contractor directory

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) offers the following tips when selecting a contractor. NARI, the only independent association dedicated to the remodeling industry, is a not-for-profit trade association that represents professional remodeling contractors, product manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, trade publications, utilities and lending institutions. For more information on NARI, visit www.nariremodelers.com, or call 800-611-6274.

Proper planning

Depending on your needs and the size of your remodeling project, there are several options for you to explore before finalizing your plans. Think your remodeling project through from start to finish. Careful planning of your home improvement projects will enable you to update your home, increase the value of your investment and customize your living space, all for a lot less than the cost of a new home.

• Look over your property carefully. What repairs are needed? What improvements would you like to make? Think ahead and determine your future needs. Professional remodeling contractors can help in your planning by outlining options and discussing the improvements you can make within your budget.

• Be sure to review your homeowner’s insurance policy and make adjustments for the added value of the work being done.

• Finding a qualified professional remodeling contractor doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Following these guidelines will make the selection process easier, and you will be better prepared to make an informed decision that best suits your needs.

• Employ a contractor with

an established business in your area. Local firms can be checked through references from past customers in your community. Many states, but not all, require contractors to be licensed and/ or bonded. Contact your state or local licensing agencies to ensure the contractor meets all requirements.

• Check with the government Consumer Affairs Office and the Better Business Bureau to ensure there is no adverse file on record for the contractor.

• Ask to see a copy of the contractor’s certification of insurance for the name of his or her insurance agency to verify coverage. Most states require a contractor to carry worker’s compensation, property damage and personal liability insurance.

• Make sure the contractor’s insurance coverage meets all the minimum requirements. If you solicit bids from several different contractors, be sure they are bidding on the same scope and quality of work. Discuss variations in bids and beware of any bid that is much lower than the others.

• Be sure the contract includes the contractor’s name, address, phone and license number (if applicable).

• A contract should include details about what the contractor will and will not do.

• A detailed list of materials for the project should be included in your contract, with information such as size, color, model, brand name and product. The contract should include approximate start and completion dates.

• Study the design plans carefully. Insist that you approve them and that they are identified in your written contract before any work begins. Known as the “Right of Recision,” federal law requires a contractor to give you written notice of your right to, without penalty, cancel a contract within three

business days of signing it, provided it was solicited at some place other than the contractor’s place of business or appropriate trade premises.

• Make sure financial terms are understood and spelled out in the contract. The total price, payment schedule and any cancellation penalty should be clear. A warranty covering materials and workmanship for a minimum of one year should be written into the contract. The warranty must be identified as either “full” or “limited.” The name and address of the party who will honor the warranty (contractor, distributor or manufacturer) must be identified. Make sure the time period for the warranty is specified.

• Thoroughly review the entire contract and be certain you understand it before signing it.

• Consider the scope of the project and make sure all items you’ve requested are included. If you do not see a specific item in the contract, consider it not included.

• Never sign an incomplete contract. Always keep a copy of the final document for your records.• If you do not fully under-stand the terms of the con-tract, consult an attorney.

Design and functionDesign and function should

be foremost in your mind if you’re thinking of adding a room or converting an existing room. Give thought to details such as: where you want electrical outlets, telephone jacks and cable hook-ups located; the type of lighting required; current and future storage needs; and whether you want to include luxury items. These details will help your remodel better suit your needs and lifestyle. A professional remodeler should be consulted about design and function of any remodeling project. He or she can also help you with time and money-saving hints.

Types of contractors

• The General Contractor - Many home improvements may not require professional design services and can be handled by an experienced remodeling contractor. Again, be sure to deal with a professional. Even small jobs need careful planning, as their successful completion is important to you.

• The Design/Build Contractor - Design/build is a concept developed to benefit the homeowner with his or her remodeling project by providing both quality design

Your guide to hiring a contractor

and construction services within the same company. A design/build contractor will be able to see your project through from start to finish, keeping design, engineering and budget in mind.

