Home Remodeling Tips - Where to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck

Are you a homeowner? If you are, and you have been for a while, you are probably considering remodeling. If you are looking to sell, it might be a good idea to remodel the home, and raise the value. Money doesn't grow on trees, so, of course, the average homeowner is going to try to get the nicest changes done with minimal cost. Saving money is important to a majority of people, but that doesn't mean you don't want to get a cheap remodeling job done.

Real estate is a big business, and if you don't do things right, you could over-invest. Remodeling could be for one room, just the outside, or the entire property. Hiring a quality professional is one way that you can get a good job done at an affordable price.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), homeowners should be aware of the scams of so-called contractors, architects, and designers. The FTC warns about these red flags that your hired help may be running a scam:

• Offers you a discount for finding other customers


• Just happens to have materials left over from a previous job


• Pressures you for an immediate decision


• Only accepts cash payments


• Asks for all the money up front


• Asks you to get the required building permits

Those are some of the signs that you should walk away from the deal. Sometimes these con-artists will also try to get you to borrow money from a lender that they suggest. The worst case scenario of a home improvement load scam could rob you out of house and home.

Precautions to Take
There are several precautions that you can take to avoid being taken advantage of. Interview your prospective contractors carefully. The FTC suggests that you ask about the length of time they have been in business, license details, permit laws, and insurance offerings.

One other, very important suggestion is to ask for references. You should not only collect a list, but you should check those references. Ask these references about the quality of the job and service. Question them as to whether or not there were surprise expenses, and other problems.
Make sure that your payment terms are clear and agreed upon before they start. Some local laws do set limits on how much higher the actual cost of a project can be from the estimate. Find out the laws in your area, and make sure they are followed. Don't pay in full until you are satisfied with the remodeling work.

Article contributed by Colorado's Fort Collins real estate service, Automated Homefinder.