HPC of South Bend and St. Joseph County - Standards Update Draft

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 75 For More Information: Should I Hire a Contractor? There are many good contractors that you can tap to carry out your renovation plan . The best contractors for your historic building are those who have experience working with historic buildings . The following outline helps you with a best practices approach to hiring a contractor . Here are some tips: 1 . Define your scope of work—i.e. what do you want to do? The scope of work describes what you want a contractor to do in written form . A clearly written scope of work allows each contractor to submit a bid based on the same information; it will form the basis for your contract so you both understand the expectations of what is to be done for the price contracted . Make sure to include who will get permits, dumpsters and be responsible for clean-up and debris removal. If you are having trouble defining or articulating your project, try clipping magazine pictures, layouts, materials, or other examples that you can show . 2 . What is your timetable for the project? Contractors are busy! Do not expect a contractor to be immediately available the next week to start your job . Begin planning early and give time for contractors to get your bid together . Rushing bidding or setting a timeline that does not allow for your project to be worked into a contractor’s schedule will result in either no bids returned or pricing for the work to be higher than necessary . Things that you will want to include for the contractor—when would you like the work to start and finish? Are there any special timing considerations? Consider scheduling indoor work for the winter when contractors need such jobs . 3 . What is your budget—how much do you hope to spend? Be realistic about the amount of money you can spend and include at least a 10% cushion. You should consider not only how much you can afford but within that amount what is realistic to expect to be completed for that budget . Keep in mind, it is almost always more expensive than you first believe it should be. Popular media shows are not a good barometer of real-world costs. 4 . Research contractors One of the most difficult things is finding the right contractor who can or will do your project . Consider online sites who can help with referrals . Neighbors who have recently had work done may be another . Always ask for references and follow up when securing bids . Connect with the local Better Business Bureau and building department . The lowest bidder may not be the best contractor for the job . 5 . From your preliminary list—consider two or three contractors to look at your project . Interview your short list at the project site . Listen to how they would approach the project, their observations about the challenges, their overall attitude about the project . Consider your connection—could you work with this person for the duration of the project? Ask them who specifically would be on your project . Are they punctual? Organized? Prompt in returning calls . These factors may be an indication of how the contractor approaches projects, and the firm’s attentiveness to detail and schedule . Most of all, trust your gut reaction to the first meeting. If you are not comfortable with a contractor keep looking . In the interview, ask questions about their project history, approach to managing jobs, and your project . Discuss your expectations, especially regarding the project cost and schedule, to get the contractor’s initial reaction . Be sure to ask the contractors how they handle change orders, which document time and/or material alterations to the original bid . Here is a sampling of questions you might ask: • What are your current projects? • Have you done projects like my project? • How long have you been in business? • How many people will be on the job? • Can the job be completed within the proposed schedule? • Will you hold weekly meetings with me about the project status? • Will the supervisor be on site? • Do you arrange for building permits and debris removal? • What labor and material warranty do you offer? Should I Hire a Contractor?DRAFT