Contractor in New York

In this section of the Contractor in New York website you will see a few videos that will cover a couple of simple jobs that most Do-It-Yourselfers like to tackle, such as tiling, as opposed to jobs that homeowners usually contract out, such as roofing.

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If you live on Long Island, Check Out This Video!
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In this section of the Contractor in New York website we will be analyzing a simple question:

Do It Myself or Hire A Contractor – When Should You Do One & When Should You Do The Other

There are advantages and disadvantages as to when to do a home improvement job yourself as opposed to hiring a professional contractor. While it is true that for many projects doing it yourself may save you some money. There are three important items to consider before picking up that hammer or heading down to your local Do It Yourself center.

 

Item 1 – Let’s Examine Contacts

 

On the Contractor’s side – These days, especially when it comes to big jobs, the estimate the contractor gives you includes a list of professional contracts to assure that the job is done fast, right, and on time. As the old saying goes, “time is money” and for many it is smarter to pay someone to do what they do best leaving you free to do what you do best.

 

On the Do It Yourself side – In cases of small jobs they can save lots of money because, most small jobs don’t have an immediate deadline. The lack of experience will result in more time taken up, but can be a good experience because the Do-It-Yourselfer will gain valuable know-how in case the job has to be redone in the future. However, it should not be overlooked that some do-it-yourself jobs can run into some hassles from loved ones, such as, “how long will the kitchen sink be gone”, to neighbors, “how long will your yard look like a battleground”. Time is definitely a tradeoff to consider before tackling any do-it-yourself project.

 

Item 2 – Let’s Examine Guarantees

 

On the Contractors side – professional contractors carry insurance on the resulting quality of the job they perform, on their personal safety in case of personal injury, and their workers welfare. For example, if you have a contractor come in to tile your bathroom, the contractor will guarantee that you won’t have to worry about the tile falling into the tub during your next bath.

 

On the Do-It-Yourself side – The money that you save may quickly disappear if the job turns out wrong and has to be redone, or even worse, you may consider yourself an excellent part-time roofer, but you won’t wrack up lots of savings if you have to miss work because of a broken arm as a result of falling off the roof during your Saturday work session.

 

Item 3 – Let’s Examine Experience

 

On the Contractor’s side – A good experienced contractor will come with references in hand. They will be able to walk you through the job while telling you step by step what they will be doing and how long it will take. Their experience will not only guarantee a timely job but also a job that will not need to be redone.

 

On the Do-It-Yourself side – Unless you have previously done the type of job you are attempting yourself you are going to be at the mercy of your own learning curve. For small projects like outdoor sheds or painting lawn furniture you will probably find that time (or event the lack of it) is on your side because you can go at your own pace and stop with very little notice. But, as stated before, when it comes to doing a project that requires everyday use, such as a bathroom or a kitchen, serious consideration should be taken before tacking any new  project as a novice.

 

It has been said that “experience is the best teacher” and I have found that to be true, but no one says it has to be YOUR experience that teaches you. When in doubt, I find that doing your “homework” is always a good way to go. Take out a sheet of paper and write up the pros and cons. A lot of times this simple exercise will let you know which one is the best direction to take. A professional or yourself.

 

Oh, by the way, if you have a spouse that says “I told you so” if a do-it-yourself project is botched up, then that definitely goes on the “con” side of the equation.

 

Happy Home Improving!

 

In this section of the Contractor in New York website you will discover that there are almost as many different kinds of contractors as there are contracting jobs that need to be done.

 

Below you will find just a partial list of some of the different types of contractors you may need. I have also included a brief description of what makes one different from the other.

 

Bathroom Remodeling Contractors – Everyone who owns a house knows that sooner or later they will get around to wanting the bathroom remodeled. A Bathroom Remodeling Contractor specializes in ways to make even your simple bathroom a room that you would be proud to show off to family and friends.

 

Cabinet Contractors – This specialist who builds cabinets can create anything from the simply functional all the way up to the magnificence of one-of-a-kind artisans. The excellent skills they possess provide a uniqueness and beauty to your home which is only limited by your imagination …and your pocketbook.

 

Carpentry Contractors – Are specialist whose skills are essential for many jobs which may range from basic framing all the way up to exquisitely finished one of a kind furniture.