• The Architect - Major remodeling projects require construction drawings to define contracts and permits procurement. If your professional remodeler does not provide design services, you can use a professionally trained architect. It is best to work with an architect experienced in remodeling, as he or she will be more sensitive to the special challenges that remodeling represents.

Financing

Various financing plans are available to homeowners. Among the most popular is the equity line of credit that bases the loan amount on the equity in your home. Loans are available through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) specifically for home improvements, and can be obtained through many lending institutions. The FHA, however, requires that the lender approve the contractor. The FHA does not guarantee the contractor’s work. Some institutions will allow you to borrow against the anticipated equity in your home once your remodeling project is complete.

A professional remodeling contractor is familiar with available financing options and can help. Research various sources of funding to compare individual qualification guidelines, interest rates, terms and tax considerations.

Project details

Before work begins, ask your contractor what inconveniences may occur while the project is under way and plan for them accordingly. Be sure your contractor is aware of vacations or special events so that he or she may schedule appropriately.

• Move personal property from work areas and declareall work zones off-limits to

children and pets.• Be sure to put all changes

in writing if your remodeling project is modified while work is being done. Both parties should sign the amendment, called a “change order.”

• Keep a job file including contract, plans, specifications, invoices, change orders and all correspondence with the contractor.

• Request that a contractor’s Affidavit of Final Release be provided to you at the time you make the final payment, and a final waiver of mechanic’s lien. This is your assurance that you will not be liable for any third-party claims for non-payment of materials or subcontractors.

When it comes to proj-ects addressing a home’s interior, homeowners know full well that the bottom line plays a big role. For the unprepared homeowner tackling a first do-it-yourself project, costs can quickly escalate out of control.

One way to successfully combat that is to make a budget prior to starting a project. When putting one together, consider the fol-lowing guidelines:

• Consult a professional: When initially sitting down to plan a budget, chances are you’ll have no idea where to begin. Tools, materials, timeframe, etc., all contribute to how much you’ll have to spend. To make your budget as real-istic as possible, consult a professional about provid-ing an estimate for the job, be it a bathroom renova-tion, home theater installa-tion or refacing the kitchen cabinets. Explain the situation to the contractor and ask for an estimate that doesn’t include labor but does include the cost you’ll need to pay for supplies.

The budget you receive will act as a guideline and let you know if the job you have in mind is the one you’ll be able to afford.

• Leave some leeway: Many a job has gone un-finished at the hands of a poorly set budget. When budgets are absolute at the onset of a project, dollars are often stretched too thin to handle the inevitable surprises that pop up on a project. For example, old pipes might stall a bath-room renovation, leaving the do-it-yourselfer with a less-than-fully-functioning bathroom that will have to remain that way until more money can be saved.

• Be realistic: When determining your budget, don’t fool yourself. If it be-comes increasingly apparent you cannot afford the job, don’t go ahead with it any-way. Because many people get loans through their bank for home projects, taking on too big a loan can become quite a burden if it’s a loan you cannot afford. Keep in mind that other unexpected problems (e.g., a leaky roof,

new appliances, etc.) will arise sometime, and you don’t want to stretch your dol-lars too thin. If the budget you’ve come to is simply beyond your reach, consider a less expensive project or con-tinue saving and tackle the project down the road.

• Consider the value: While it’s nice to improve your home, it’s not always beneficial. In fact, most renovations fail to recoup 100 percent of a homeowner’s initial invest-ment. A bigger project does not necessarily equal a big-ger return. If the job you’re about to sink a small for-tune into won’t yield nearly as much money at resale, perhaps finding a new place to live that better suits your needs would be a better ap-proach. When making your budget, compare the money you’ll spend to the money you’re likely to recoup at resale and go from there.

• Include professional help in your budget: Sur-prises always pop up during a project. One of the more common surprises is the realization that not all jobs can be accomplished alone. When your budget is just about established, think long and hard about hiring a professional to help with the more difficult portions of the project. Hiring a professional for these parts will ensure that the job gets done right, which will save you money in the long run.

