Blog

It's frustrating as a "good guy" contractor to hear stories from family and customers about their terrible contractor experiences.  Just this past week I have heard from my mother-in-law and a customer about the contractor that asked for all the money before they were done with the job.  So now the contractor won't finish the job and they didn't build the job right.   This is why contractors have a bad reputation.   There are a lot of good contractors out there, so here are some questions to ask the contractors you are interviewing.  And then you can make an informed, educated decision.

20 Things To Ask Your Basement Contractor

1. How long have you been in business?

2. Is your company a full service or specialty firm?

3. Are you licensed?

4. Are you insured? For how much?

5. Do you have a showroom?

6. How many employees do you have?

7. Do you offer a warranty?

8. Can I call references?

9. Can I go visit some of your past or current jobs?

10. When will you start?

11. When will you finish?

12. Do you offer financing?

13 .Do you do all the work yourself or hire subcontractors? ?

14. Will you be pulling the permits?

15. Do you have any products specially designed for my basement?

16. What makes you an expert at what you do?

17. I don't want any surprises. Will I be getting a detailed drawing, scope of work and guaranteed price?

18. Where will I be making my selections?

19. Do you have a designer to help me with my selections?

20. Why is your price so different from the other quotes I got?  What did you include or leave out?

The answers to these questions will help build comfort in choosing a good contractor.    The contractor should be licensed and insured.  He should be pulling the permit and be able to give you references for past and current jobs.  Do your homework.  Be smart and ask the proper questions.  Shopping price isn't always the best decision.

Share this post:

I get a lot of questions about using basement finishing systems to build basements.  And it's a great question.

In years past contractors were forced to use traditional construction materials when remodeling a basement because that is all that was available.  Through the years, I learned a few tricks to adapt to basement construction; like building the walls out from the concrete walls so they can breathe better, installing sub floor systems to keep the carpeting off the concrete floor, and using moisture resistant insulation and drywall.  All this was to encourage longer life of the finished basement.

Now there are many new basement finishing products on the market designed for building in a moist, damp, humid environment.  I have recently discovered a new product that I am particularly fond of.  Matrix Basement Systems.  Matrix uses a thermal panel wall system that nearly doubles the insulating properties of drywall and fiberglass insulation.  There are no wood studs, fiberglass insulation, or harmful organic products used in their wall system.  This system is made from non-organic, non-toxic, green materials.  Because non-organic materials are used in this wall, it is mold proof and water proof.  Not only will this material last forever, but they guarantee it with and exclusive lifetime warranty!

Share this post:

BASEMENT SPECIAL!   

Inventory reduction Sale.  Limited supply.

Need more space for entertaining, home office or a playroom?  Here is an affordable solution to your space problem.   A 16' x 20' finished basement for $14,900.

    THIS ROOM INCLUDES: 

    1. 16' x 20' recreation room 

    2. Everlast basement wall panels.

    3. 2 x 2 ceiling tiles

    4. Soledad berber carpet with pad.

    5. (1) six-panel door with hardware

    6. 2" crown molding, base molding & door casing.

    7. (7) recessed can lights.

    8. (6) plugs, (3) switches, (1) smoke detector.

    9. (1) pole wrap

 

    BENEFITS TO BASEMENT WALL SYSTEM PACKAGE:

    1.Everlast Basement Wall System.

    2. 50 Year Warranty on walls.

    3. No drywall mess.

    4. Job complete in 2 weeks.

    5. More durable than drywall, won't dent or chip.

    6. R-14 insulation value.

     

 

        WE OFFER FINANCING, CALL TODAY!

 

 

Share this post:

A contractor wants to do your job the cheapest and fastest way possible.  He is not going to want to go to the trouble of moving mechanicals and incur the extra expense and time into a project.  He wants to get in and get out.

A designer, on the other hand, is looking to make the best use of space and do it right.  He/She will move the underground plumbing, even if it is only a few feet, to make the floor plan work.  He/She will make sure cabinets are ordered correctly so drawers and doors are sure to open properly.

I was just listening to Steve and Katie talk about moving duct work to make a basement bath plan work.  She didn't want to settle on a poor design if a little extra effort would make a better, more fuctional space.

A designer is looking out for your best interest.  A designer is looking for ways to fulfill your needs and criteria.

 

Share this post:

By the time we turned six-years old we had gotten at least 1,000,000 impressions that NO is a bad word.  Whether it's "Don't do that..." or "Stop that..." or "We lost..." or "No, you can't go to the movies..." it was clear by the first grade that the word NO was not a good thing!

That's the problem.  We have had years of conditioning that tells us No is a bad thing.  Well we are here to turn the tables on that conditioning.  In today's busy world it pays to be decisive - and Yes or No are two great words to use in decision making.  Many people are uncomfortable saying No to salespeople.  Perhaps they don't want to hurt a salesperson's feelings.  Maybe they want to excerise all of their options.  It could be that they haven't or can't make a decision at this time.  All of these reasons and more cause people to just say "maybe".  Maybe is a killer for salespeople.  Maybe (or some form of "I want to think it over") gives a salesperson false hope that an opportunity is alive.  It's a slippery slope to walk down.