 

Concrete Contractors – The very foundation of many jobs (literally) is in the hands of these highly skilled professionals. Whether you need a new sidewalk poured or an old one fixed, a patio poured, or the very foundation of a new building they are the ones you will come to depend on.

 

Deck & Patio Building Contractors – Their specialties range from repairing an existing deck to building a new one. You choose the type and they make sure it is installed quickly and efficiently with just the right amount of designed accent that will assure you that your new addition blends perfectly with the existing structure.

 

Drywall Contractors – These specialist lead the field in making sure the first step in a fantastic interior is done well. Hanging and finishing gypsum wallboard is not an easy task (especially on the ceiling) but these professionals make it look easy.

 

Electrical Contractors – Anyone can change a light bulb and you may wish to take a trip or two to your favorite home repair store if you wish to replace a wall switch, but the really big jobs like circuit breaker panels and the like should be left to the professionals. Out of all the contractors they seem to command the most respect. Remember, when working with electricity–like those who “milk” deadly snake—you should always leave it in the hands of a professional.

 

Fencing Contractors – these specialist works with repairing and replacing chain link, wooden, or wrought iron fences. Their talents include the installation of all types of gates as well both manual and automatic.

 

Flooring Contractors – They specialize in supplying the materials as well as installing carpet, linoleum, and hardwood floors.

 

GENERAL CONTRACTORS – Like the name implies they are considered the leading contractor on any big job. The main reason is that—like the ringmaster of a large circus—their job is to coordinate all facets of the job from cost, to how much time the job  will take and then  present all the  details in one neat package to the person who hired him. Most General Contractors subcontract the different parts of a large job to other contracting specialist in one large coordinated effort with their final goal of getting the entire job done, in time and on budget. The term often used for jobs they complete is “turnkey” because once their job is completed satisfactorily all the buyer is requiring to do is just “turn a key” so to speak and walk into their finished project.

 

Gutters & Downspout Contractor – They specialize in the new installation of rain gutters and downspouts or the replacement/renovation of existing gutters and downspouts.

 

Heating & Air Conditioning Contractors – They specialize in the installation of new HVAC units or replacing of older systems. They are also called in to do seasonal service to make sure that the units installed are operating at top efficiency.

 

Insulating Contractors – These specialists install blown or Batt insulation on foundations, as well as ceiling, walls, and floors. If keeping heating and cooling costs down is your aim then the investment into these professionals is a must.

 

Landscape Contractors – They specialize in landscape design by installing topsoil, plants, and ways of irrigating in the areas of new construction and remodeling.

 

Masonry Contractors – These specialists are the ones that lay bricks, build fireplaces, some walkways, and patios. Their skills are mostly used in the blocking of buildings.

 

Painting & Paperhanging Contractors – Specialize in finalizing your projects great look by  painting new and existing buildings, both in and out, They also install new wallpaper as well as remove and replace old wallpaper.

 

Plaster & Stucco Contractors – These professionals are called in to install and repair plaster and stucco. The more highly skilled specialists can redo a job so well that it looks brand new.

 

Roofing Contractors – These specialists are called in to remove, clean, and replace existing roofs, or to install the roofs on new structures. This includes hot-mopping decks and waterproofing. Because it is vital that this job be done correctly, you should always choose to have a licensed professional roofing company do this over trying to save money by doing it yourself.

 

Sunroom & Solarium Contractors – As need for alternate ways of natural heating a home as well as the move towards natural living increases, the demand for these professionals has grown. They specialize in the construction of glassed in porches that are artistic in design as well as functional.

 

Swimming Pool/Spa Contactors – Although their title seems simple enough, there is nothing simple about properly installing a pool or a spa. In a new installation it is their job to both design and install the entire pool or spa and maintenance systems. They also are called in on many occasions to repair or replace old pools and spas.

 

Tile Contractors – A highly sought after professional who supplies and installs granite, marble and tile in various parts of a building. While at a glance this job may seem simple enough that anyone can do it, however a professionally installed job takes a lot of planning even before the first piece is laid. When in doubt, always go with a professional. You’ll be glad you did.

 

Waterproofing & Weather-Stripping Contractor – In any kind of new construction water can be a major foe. These specialists install waterproofing membranes and weather-strips around doors and windows to make sure nature’s elements stay outside where they belong. This professional should not be overlooked if it is your long term purpose to save on heating and cooling bills.

