Remodeling Blog

Some people hire a general contractor when it's time to remodel. Some people do the work themselves.  ...And still others hire subcontractors to coordinate their own remodel like a general .  Which one are you? We've seen all three approaches. While there's no one right way to perform a home improvement project, there can be disadvantages to not hiring a general contractor. If you can recognize those disadvantages, you can avoid some of the common mistakes that homeowners make when they decide not to hire a general . 

Most construction contracts are known as fixed-price contracts, which means the contractor and the property owner have agreed on a fixed price for the work. The price only changes when change orders are signed by both parties. Although fixed-price contracts are the most common type of construction contracts, these agreements aren't appropriate for every type of construction job. The alternative is a time and materials contract. 

As a home or commercial property owner, you have probably gone through your fair share of construction or remodeling projects. Whether they are commercial or residential projects, you probably have a good sense of the characteristics and qualities you want out of the company you are hiring for the job.

Remodeling can be costly. From labor to materials, a typical commercial remodel can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Although the end results are worthwhile, some commercial property owners stumble on the price tag. Knowing of commercial contractor fees, those on a tight budget may even try to save money by hiring their own workers to do portions of the job, which can have unintended consequences.

Home remodeling is a huge undertaking that requires a significant investment of time and money. Whether you're renovating your home to sell or you're just building the dream home you always wanted, residential construction can be a lengthy, involved process that requires a lot of preparation. If you're hoping to take on this type of project, now is the time to get started.

Hiring a general contractor in Connecticut can be intimidating, and this is especially true if you're unfamiliar with their industry language or lingo. A great deal of the typical contractor jargon relates to the process of setting the price for the job. If you can speak with authority about the cost of the job, the process for hiring a contractor becomes less intimidating. Here are a few key terms to help get you through the remodeling process.

Professional Remodeler magazine has just announced its 2013 list of "America's Top Remodelers" and amongst them, for the second consecutive year, is Connecticut's own Litchfield Builders. This annual list showcases the nation's largest and most profitable remodeling firms from all national markets and the Litchfield Builders team is excited to be included once again.

“Construction firms often make unrealistically low bids to get jobs… but they can count on finding plenty of reasons later to jack the price up enough to allow for a profit. When the building is underway, it becomes prohibitively expensive to fire the contractor and start anew. The owner has become a hostage.” - Wall Street Journal, December 5th, 2007