the Scope of Work and Specifica-tions section of the contract or proposal. This is the part of theproposal that defines exactly what work will be completed (thescope of work) and exactly what products or materials and whichmethods are going to be used (the specifications).

Every project should have clearly written specifications. Not justvague generalities. Again, most contractors fall short on this sowhen you see a well-defined set of specs, chances are good (butnot guaranteed) that you have found a good contractor.

Shoddy or Incomplete Workmanship

By far, this is the most widespread scam of all. Its as commonamong the honest guys as much as it is with the actual con artists.You wouldnt believe how much shoddy workmanship Ive seenover the course of my career as a professional remodeler. It hasbeen noted that approximately 40% of home improvement workdone today is a direct result of poor workmanship or impropermaterials installed by a previous contractor.

A few years ago I read about a study that was conducted on some400 newly built homes across London. 94% of those homes werefound to have major flaws.

To address the potential for shoddy workmanship, I recommendfollowing up with references and actually visiting some com-

pleted projects until you are 100% satisfied that your bathroomcontractor will provide the level of workmanship you expect. DONOT ignore this issue. You really should visit the jobs to see foryourself. Simply do not take someones word for it. See it first-hand. Because their idea of quality might be completely differentfrom your idea of quality.

In my company, we recommend (and sometimes require) thatprospective clients visit one or more of our past projects so theycan see firsthand examples of our work. I would strongly encour-age you to visit job sites. Youll have a much better sense of thequality of work you can expect.

The Contractor Asks That You Get the Required PermitsSome contractors may ask that you get the required building per-mits. This could be a signal that he is either unlicensed, the workis outside the area in which he is licensed or he is not able to get

a permit due to improper or inadequate insurance coverage. Thecontractor may also not be in good standing with the buildingdepartment.

In any case, a reputable contractor will always obtain a permit onevery job requiring one. When a contractor obtains the required

building permits, you are more likely to have things done accord-ing to the applicable building codes. Also, many homeownerinsurance policies require that a permit be issued on any majorremodelling project in order to be properly insured.Not all contractors will do this. Many prefer not to becauseof the time involved an d the inconveniences of dealing withthe building department.

The Schedule or Time Frame Seems Too Good To Be TrueIf the schedule youre quoted seems too good to be true, it prob-ably is. Professional contractors make it a point to set realistic ex-pectations. A bathroom contractor who knows his business will

give you a realistic work schedule/timeli ne. Dont be lured by thecontractor who promises an overly optimistic completion date.Chances are, he is promising something he cant deliver.

The Contractor Doesnt Warranty His Work

Remember this: Contractors committed to quality workmanshipand client satisfaction warranty their work at least one year andmany offer two years or more. In any case, make sure your con-tractor offers a warranty and that its in writing!

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Testimonials

Good Job. Tey've worked hard and con-tributed valuable ideas and solutions. I'mpleased with the result.

Paolo., Acton, London, November 2013

Having bought a new flat I wanto remove the very dated bath, and toilet, and replace them winew ones. Jasons estimate was most competitive so I decided t

book him or the job, and Im gI did.

Robin Hemmnings,Ealing, July 2013

ason and his team completed an excellent job on our bathroomrefit. Tey were tidy and efficient and had great attention to de- the finish is very proessional. I cannot quite believe they are same rooms ! Tey took time to work with us to ensure we gotactly what we wanted. I would not hesitate to recommend Jasohis team or to hire them again!

Rose Jennings, Greenord, January 2013


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If youre saying to yourself, So what if hegoes out of business thats his problem,

consider this:

It could be during your project that hediscovers he is out of business!

Below Ive listed some of the methodsI have seen used by contractors, bothknowingly and unknowingly, in anattempt to maintain low prices in orderto win your project.

Theres probably many more. These aresome of the most common ways:

Bathroom Consumer Guide

PRICING

16 METHODS

CONTRACTORS USETO OFFER LOWER

PRICESSadly,manycontractor

s

believethatthe

individualwhocancome

upwithalowpricegets

awardedthemostjobs.

Thisisdefinitelyaneasier

wayof sellingduetoless

salesresistanceandthe

abilitytofillupanempty

schedule.Buteventuallyitwillcatchupwith

himsoonerorlaterhe

willfindhimselfbroke

andoutofbusiness. Its

inevitable.

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HOW A CHILD REACTS TO LOSS

1. Unrealistic allowances.

2. Not accurately accounting for the proper amountof time necessary to complete the job

correctly. Taking shortcuts.

3. Using poor quality materials.

4. Hiring inexpensive, unskilled labor; people whohave not had the proper training.

5. Hiring inexpensive trade or subcontractors.

6. Doesnt carry the proper insurance or carries noinsurance.

7. Simply underestimating due to lack of thoroughlythinking through the job.

8. Inadequate safety precautions on his job sites.

9. Paying workers with cash (under-the-table),

avoiding taxes and insurance.10. No benefits for employees, i.e. health insurance,vacations, holiday pay, etc.