 

Window Contractor – Sooner or later this professional will be receiving your call. Their installation expertise not only helps to make your buildings more appealing to the eye but, with the right choice of windows, can be energy-efficient enough to pay for the cost of the installation many times over.

 

As we continue  to  evolve  in building our structures,  some of these  professionals may be  replaced  by others,  but  in the world of  contractors, there will  always be a need for building  professionals.

 

 

Contractor in New York

 

Okay, so why a website called Contractor in New York?

 

As the name implied, I am sure you were looking to find a simple list of New York contractors you could contact to get an important project of yours completed. But before you think about clicking that back button, if you  would just  bear  with me  for a little while  longer you  will find that not only have you come to  the right place but  before we are done here  you will have  saved quite a lot  of time and money for  doing  so.

 

Believe  it or not, your contracting solution actually  started with  a contracting  disaster which happened to some dear friends of mine not too long ago which I guarantee you  wouldn’t want to  repeat.

 

First of all, why did I create the Contractor in New York website?

 

To help those of you who have a project that needs to be done and are looking for construction management services, or simply a company that prides themselves in good general contracting standards. This will usually guarantee hiring a company that doesn’t use shoddy materials or practice poor service.

 

Going through the ordeal my  friends went through was  bad  enough the  first time and so  I felt it  best not  to use their  real names  as  I relate what happened and so I will just call them “Jason and Doris”.

 

Their story.

 

Jason and Doris had worked most of their lives while at the same time, raising a family of five.

 

Over the years they have changed locations a couple of times moving into larger and larger homes to accommodate their growing family but finally settled into a nice sized house in a great neighborhood that their whole family loved.

 

Time past quickly and soon Jason and Doris found the last of their children heading off for college leaving a lot of empty space.

 

Not wishing to downsize the  house (since they  knew holidays would bring  their  children  back  to visit)  they began thinking of doing some renovations to different locations around the house to modernize  it as well as raise  the property value.

 

The renovations started small with Jason doing the work which consisted of some minor improvement in the main bathroom, and some design changes and repairs to the kitchen.

 

The only thing that pleased them more then the quality of the completed work was that they had been able to stay well within their budget price they had set.

 

Keeping their overall costs down on the first two projects is what spurred the couple on to tackled the third – a major addition to their home in the form of a sunroom.

 

Jason and Doris knew that this third project was far beyond Jason’s abilities and so they did some research on material costs and again put together another budget for the new project. With price quotes in hand, as well as some preliminary materials that they had purchased tucked away in the garage, they began a search for a general contractor to put the project together.

 

Jason, being from what he liked to call the “old school”, was used to taking a person at their word, relying more on the firmness of a handshake instead of standard contractor contracts. So instead of checking on things like references or even if the people he hired had a valid general contractor’s license. Needless to say this was the beginning of a nightmare for Jason and Doris that begun with their signatures on the contract.

 

In The Real World –

 

Now, we all live in the real world, and, as many of us know, there are unscrupulous people out there waiting to take advantage of those more trusting and less savvy. In the case of Jason and Doris it was done with a handshake. The leader of this “so called” home improvement company was so inept that on his best day he couldn’t wish to call himself an aspiring general contractor.

 

Have you ever had one of those experiences in life that left you so angry or upset that you promised yourself that when it was all over you were going to make sure everyone in the world knew about it and that the person who hurt you or those you care about would pay dearly for their actions?

 

You know what I mean. You hire some guy out of the phone book or off a flyer stuck under the windshield of your car to do some improvement project around the house because they tout themselves as industry experts. They take the down payment and never show up, or if they do, the job is done just so poorly and behind schedule. Then they further insult your intelligence by demanding final payment or a lawsuit will be in your future.

 

Jason and Doris have been there!

 

A short time after the contract was signed the “circus” began. The house was constantly filled with people at all hours of the day and night. They all had fancy name tags pinned to their shirts that identified them as Quality Control specialist, Maintenance people, even Remodeling and Renovation experts, and from the looks of things, no one carried anything heavier than a clipboard.

 

The only thing that Jason and Doris could see was being accomplished was a lot of time being wasted. Time they were being charged for. On some days Jason swore the group seems to be more like high school kids running around at some backyard party instead of a team of professional who claimed to be degree graduates.

