Researching BEFORE I screw it up...

[danno6925]

State: Pennsylvania.

I'm looking to hire a contractor to complete some major renovations to correct structural defects, remediate water infiltration, and serious landscaping in the backyard. Landscaping includes a stone/tile patio, water feature, electric and water lines, 6' tall retaining wall after removing about 250sqft of soil from a steep hill in the rear of the home. I'm anticipating a pricetag of approx. 25-30k with the ability to spend more if need be, but I want to ensure I'm spending my money well.

I have already decided after reading some horror stories on this forum that 25% is the max I'll part with upfront. Clearly defined phases that need to be accomplished in order for me to release funds for the next one are another thought to consider. One thing I am wondering about is a warranty for work completed. Is there an industry standard? How long should I reasonably expect repairs to last before they fail?

Thx for your thoughts.

 

[nextwife]

It's hard to say what is reasonable for a warranty without knowing WHY you have a water filtration problem. Example: if the home is built an unstable land with an underground stream. very wet or heavy subsoil, there may be hypdrostatic pressures beyond the control of your contractor. Basically shop and compare what warranties they will offer AND how long each has been in business and how they will assure they will be able to back up their warranty.

Were I, I'd want to disburse through a title company who is holding the repair escrow. Many contractors also like the reassurance3 that comes from knowing the funds are on hand and can't be spent before the project is done. I often have contractors themselves request escrows, so THEY know the homeowner can't spend the monye if, say, their transmission goes out, or they get carried away at the casino. The title company can collect lien waivers from general contractor and subs, along with the contractor affidavits at each draw/disbursement.

 

[danno6925]

Thanks Nextwife!

Dunno if your post has a typo or no, but our problem is with water infiltration. Our drinking water is fine.

However, since we live on a steep hill in a 106yr old home, water often seeps into our basement through the stone foundation walls and up through a cracked concrete floor during and after heavy rains. It's not a constant problem, but it happens often enough to make me worry that the foundation is being made unstable from all of the penetration.

We're thinking the neighbor's place is probably a factor, along with the old terra cotta drainage pipes, and cracked concrete walkways. We're hoping to add a large gravel drainage area under new concrete pads between the houses tp help the runoff cruise past the basement, running PVC through the old terra cotta pipes so runoff will actually make it to the storm drains, redirecting the water from the neighbor's place into our new drainage system and putting in a sump pump in the basement.

We've already set up an interest bearing account specifically for this project, so our spending the cash on something else is not going to be an issue. Escrow sounds like it could be a good idea unless we have a dispute. We wouldn't be able to access our own cash if there are problems that cause us to dispute the bill. Not that we're hurting for cash, we just want to make sure the company we choose will stand behind their work.


Any questions you can think of that we should definitely ask would certainly be appreciated. The length of time in business is a good one I hadn't thought to ask, so please keep em comin!

 

[nextwife]

Make certain permits are pulled and that all work is code compliant.