Contracts: Get Plans, Specifics and Estimate
There’s an old party game--maybe you’ve played it--called the “Whisper Down the Lane.” The first player writes down a phrase and then whispers it into someone’s ear. That person in turn whispers it to someone else. And so on. The fun begins when the last person in line attempts to repeat the original statement aloud.
The kind of miscommunication that results from this party game can present itself when you deal with a contractor--if you’re not very careful.
“That’s not the sink I wanted,” you might say to the contractor. “My old sink was made of cast iron. The one you put in is stamped out of tin.”
The fact that the wrong sink was installed raises the question of what kind of sink was agreed upon initially. Details that aren’t written down have a way of getting confused, forgotten or misunderstood later.
Contractors and consumers alike don’t spend enough time planning and detailing an agreement. If we as consumers don’t demand detail, we won’t get it.
Ask for: 1) a detailed set of plans (for jobs more than a couple of thousand dollars), 2) a clear set of written specifications, and 3) a detailed estimate.
Don’t enter into a contract with a contractor without all three.
A detailed set of plans is essential and should be drawn to a specific scale. They should include written dimensions and should show everything that exists, everything that’s being removed and what’s going to be added. There should be a legend that defines symbols and another that defines abbreviations.
Written specifications amplify the plans. There usually isn’t enough room on the plans to include all the details. For example, the plans might show a plug in the wall. Here, the specifications would be used to indicate the plug type (square decorator style, for example) and the color. The plans might show the door and the door knob type, and the specifications would note the type and number of hinges and the exact brand, model and finish of the knob.
Sometimes the specifications are included in the plans, sometimes they are separate and sometimes they are included in the plans and separately as well. If your project is a large one, expect a book of specifications in addition to the plans.
A detailed estimate is as important as the details in the plans. Hiring a contractor who provides this bid--”XYZ Co. will perform all the work in the plans for $8,750”--could be a mistake. In this kind of bid there is no feedback from the contractor. Accepting a one-sentence bid leaves you open to expensive change orders later.
“This part of the plan isn’t clear, lady,” the contractor might say as he hands you a $700 change order. The experts say that feedback is the key to successful communication. Ensure that the contractor’s bid is thoroughly detailed. This gives you two sets of details to compare. The ones the architect provided and the contractor’s written response to them.
A contractor’s bid becomes even more important when no plans exist.
In our experience, more often than not, the quality of the job is commensurate with the quality of the bid.
Use Muriatic Acid on Excess Concrete
QUESTION: I have an exposed aggregate patio. The 4-foot-square slabs used to be divided by 2x4 redwood. The redwood finally rotted, so I replaced it with concrete. In some places the filler concrete spread over the exposed aggregate--I didn’t get it hosed off in time. I’ve tried wire brushing with an electric drill, but it isn’t doing the job. Any advice?
ANSWER: Use tape and polyethylene sheeting to protect what exists. Use a 20% solution of muriatic acid to eradicate the spill. A wire brush will still be needed. Remember, muriatic acid is a diluted form of hydrochloric acid--very dangerous stuff!
Use eye protection, gloves and protective clothing to do the job. If concentrated muriatic acid dissolves concrete, imagine what it could do to your eyes and skin. When the job is done, sprinkle baking soda everywhere the acid was and rinse it into your garden with a water hose.
Try WD-40 to Remove Stick-Ons in Bathtub
Q: We put decorative stick-ons in the bottom of our fiberglass tub to prevent falls. With age, the top layer began to fleck off leaving the adhesive on the tub. We have tried boiling water, scraping and scouring to remove the adhesive and remaining top layer but have been unable to get rid of this unsightly mess. Any suggestions?
A: Your best bet is to use WD-40. Besides being a lubricant, WD-40 is effective in removing factory-applied labels from plumbing fixtures and appliances, and will work wonders in getting stick-ons off the bottom of your tub.
Dealing With Contractors Example of a bad bid.* XYZ BUILDERSWill replace 2 doors and hardware for $825 *The bid does not show written specification. It is not a detailed estimate. Accepting a bid written like this leaves you open to expensive change orders later.
* Get plans, specifications and a detailed bid then it is safe to go to contract.
* Example of a good bid
* ABC CONTRACTORS
ITEM QUANTITY COST Supply door 2/Each $275-each $550 Install door 2/Each $65-each $130 Supply door knob (Passage type) 1/Each $12-each $12 (Locking type) 1/Each $25-each $25 Install door knob 2/Each $15-each $30 Paint door 2/Each $65-each $130 Bid subtotal $877.00 Tax 42.00 BID TOTAL $919.00
Reader questions can be mailed to “On the House,” AP Newsfeatures, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10020. Letters may be used in future columns, but cannot be answered individually.