 

But even the worse nightmares eventually ended, the turmoil subsided and Jason reluctantly signed off on the apparently completed work in part to just get his home back. Even though the construction of the sunroom had taken a lot longer then they were quoted, Jason and Doris had to admit that it looked good.

 

The addition was situated over the spot where the old backyard patio used to be, and although their homeowner’s insurance went up a bit, the increase in price was more then outweighed by their newly increased property value.

 

The finished sunroom consisted of three glass skylights, two ceiling fans, three bay windows, and a sliding glass door that led to a smaller side-patio where Jason’s gas grill now set. The hardwood floor was covered in wall to wall carpeting that Doris had picked out herself after scouring the carpets stores around town.

 

Yes, they had their new sunroom but Jason knew it was mostly hers since part of the renovation included a large computer desk that her computer now sat on. Yes, Doris was happy and when Doris was happy Jason was happy as well. At the time, neither one of them knew how short a time that happiness would last.

 

The very next Saturday

 

Jason couldn’t go out and work in his garden because it had been raining steadily since before he woke up. When he peeped his head into the new sunroom Doris was hard at work on what looked like technology certificates on her computer.

 

It began to rain harder and he glanced up through the nearest skylight wondering how long the rain would continue before turning and heading towards the kitchen to get some breakfast. He was just chewing on his first spoonful of cereal when he heard Doris shout – Loud! He asked her what was wrong as he hurried quickly towards the sunroom. It took only a quick glance inside to get his answer.

 

There his wife stood trying her best to shield her computer with her body while she watched in shock as several individual streams of water poured from the corner of each skylight and onto her new carpet!

 

Jason had to scramble to get pans from the kitchen under the streams of rain water before the new carpet was completely ruined. Once this was done, Jason was on the phone calling the contractor but in frustration only managed to leave a message on their voice mail. It would be several days before the contractor would get back with them (they said they had been busy with other jobs).

 

By the time the contractor had made it back to their home, the rain had long since stopped, the pans had been emptied and put away, and with the help of a hair dryer and a fan they had been able to dry out the carpet.

 

The contractor was very apologetic about the situation, and said he would send a crew back to reseal the skylights. He did comment that he wished Jason had left the pans where they were so it would have made pinpointing the leaks easier. Jason had to bite his tongue not to say what he was thinking but one look from Jason made the contractor quickly move onto another subject. Unfortunately, repeated visits by the contractor’s crew could not set things right with the skylights and Jason, finally in frustration, fired them.

 

Not wishing to repeat the same mistake three times, Jason began to do some in-depth research on quality contractors in the area. Which supplied him with some reliable references of contractors worth their licensing. He picked the best one and in a relatively short time the skylights were fixed properly and have not leaked since.

 

After the sunroom was finally finished, Jason contacted the original contracting company and told them he was going to send them the new bill from the second contractor who had  done the job right. However, even though the first contractor admitted to Jason’s face that something had been done wrong, nothing had been written down and the contractor had Jason’s signature on the job completion order.

 

As I write this, the legal battle between Jason and Doris and the original contractor is still in court.

 

So now you know why I put together this website Contractors in New York.  My hope in doing so is that by reading this story if it spares just one person the hassle and expense my friends went through then the effort will be worth it.

 

So if you are thinking about having some contracting work done and having a professional New York contractor to do it for you, I sure hope you will take a few moments to read through this site because I know by doing that it could save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, not to mention–a ton of grief as well.

 

In addition to the informative articles I will post, I will also do my best to research and recommend a contractor in New York or two who I feel are not only professional but affordable as well.

 

Like  my friends, if you need home improvements done but you are hesitant because you don’t know general contractors from subcontractors,  safety planning  from construction management, or even OSHA from OGCA you can relax and know I will do my best to steer you in the right direction.

 

By the way, as mush as I want to do so, I cannot bring myself to mention the name of the outfit that put my friends through home improvement Hell, who by the way, the Better Business Bureau vouched for.  Wait until you hear what I discovered about this private, non-government organization who leads consumers into believing that they are a legitimate governing regulatory agency!

 

Contractor in New York  is an ever expanding source for the average consumer, put together by an average consumer who is just trying to make sure that one couple’s overpriced oversight doesn’t become a city-wide epidemic, while still leaving room for the honest contractor (and there are plenty of them) to make a living.