Rules of Thumb to Follow When Seeking Bids for Your Kitchen or Bath Remodeling Project
Online articles, remodeling tv shows, and other influences advise homeowners to solicit bids from several qualified contractors. After all, you want to make sure you get this RIGHT, avoiding costly increases and botched jobs, right? Avoid the 3 Bid Rule Problem with this advice.
Three major needs often get in the way of those bids being realistic:
Need for detailed plans and job specifications,
Need for comparable bidders, not the number of bidders,
Need to structure the bids for easy comparisons.
For a bid to have meaning, it should include all details about the project, right down to the final touches. Detailed plans and designs take time; measurements and effort are most often unclear with many contractors. This lack of preparation on behalf of a contractor can yield widely divergent bids. In a world where consumers most often choose the lowest bid, having a cheaper price doesn’t always mean you’ll get the same results.
For the bids to be comparable, the companies themselves must be comparable.
Homeowners may find it necessary to interview four or five companies just to find two to compare. The emphasis is on comparable: each bidder should have a stellar reputation in the nature of your project, with their reviews and with experience.
Budgets also have been found to confuse the bidding process.
A budget is an assigned dollar amount for items that are not yet selected by the homeowner or builder. While in the bidding and contract aspect of the project, budgets should be clearly defined. It is also helpful to note that the addition of too many budget allowances can cause confusion as well.
Regarding budget, always make sure that you have yours clearly defined and notated. For example, if you have decided to spend $30,000 on kitchen cabinets, that dollar amount needs to be on every bid. If your budget is $50,000 for your kitchen remodel, that too needs to be included on every bid.
Lastly is the structure of the bid.
A reputable contractor wants you to know their process, their competency, and will be more than happy to provide a proposal that will make the comparison much easier for the homeowner.
Your bid should also include a bottom-line price, estimated time frame for job completion, and any information that explains changes, should that need arise. Choosing a company with a fair bid practice that doesn’t have price jumps is wise.
Find a reputable professional builder you can trust who can be involved in the home’s design from the beginning. Companies that specialize in Design-Build will be more likely to offer you a professional and quality remodel than a handyman or home improvement retailer and will have a stellar reputation with projects such as yours. Be sure to ask for examples of their work, reviews, testimonials, and their process. Any reputable builder will be more than happy to provide details of their competency.