How to set a home improvement budget

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build612-789-7070info@otogawa-anschel.comwww.otogawa-anschel.com

Spaces Into Places, Inc.651-699-1050spacesintoplaces@gmail.comwww.spacesintoplaces.com

Sicora, Inc.952-929-0098contact@sicora.comwww.sicora.com

U + B Architecture & DesignB612-870-2538info@uplusb.comwww.uplusb.com

Plekkenpol Builders, Inc952-888-2225info@plekkenpol.comwww.plekkenpol.com

BASEMENT REMODELING AND WATERPROOFING

Great Lakes Window & Sidingglwscohr@yahoo.comwww.geatlakeswindowandsiding.com

CABINETS AND CARPENTRY

Country CabinetsBOOTH 807651-775-4032mary@countrycabinets.comwww.countrycabinets.com

CEMENT MASONRY & WATERPROOFING

Polland Brothers Construction612-822-0435ron@pollandbrothers.comwww.pollandbrothers.com

R & T Cement612-721-5291randtcement@yahoo.comwww.randtcement.com

Think Stucco dba Donnelly Brothers612-866-1204donnellybrothersstucco@msn.comwww.donnellybrothersstucco.com

DRIVEWAYS, PATIOS, PAVERS & ASPHALT

Field Outdoor Spaces, Inc.612-209-5223field@fieldinc.netwww.fieldoutdoorspaces.com

Johnson Blacktop Driveway Co.952-890-8668john@johnsonsblacktopdriveway.comwww.johnsonsblacktopdriveway.com

FLOORING, DRAPERY AND HOME DECOR

Floor Coverings International612-384-7447mswarthout@floorcoveringsinternational.comwww.bloomington.floorcoveringsinternational.com

GENERAL CONTRACTORS

A. DeTomaso Construction651-789-3100ron@detomasoconstruction.comwww.detomasoconstruction.com

Aspen Building Contractors, Inc.612-749-0684doug@aspenbuildingcontractors.comwww.aspenbuildingcontractors.com

Bizal Built, Inc.952-649-1525jim.bizal@bizalbuilt.comwww.bizalbuilt.com

Buck Brothers Construction, Inc.612-729-7608bob@buck-bros.comwww.buck-bros.com

Castle Building & RemodelingBOOTH 801612-789-8509loren@castlebri.comwww.castlebri.com

Craftmasters Remodeling651-757-4100cmrtony@gmail.comwww.cmrhome.com

Custom Renovations, LLCBOOTH 601612-788-9608craig@customrmn.comwww.customrenovationmn.com

Dresler Construction dba Eco Builders.651-428-0298steve@dreslerconstruction.comwww.ecobuildersofmn.com

F & P Remodeling By Design612-889-2730fpremodeling@gmail.comwww.fpremodeling.com

Fair and Square Remodeling, Inc.612-245-5826mike@fairandsquareremodel.comwww.fairandsquareremodel.com

Halet Remodeling & Renovations612-789-9141jeff@haletremodeling.comwww.haletremodeling.com

Ideal Construction, Inc.763-757-3101info@idealconstruction.bizwww.idealconstruction.biz

Mohawk Remodeling, Inc.612-623-1933macmohawk@gmail.comwww.mohawkremodeling.com

Neighborhood Building & Remodeling952-933-7673nicole@neighborhoodbuilding.comwww.neighborhoodbuilding.com

North Coast Construction, LLC612-968-6239caleb@northcoastconstruction.comwww.northcoastconstruction.com

Ohana Construction Inc.651-274-3116ryanmaggie@hotmail.comwww.ohanaconstructioninc.com

Orfield Construction612-386-1089johnorfield@me.comwww.orfieldconstruction.com

Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build612-789-7070info@otogawa-anschel.comwww.otogawa-anschel.com