11. Plans on charging more once the job has startedby intentionally leaving things out.

12. No long-term warranty.

13. Typically doesnt stick to a schedule.

14. Disposes of debris illegally.

15. Avoids paying payroll taxes to the Inland Revenue.

16.Inadequate dust control and surface protection.Remember this

If a contractor is forced, albeit intentionally orunintentionally, to work for prices so low they cantmake a profit, they cant help but deliver products andservices that are of very little value to you.Is that what you really want?

Again, be careful not to let price alone drive yourdecision making process.


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PROJECT COSTS

THERES MORETO A PROJECTSCOST THANLABOR &

MATERIALSMany people often think that when the cost seems out of proportion to theactual materials and labor required to complete the job, the difference is liningthe contractors pockets.

Believe it or not, despite the factthat remodelling can seem expen-sive, its not a highly profitable busi-ness, especially when you consider

the amount of risk a contractor hasto assume every time he takes ona new project and the amount ofeffort it takes to keep a project ontrack.

In addition to the actual labor andmaterials, there are so many other

expenses every successful contrac-tor must figure into his price in or-der to survive.

Without having a basic under-standing of this, you may simplydisqualify one or more of the actualprofessional contractors you haveconsidered simply by mistakenlybelieving that the price is too high.

The following is a list of some of

the key elements that make upoverhead in every successfullymanaged remodelling company. Ifone or more of these essential ele-

ments is missing, the companysability to manage your project andprovide quality service drops con-siderably.

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* Telephone, mobile phones* Office rent* Office supplies* Stationery and printing expenses* Website, hosting, and Internet* Liability insurance* Health insurance* Paid vacations, holidays* Staff meetings

* Payroll expenses* Office administration and manage-ment* Time doing freeestimates* Material price increases which maynot be billable once a job is quoted* Estima ting errors and omissions* Warranty repairs* Tools and equipment

* Trucks, repairs & maintenance, fuel* Continuing education, training,and industry events* Computers and software* Busin ess loans and interest* Accountants fees* Taxes* Production supervision andmanagement

* Advertising, marketing, and salescosts

These are just some of the itemsthat a professional contractor hasto account for. When you considerthat all of these items have to bepaid for out of the money thats leftafter paying for labor and materi-

als, its hard to believe remodellingdoesnt cost even more!This all adds up to a substantialamount of money. In order tocover his overhead, a contractortypically must add between 40%- 60% (or more depending on vari-

ous factors) to the actual cost of la-bor and materials required to com-plete your project. Again, this isjust to cover overhead expenses. Itdoesnt include profit. Most profes-sional contractors try to maintain

a 5% - 10% profit when all is saidand done. Without a profit, thecontractor will eventually go out ofbusiness.The next time you receive a pricefrom a contractor that seems toohigh, dont automatically assume

that he is trying to line his pockets.He may very well just be trying topay for the very things that allowhim to survive and provide a good,reliable service to you and a goodenvironment for his employees.

Beware of the contractor that tellsyou his prices are low because hekeeps his overhead down. Chancesare high that there will be troubleahead.


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MISTAKES

COSTLYMISTAKESNot Following Up on References

Weve all been taught to get references but oftentimes people fail

to follow through and actually check them! Most people get a list of

references, but dont call. Do not just assume they will be good. Go

ahead and check out the references you are given. A reputable

contractor will welcome the opportunity for you to talk to his past

clients and will be delighted to show off his previous work.

6Not Following Up on References

Weve all been taught to get references but oftentimes people fail

to follow through and actually check them! Most people get a list of

references, but dont call. Do not just assume they will be good. Go

ahead and check out the references you are given. A reputable

contractor will welcome the opportunity for you to talk to his past

clients and will be delighted to show off his previous work.

Not Inspecting the Contractors Work

Not Inspecting the Contractors Work

Ask to see completed projects as well as a job in progress. For current projects,

take a close look around. Is the job site neat and clean? Do things appear to be

organised? Are the homeowners happy or are they disappointed ?

Also, youll want to make sure to ask for, and follow-up on, supplier and bank-ing references. You will want to make sure your contractor is on stable financial

ground. Make sure he is current with his suppliers. Be especially wary of a con-

tractor who cant give you any local supplier references. He probably owes them

money.

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Selecting a Contractor Based On Price

Weve already discussed this, but it is clearly the most common

mistake so it definitely warrants repeating. Certainly, price can and

should be a factor in choosing your contractor but should not be the

main determining factor. Youll be far better off choosing a contractor

you feel comfortable with and working together with him to design

a project that will serve you AND will fit your budget. A reputable

contractor wont make foolish mistakes just to save money.

Believe me, the last thing you want after a contractor has begun work

on your home is to have that sinking feeling of having made a terrible

mistake and wanting him gone. Bad experiences usually accompany

the low price. Do your homework. Do not be influenced by a low

price.

Its unwise to pay too much, but is worse topay too little. When you pay too much, youlose a little - that is all.

