Home Renovation Blog

Finding the Right Contractor and Helping the Job Run Smoothly

In almost any home remodeling project, you will need more than one contractor to complete the job. Even for a small job, like remodeling a powder room, you’ll probably need a plumber, electrician, carpenter, and painter, at least. We believe it’s always best to choose a general contractor who can organize the project for you from start to finish. That’s why we’re general contractors here in the Greater Philadelphia Area.  

Finding the Right Contractor

When searching for the right general contractor, think about finding the right team for your project rather than finding the lowest price. As with all things in life, you get what you pay for, and nothing is really ever free. At the same time, some contractors overcharge. The right contractor for you will probably be somewhere in the middle range in price. 

Pricing is usually an estimate because we can’t always foresee problems that might arise. If you know of any possible issues, it’s important to mention them as soon as possible in order to get an honest price and not be surprised by an add-on because your 70-year-old plumbing that you’d patched several times finally gives way and soaks the new flooring that has to be pulled up and redone. Yes, it happens. 

As quality general contractors, we have a cadre of subcontractor experts whom we have fully vetted and with whom we have long-term relationships. We have copies of their licenses and insurance certificates, and we guarantee satisfaction for the work that any of our employees or subcontractors perform for you. When searching for a general contractor, ask about these things. 

A general contractor should know all the permits that your municipality requires and will pull them for you. You should not have to do that. We handle it for you, taking the hassle off your shoulders. 

Ask to speak with customers who have completed projects similar to yours. We have many happy customers that you can speak to. 

Make sure the general contractor is willing to include a lien waiver or subcontractor lien waiver clause in the contract and will let you review a draft of the contract ahead of time. These are standard practices for us at M&K Renovations. 

Helping the Job Run Smoothly

There are a few things that will help the job run smoothly and will keep the price within the estimated range. First, allow the general contractor to choose who will do the work. Most people have a friend or family member who is in a trade, but if the person isn’t already one of our vetted contractors, that person will not be covered by our waivers and may not work well with the team. Additionally, we coordinate the timing of each step of the project to keep things running on time, and if your friend isn’t available at the right time, it will slow us down.

If you’re handy and you want to do some of the work, do it before the contractors come in, or do your own painting or finishing at the end. That way, our team can work conscientiously in the manner they know how and give you their very best work, and you’ll still have the satisfaction of having had a hand in the renovations. 

If possible, keep changes to a minimum once the work starts. That will keep the price close to the estimate and will get the job done faster. 

We at M&K Renovations are homeowners, too, so we do the job the way we would want someone to work on our own house. If you’re in the greater Philadelphia, PA area, give us a call at our Main Line office today,  +1 610 890 9170, so we can get started on your dream project.

Jeff Schiller

Jeff’s experience in Operations Management and Organizational Leadership in the mortgage, manufacturing, and finance industries allows him to bring 15+ years of corporate expertise to the M&K team. His motto is: “Quality is paramount – Process should be simple.