Rolling The Dice
Do you gamble? Maybe roll the dice a little? Are you living your life on the edge and playing with fate? If you are, your life must be really exciting and full of challenging circumstances. Most of us, however, like living in more controlled environments, leading lives in which we have as much control over our daily events as we possibly can.
This makes me think about a conversation I had with my wife today on the way home from church. She told me a story about her friend Jeff who had a very large, expensive remodel project done in the past few months. The project was very specialized, so Jeff chose to act as a general contractor and hire an out-of-state subcontractor, instead of involving a general contractor whom he had used in the past for several other remodel projects. Jeff had actually developed a friendship with his old general contractor, but he thought that for this particular project, he could handle it himself.
As the project progressed, this specialized, out-of-state subcontractor started adding costs to the project that were apparently overlooked when the contract was made. This happens on occasion and it’s up to the customer to decide if he’ll “forgive” the subcontractor for overlooked costs and pay the additional amount. In this case, the subcontractor was really losing money on the project and needed every little add-on cost that he could think of. More than likely the subcontractor underbid the project in the first place just to get the job. Money talks, but I have never seen it “walk the talk”!
During the course of the project, a very expensive part, worth thousands of dollars, was damaged in transit and Jeff was expected to pay for the new part. The subcontractor did not go to bat for Jeff and make the transit company pay for the damaged goods. When the project was almost complete, the subcontractor submitted a final invoice and asked for payment, saying that he would complete the project after he received the payment. The payment was given and now the subcontractor cannot be reached. Jeff is now stuck with a partially finished project, a leaking roof and very little legal leverage to get the project completed by the original subcontractor.
Unfortunately Jeff “rolled the dice” and took a chance with an unknown contractor and now he’s paying for this mistake, which is all too common. There are many reasons remodeling customers roll the dice, but why risk your money, sanity and peace of mind, when you know that you have someone you can trust. Someone who is there for you, will go to bat for you and knows construction better than you do. A good remodeling contractor is your buffer and bodyguard between you and an industry that is known for its complexity, unreliability, daily surprises, challenging logistics and scheduling nightmares. If you know a good remodeling contractor, don’t underestimate what he can do for you and for that matter, want he wants to do for you. If you don’t know a good contractor, check with close friends and most importantly use local organizations that reference quality contractors such as National Association of The Remodeling Industry (NARI), National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and even the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Don’t “roll the dice” unless you’re ready to take a joyride because there might not be much “joy” in the ride!