January Topic and Key Point
Getting Green Done: Working with Professionals and Doing-It-Yourself
January 10, 2006
(Click on the panelist's names to jump to their key points below.)
A panel of green building professionals discussed the key issues of working with professionals and doing-it-yourself from the perspective of their professions. The panel included experienced DIYer and remodeling coach Eric Storm of Living Spaces, Lydia Doleman who works with DIYers of Flying Hammer Productions, Nancy Weber from the Construction Constractors Board, and Tamara Staudt who worked with many professionals to do a four-unit green housing project.
Afterward people broke into small groups to ask questions and talk with one another in more detail about the topic.
Key Points
Here's what our panelists think people should know about Working with Professionals and Doing-It-Yourself.
Remodeling Coach
Eric Storm
Living Spaces, www.livingspacesdesign.biz/
Green Remodling Design and Coaching
503-248-4554, eric@livingspacesdesign.biz
1. Reasons to Do-It-Yourself
- You can't afford the help.
- You can't find someone who can do it.
- You want to learn or do the work.
2. Things to keep in mind
- It will almost always take more time and money and be harder than you think, even after you take this into account.
- Run the numbers. Is it really cost effective? Consider your time, learning, possible mistakes, end quality, etc.
- Factor in the learning curve. What special tools or skills, time and effort are required?
- Be safe. Use caution, a respirator, sturdy ladders, the right tools, non-toxic materials, etc.
3. What to do and what not to
Consider your experience and knowledge, you ability to attend to details, your willingness to learn and make mistakes, your physical strength, and the consequences of what could go wrong.
- Give it a try - low risk and easy to learn:
Things like painting, landscaping, insulating, window coverings,
shelving, weather stripping, sealing and caulking, and maybe tiling
and interior trim.
- Think about it - harder to learn, special tools, less to save, higher risk:
Things like flooring, floor refinishing, framing, drain pipes, finish
plumbing, siding, and roofing.
- Think HARD about it - special skills and tools, hard work, high risk:
Things like foundation and slab work, stucco, drywall, electrical,
rough supply plumbing, gas pipes, cabinetry, and stairs.
Pro who works with DIYers
Lydia Doleman
Natural Building Contractor
503-233-6600, ldoleman@yahoo.com
1. Know your limits.
- Physical
- Time
- Financial
2. Ask yourself what you really like to do.
3. Ask yourself what level of quality and expectation you have for the project at hand.
Construction Contractors Board
Nancy Weber
Oregon Construction Contractors Board,
http://ccbed.ccb.state.or.us/
503-378-4621 x4072, nancy.a.weber@state.or.us
Top 3 mistakes in a construction project
1. Automatically accepting the lowest bid.
The old saying "you get what you pay for" generally applies here. A higher bid may be worth the price in better materials, workmanship and reliability.
If you get a very low bid, the contractor may have made a mistake or forgotten to bid everything. Or, they may have deliberately low-bid the job in order to get it. If they have bid too low to make a profit, they may use cheaper materials or take shortcuts.
A large number of CCB claims filed against contractors are the result of homeowners taking the lowest bid and then being unhappy with the poorer quality of work.
Be careful about hiring a contractor on an hourly, "time and materials," or "cost-plus" basis. (Cost-plus means you will not know the final cost beforehand. You and the contractor will decide how the contractor will document costs.) A fixed-price bid may give you the best protection and price.
2. No written contract.
A written contract protects you and the contractor. It is required that all construction agreements be committed to a written contract if the price exceeds $2,000. The CCB recommends that all agreements, including all changes to the contract, be in writing. Generally, the more detailed a contract, the fewer problems that will come up later. A big project should have a detailed contract, not "remodel master bedroom, $19,450." Make sure the name on the contract matches a name in the contractor's CCB license record. Don't sign the contract until you understand everything. Make sure your contract does not include a provision that says you cannot file a claim with the CCB.
3. Not checking the contractor's license.
A license is required for any business or individual that advertises, offers, bids, arranges for, or actually does any construction, alteration, home improvement, remodeling or repair work.
This includes painting, roofing, carpentry, siding, plumbing, electrical, floor covering, windows, insulation, land development, concrete, inspection services, heating and air conditioning, and most other construction and repair services.
Ask for a current CCB license number or get it from their business card or advertisement. Illegal contractors will lie and say they're licensed hoping you won't check up on them.
Check with the CCB to make sure the contractor's license is currently active, how long the business has been licensed and the business' complaint history.
An "inquiry" refers to a recently received claim that the CCB has not investigated yet. A "pending claim" is one that the CCB is investigating. A "final order for damages" claim refers to claims closed within the last three years where the contractor was ordered to pay damages.
Don't be concerned if a high-volume business has some claims. Any licensed construction business, no matter how good, may have a claim filed against it. What is more important is how the business resolves its disputes.
You can also check the size of the contractor's bond and insurance. Licensed contractors have a surety bond for $5,000 to $15,000 and have a general liability insurance policy of $100,000 to $500,000.
Check if the license allows employees. A license allowing employees (nonexempt) means the contractor has workers' compensation insurance. This is important because if a worker on your project is injured, his/her employer's workers' compensation insurance will cover the costs and prevent you as the owner of the property from having to pay for the injury.
If your contractor is licensed with the CCB, you can get help resolving construction-related disputes within a year from the time the work was substantially completed or the work was stopped. This protection is only available if the contractor is licensed.
Worked with Many Pros on a Green Project
Tamara Staudt
Albina Sustainability Project
tstaudt@earthlink.net
1. Define what "green building" means to you?
There is an entire range of definitions for green building. Your clarity is the first step in getting every one involved in your project on the same page.
2. Clarify whether you are planning on being the general contractor and hiring subcontractors or hiring out the entire job.
Also how much homework and product work you are willing to do. This will help determine whether you will be looking for professionals who are already experienced in the field of green building or if you can work with "subs" that are interested but may not yet have extensive experience.
3. Create and maintain an open, honest dialogue with all people you will be working with.
Share your values and goals and their importance to you from the outset. This is important with all subs and critically important if you are not serving as the general contractor. Clarify in written contracts what products are acceptable (and not).
4. In finding contractors, ask, ask, ask.
Local stores that carry green products are great resources for finding contractors. Talk to people who have similar interests as you, or have done similar projects.