Part of the problem stems from the salesperson not wanting to hear the word no.  The laws of physics will explain this one.  If a person doesn't say the word No - to a salesperson who doesn't want to hear the word No - we can all but guarantee that there will be no "No"!

This causes the inevitable game of voicemail tag and email follow-up.  In the sales world No is a great word.  Of course Yes is preferred, but in the absense of a Yes it is best for a salesperson to hear the word No.  It's about being decisive (for the prospect and the salesperson).  The salesperson can only control his or her own decisiveness.  Be decisive and realize that No is a perfectly good decision.


Share this post:

How awful would it be to have your sump pump fail and ruin your finished basement, and then to learn that you are not properly covered for it?

If you are like me, you sat down with your agent to discuss your homeowners insurance coverage and how it works, only to forget the moment you walked out of his office.  Well now is the time to revisit the discussion.  Call your insurance agent before you start any home improvement project to make sure you are properly covered.   Two very important points to cover with your agent.

Home Replacement Cost -    You will want to let your agent know how much you need to add your policy to cover the  new construction and new furnishings.  Don’t assume your policy will automatically pay for  the increased replacement cost of your improved home.

Back up & Sewer/drain coverage – Most Homeowners Policies include a very limited amount of coverage for damage due to Backup of Sewers or Drains.  The average amount of coverage built in to most policies is $2,500 .  This would not go very far to clean up the mess and replace floor covering, damaged walls and furnishings.  Higher limits are available, but you need to contact your agent to find out.

If you can’t get the appropriate coverage you need with your current agent, then it’s time to find a new one!

Information supplied by: Don Bourdeau @ www.albourdeau.com

Share this post:

Cost of a remodeling project plays a major roll in whom you will choose for your project.   Many homeowners will sign a contract with the lowest bidder for the best deal, but be careful.  All remodelers have to pay the same amount for materials, labor and insurance.  If everything is apples to apples, the only way to reduce the price is to take it from overhead and profit.  There have been cases where contractors under bid the project strictly for cash flow.  This leaves your job vulnerable to unpaid bills and liens or simply, an unfinished job.

As a rule of thumb; if you have 3 bids and one is way lower than the other two, I would discard that quote.  Most professional remodelers will be in the ball park of one another.  Also, make sure your quotes are apples to apples.  Some contractors use allowances, others will include a specific product.  If you're not sure what is included in your quote ask your contractor and make sure it is in writting.


Share this post:

As I look out my window, at my dead tree, it makes me proud to think of the warranty service we give our customers.

A couple of years ago we had some landscaping work done at our home. We hired a professional landscaper to design and install the trees and plantings.  The landscaper gave us a one year warranty, and he explained that if anything was wrong or didn’t live he would replace it at no cost to us.  

 
Well, after the first winter we noticed that a bush and a sugar maple didn’t make it, so I made my warranty call. The landscaper did show up to replace the rhododendron and said he would be back for the tree at a later date.  Several promises and two summers later, I still have a dead tree in my yard. 

 
Here at Finished Basements Plus we honor our warranty.  We have even been known to come back several years later to address a problem.  Will your contractor be there when things need fixing?

Share this post:

Like many of you, I enjoy watching HGTV.  A new favorite is “Holmes on Homes.”  Mike Holmes goes into a home under construction and uncovers all the poor building techniques.  You can’t help but feel bad for the homeowners; they chose a contractor and trusted him to do a great job. 

 

Selecting a contractor for your remodeling project can be scary.  You are trusting a company to enter your home for several weeks/months, do a great job, and be there next year if you have any warranty issues.  Don’t forget you will be paying this company and expect him to complete the job per code and in a timely fashion.  There are many great remodelers out there; you just need to ask some important questions to find the right one.  When you are selecting a contractor you want to make sure he is a good fit for your project.   You will be with these people for several weeks/months and you have a financial investment at stake.  Ask yourself these questions:

 

• Does he listen to my needs?
• Do I like what I see in his portfolio?
• Are all my questions and concerns being addressed?
• How long has he been in the construction business?
• Is he knowledgeable and experienced about my type of project?
• Is he licensed and insured?
• Do I like him?

 

Call on their references.  Don’t be shy about this.  Like I said, this is a big commitment and you want to feel comfortable that you found the right guy for you.  Ask for a list of current and past customers.  What should you ask these past/current customers?

 

• Why did you select “ABC Remodeling”?
• Did they complete the project on time?
• Did they honor their estimate?
• Was the site kept clean?
• Were you comfortable around the crew?
• Did they educate you on the process?
• Did they listen to your concerns?
• How did they respond to warranty issues?

 

Share this post:

When our office was in White Lake, we would have lunch at El Patio twice a week. Now that our office is in Wixom, we have yet to find a good Mexican restaurant. I could go to Taco Bell or to the local grill on Mexican Monday, but what I really want is authentic Mexican cuisine. I got to thinking that this concept holds true when selecting a contractor. Yes, any general contractor can finish your basement. But if you knew there was a company that specialized in finishing basements - wouldn’t you check them out for an authentic basement building experience?
Share this post: