Home Improvement Project Checklist

By AJ Fanter
RefacingCabinet.com Columnist

If you're like most people, your house isn't simply where you live. It's an important asset. That's why, when be you begin any home improvement project involving a contractor, you should make sure they are both trustworthy and reliable. It's also important to have a written contract covering all aspects of the job. However, after the work is finished, you'll also need to verify everything included in your home improvement project contract has been completed to your satisfaction.

Home Improvements: Check It Out
Before you make the final payment, it's a good idea to confirm that your home improvement project is truly complete. The Federal Trade Commission has developed a checklist of things to review with your contractor before you consider your home improvement job "finished".

• Does the work meet the standards spelled out in your contract? Before you pay your home improvement contractor make sure they have fulfilled their end of the bargain by reviewing your contract and checking off all of the elements that were covered.
• Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you have all of the warranties for any new appliances/materials. It's also important to have any workmanship warranties in writing prior to make the final home improvement payment.
• Has your home improvement contractor paid all of the subcontractors and suppliers that were involved in your job? Ask for written proof and/or receipts to make sure that there isn't money owed.
• Is the area where the home improvement project took place clean? Have excess materials, tools, and equipment been removed? Make sure the area is ready for use, and that everything is working, before you sign off.
• Are you satisfied? Inspect the work that has taken place and make sure that it has been completed to your satisfaction!

By following this checklist, you can be fairly confident that your home improvement project is truly finished and that it's time to pay your bill.

Source

Home Sweet Home Improvement, Federal Trade Commission

About The Author
AJ Fanter is a freelance writer based in Reno, Nevada.