HE WHO WRITES THE CONTRACT writes in his own best interests. That’s a fact of life.

There are lots of standard contract forms on the market. Those that have been prepared by architects excuse the architect for errors and omissions, and don’t even mention designing to a budget. Why would you want to sign that? Those that have been written by contractors require an up-front deposit, limit his warranty obligations, transfer much of the responsibility for damages to the owner, and eliminate any late penalties. Why would you want to sign that?

Home owners generally don’t make a habit of renovating more than once in a lifetime, so they rarely have the experience to understand the implications of what they’re signing. And there has been no coalition of property owners put to the task of developing a contract that protects the owner’s interests; so there hasn't been — until now — any contract that works on your behalf. Remodeling Coach offers you two contracts: one between the owner and a general contractor, and one between an owner and a single tradesman (for small jobs). Both have been tested on hundreds of projects and are as simple and safe as they can be, and both are available on our Web site in the Bookstore.

THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO ANY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT

• WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO is the scope of work defined in the construction drawings and specifications, which define every bit of work that the contractor will owe you.
  
  
• HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO IT is the terms and conditions statement, which tells the contractor if he can use your ladder, how much insurance he has to carry, when and how he’ll be paid, etc. This part will determine the kind of relationship you have with your contractor.

In order for a contract to work, It must be balanced and fair, but try not to give away anything that’s important to you.

RENOVATIONS CONSULTING’S CONTRACT

The table of contents appears as the cover page on the 20-page contract form that’s available in our homeowner’s remodeling guide. The contract between the Owner and the General Contractor is written in plain English, it’s battle-tested and it’s ready for you to use. Have a look!

MORE INFORMATION

You’ll find lots more information about the home remodeling process in Managing a Renovation: Staying in Charge and Out of Trouble, our friendly and comprehensive homeowner’s guide to remodeling project management. Download the table of contents and a sample chapter, or go to the order form to purchase it.

We offer ready-to-use construction forms, including a complete remodeling contract, in our Bookstore, as well. Have a look.

And, you may want to look at our list of More Resources for some great design ideas.

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