When you pay too little, you sometimes loseeverything, because the thing you boughtwas incapable of doing the thing it wasbought to do. The common law of businessbalance prohibits paying a little and getting alot - it cant be done! If you deal with the low-est bidder, it is well to add something for therisk you run. And if you do that, you will haveenough to pay for something better. -

-John Ruskin (1819-1900)English art critic and writer


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reser

WHATTO

LOOKFORINABATHROOMCONTRACTOR?Promptness

Does your bathroom contractor keep his appointments?Yes, a contractors day can be busy and things do come upthat interfere with his schedule, but promptness is an impor-tant factor. This may sound a bit old- fashioned but if he iswilling to break an appointment, what other commitmentsis he also willing to break? Li ttle things count. If hes runningbehind he should have the courtesy to call to let you know.

Trustworthiness

Honesty and trust are of the utmost importance in any situ-ation, especially when the person has total access to your

home. Make sure you feel a high level of trust with yourcontractor and trust your instinct if you dont. Not only areyou trusting him to be in your home and around your family,youre also trusting him with, in many cases, a very sizeableamount of your money!

High Percentage of Referrals or Repeat Clients

When a significant amount of a contractors business is de-rived from repeat or referred business, it is an indication

that his clients are pleased and that he has an outstandingreputation. If your contractor has a long list of happy clientsand has an outstanding reputation for doing quality work,chances are high that you will be satisfied as well.

Will Your Home Be Protected?

Simply put, bathroom remodelling can be very dusty anddirty. If not adequately controlled, dust will get everywhere,especially if there is a lot of sanding or demolition. Makesure your contractor has plans to take the appropriate meas-ures to control dust and protect your floor finishes. This canincrease the price a contractor quotes by a considerableamount and this is work which is often overlooked by inex-

perienced or nonprofessional contractors.

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16 QUESTIONS YOUSHOULD ASK TO

PICK THERIGHT CONTRACTORAny reputable bathroom remodelling contractor should beable to answer all of the following questions positively. Youwould be wise to avoid any contractor that cannot.

1. Are you properly licensed?

2. Do you require all change orders to be in writing to elimi-nate any misunderstandings and unexpected cost overruns?

3. Do you carry public liability insurance?

4. Do you carry employees compensation insurance?

5. Will you provide me with a written lien waiver at the endof the job?

6. Does the contractor offer a written warranty on all work-manship?

7. Who will be in charge of my job? May I meet this personor persons?

8. Have you been a party in any construction litigation?

9. Will you provide me with references?

10.What percentage of your business is repeat or referralbased?

11. How many projects like mine have you completed in thelast year or two?

12. How do you plan to reduce dust and protect the rest ofmy home from the effects of other work? (Good contractorserect dust barriers and use drop cloths and other protectivematerial to protect your home.)

13. How is daily and general clean-up handled?

14. Will you provide me with a written contract that clearlyspells out exactly what you will do, what your price in-cludes and does not include and specifies a guaranteedprice, payment schedule, and a completion date?

15,. Will a professional designer and/or architect design myjob? (For projects that warrant this level of service.)

16. Does the contractor provide realistic renderings, sketch-es, and perspectives to allow you to clearly visualise yourproject early in the planning stages? (Again, for projects thatwarrant this level of service.)


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Remodelling your bathroom can be an exciting journey so long as youve hired the right team of professionals to take onyour project. Hopefully, Ive shared with you some valuable insights you can use to make the process of choosing the rightteam easier the next time you remodel.Since this guide is distributed all across the countr y, I have no idea where you live. But, if youre located in our service areaencompassing London zones 1 - 6 and the surrounding communities and you would like to speak with me personally,please dont hesitate to call on me for some free advice. I truly enjoy speaking with people about their bath room remodel-ling plans.

Weve been serving this community for many years and have extensive experience in bathroom creative design and highquality bathroom remodeling services,be it just the installation or the full design, source and install.

We will also be happy to provide you with our recommendations for many other services as well such as kitchen, bedroomand loft designers and installers We know all the good trade people and can steer you in the right direction.

Year after year dozens of discerning homeowners trust their homes and bathroom remodelling projects to me and my teamof designers and craftsmen; many of those homeowners are clients that continue to hire us time and time again.

As a professional, full-servicebathroom remodelling contractor, we will work with you to incorporate your ideas and oursinto a project that best fits your home, lifestyle, and budget. Large or small, we can take your project from concept to com-pletion and our services are second to none.

If you would like to discuss the exciting possibilities for improving your bathroom with a qualified and reputable remodel-ling professional, please give me a call today at 0742 517 8664

Ill be happy to discuss your needs over the phone to see if I can help you. If we both feel that you may benefit from ourservices, at no cost and without any obligation, I will be happy to set up a consultation in your home to have a closerlook at your bathroom, discuss your ideas, make suggestions, design a 3d plan and answer all of your questions.

One simple call and youll be well on your way to enjoying the peace of mind that comes from knowing your largest invest-ment is in the hands a qualified professional.

Take Care. Respectfully,

Jason CohenDirector,Bathroom Transformation Specialists

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Bathroom Transform Magazine

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