Plekkenpol Builders, Inc952-888-2225info@plekkenpol.comwww.plekkenpol.com

R.G. Sanders Construction & Remodeling612-501-9258rpsshea@msn.com

R.P. Vogel Remodeling612-729-6653cwebb@rpvogel.comwww.rpvogel.com

RRR Construction612-836-1884leifrrr@earthlink.netwww.rrrconstruction.com

Roberts Residential Remodeling Inc.952-224-3680jpaggen3r@aol.comwww.obertsresidentialremodeling.net

Sussel Corporation651-645-0331info@susselbuilders.comwww.susselbuilders.com

Twin City Home Remodeling763-572-2577twincityhome@gmail.comwww.twincityhomeremodeling.com

Vujovich Design Build612-338-2020info@vujovich.comwww.vujovich.com

GREEN TECHNOLOGY AND INSULATION

Applied Energy Innovations612-532-0384amy@appliedenergyinnovations.orgwww.appliedenergyinnovations.org

Houle Insulation, Inc.763-767-8412kari@houleinsulation.comwww.houleinsulation.com

HANDYPERSON

Castle Building & Remodeling612-789-8509loren@castlebri.comwww.castlebri.com

Handyman Matters Twin CitiesBOOTH 508952-946-0088twincities.csr@handymanmatters.comwww.hmtc.handymanmatters.com

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING, HVAC

Centraire Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.952-941-1044pkoepcke@centraire.comwww.centraire.com

Midland Heating & Air Conditioning612-869-3213tom@midlandhtg.comwww.midlandhtg.com

Standard Heating & Air Conditioning612-824-2656scott.pearson@standardheating.comwww.standardheating.com

KITCHENS, BATHS AND APPLIANCES

Buck Brothers Construction Inc.612-729-7608bob@buck-bros.comwww.buck-bros.com

College City Design Build, Inc.952-469-6900info@collegecityremodeling.comwww.collegecityremodeling.com

Neighborhood Building & Remodeling952-933-7673nicole@neighborhoodbuilding.comwww.neighborhoodbuilding.com

Warners Stellian651-222-0011www.warnersstellian.com

LANDSCAPING AND RETAINING WALLS

Bachman’s Landscaping612-861-7646landscapinginquiry@bachmans.comwww.bachmanslandscaping.com

Field Outdoor Spaces, Inc.612-209-5223field@fieldinc.netwww.fieldoutdoorspaces.com

Johnson Creek, Inc.651-646-4752mick@johnsoncreek.comwww.johnsoncreek.com

Patio Town952-894-4400smcgregor@patiotown.comwww.patiotown.com

Stonepocket - Unique Landscaptes952-974-1407info@stonepocket.comwww.stonepocket.com

Trio Landscaping612-296-5646diana@triolandscaping.comwww.triolandscaping.com

Werni, Timm and Associates Inc.651-230-5591jtimm@wernitimm.comwww.wernitimm.com

PAINTERS

Home Transformations, Inc.651-210-1289kurtmeyer@mm.comwww.hometransformationsinc.com

ROOFING, SIDING, SOFFITS & GUTTERS

Maintenance Free Minnesota, Inc.763-560-6141maintfm@hotmail.comwww.mfminn.com

Quarve Contracting, Inc.production@quarve.comwww.quarve.com

Thompson Exteriors612-722-8428thompsonexteriors@earthlink.netwww.thompsonexteriors.net

WINDOWS & DOORS

Borden Window, LLC651-338-7163jborden@bordenwindow.comwww.bordenwindow.com

Custom Remodelers, Inc.651-784-2646malcolmtt@comcast.netwww.customremodelersinc.com

Frank Gardner Construction651-208-8210frankrg90@gmail.com

Mon-Ray, Inc.763-546-3646sfisher@monray.comwww.monray.com

Quarve Contracting, Inc.763-785-1472production@quarve.comwww.quarve.com

Renewal by Andersen1-866-838-6432gillian.fischer@andersencorp.comwww.renewalbyandersen.com

SP Custom Carpentry952-890-7141sp_carpentry@hotmail.comwww.spcarpentry.net

Window Concepts of Minnesota651-905-0105greg.ramel@windowconceptsmn.comwww.windowconceptsmn.com