CONTRACTORS

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Estimate vs. Contract: What Are You Really Signing With a Contractor?
You've probably heard the advice to get everything in writing when dealing with a remodeling contractor. Any reputabl...
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The Best Work Boots for Concrete of 2023
An article on work boots for concrete might seem highly specialized, yet the surface is everywhere. Concrete floors a...
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Don't Fall for These 10 Home Improvement Scams
You’re ready to tackle your next home improvement project, and all you need is a contractor to take on the job. While...
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7 Things You Didn't Know Can Delay Your Home Renovation
Renovation projects can be a lot of fun. They allow folks the ability to get creative, work with their hands, or brin...
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The Best Home Renovation Contractors
With the per square foot cost of houses on the upswing, being able to afford a new house is beyond the financial scop...
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Solved! Do You Tip a Plumber?
Q: I recently hired a plumber to fix a leak in my home. When the job was finished I tried to offer a tip, but the plu...
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What Is a Contractor? All You Need To Know About What Contractors Can Do
Q: I’m looking to hire a professional for my home renovation project. Someone has just recommended a contractor to me...
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Thinking About Gutting Your House? 11 Things to Know First
Gutting your house for a full-home renovation is absolutely doable for experienced DIYers, but make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.
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How to Pick the Best Contractor After Searching ‘Contractors Near Me’
When tackling a major home improvement or renovation project, people often enlist the help of a professional contract...
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11 Things You Need to Consider Before Putting in a Pool
Before you meet with that swimming pool company, take time to consider all that goes into choosing, maintaining, and paying for a summer oasis.
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9 Pros Every Homeowner Needs to Keep on Speed Dial
Be prepared for the unexpected by keeping these important professionals in your contacts. You never know when you're going to need them!
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8 Ways You Can Help Your Contractor Hit the Project Deadline
Renovating and remodeling projects are exciting but they can also be frustrating if work drags on and the contractor runs past the projected deadline. While some ...
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10 Homeowner Antics That Annoy Contractors Most
Contractors get a bad rap—and sometimes deservedly so—but not all homeowners are a barrel of fun either. Construction and remodeling projects are more complex tha...
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Here’s Exactly What You Can Expect to Pay a Handyman
When you own a home, it seems as if there's always something that needs to be repaired or replaced. While you may hav...
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9 Things Your Contractor Never Wants to Hear
From HVAC repair to electrical upgrades, some home improvement projects require the help of a professional. But even though contractors are well versed in repairs...
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11 Things Your Contractor Won’t Tell You for Free
While some home improvement and maintenance projects require professional help, others are easy enough to do yourself. But most homeowners can’t get through a DIY...
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5 Steps to Hiring the Right Roofer
Whereas other home upgrades are purely elective, roof repairs aren't a choice; they're essential.  Besides being crit...
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To Hire or Not to Hire an Architect or Designer
If know what I want, why do I need a designer at all?Perhaps you don't. But understand that, strange as it may seem, ...
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All About General Contractors
A general contractor or GC is hired to take a set of plans and turn them into a building. He'll orchestrate the comin...
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How To: Hire a General Contractor
The routine for hiring a general contractor is not radically different from that of hiring a designer. You want to hi...
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Being Your Own General Contractor
There is no mystery to being a general contractor, though some skills with peo­ple, finances, and general good sense ...
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Contracting the Contractors
Do you need contracts? Yes is the short answerContracts are a crucial part of the paper trail that will help assure t...
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How To: Settle a Dispute with Your Contractor
So, you tried to anticipate everything. But the fact is, no one can plan for every exigency. So here are some ways to...
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Growing Home: An Approach to Adding Space
As real estate markets across the country deal with sluggish sales and plunging prices, many people who, just a coupl...
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Working with Your Architect
Hiring an architect should save you time and money, minimize bumps, streamline the building process, and provide an a...
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Protect Your Home from Job Site Theft
Job site theft is a rampant and growing problem that costs the construction industry more than $1 billion a year, acc...
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In Quest of the Best Roofing Contractor
Re-roofing our 1908 American Foursquare-style house reminded me of a Frank Capra movie. For once, things actually wen...
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Your Home's Construction Schedule
How long do the steps take? No two jobs are the same, but here are some reasonable estimates of what will be required...
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Touring the Completed Basement Remodel
Bob meets with homeowner Sarah Monzon to recap the project, from the initial preparation to the renovations to the finishing touches.
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Architects Tour the Newton, MA Project
Bob meets with the architects, Mark and Geoffrey, who visit the project site every two weeks in order to check on progress, and to make sure their plans are being...
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Discussing the Budget
Bob and carpenter Paul Morse go over the details of the budget and discuss whether or not they'll be able to finish the project under the estimated cost.
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Initial Tour
Restoration contractor Richard Marks shows Bob around the elegant, though quite run-down, Federal-style project house.
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Federal-Style Home Layout
Bob visits a Federal-style home undergoing reconstruction, and having an addition put on, in Charleston, SC. Restoration contractor Richard Marks guides Bob throu...
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What to Look for in a General Contractor
Bob and developer Joe Fitzgerald discuss what to look for in a general contractor.
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Costs for Building the Victorian
Bob and contractor Bob Ryley review costs for the Victorian-style remodel-and-build project in Martha's Vineyard, MA.
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Meeting the Wayland Homeowner
Bob meets with homeowner Paul Paresky and tours the project. Expanding the lakefront home with a second floor addition will be a major undertaking. General contra...
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Contractor's Tour of the Interior
Bob accompanies carpenter-contractor Bob Ryley on a "contractor's tour" of the home with the aim of assessing any needed modifications to the interior.
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