Hiring a Contractor? Jodi Solicits Fence Bids
Fitzpatrick-Once in awhile, through lack of my own industry contacts or projects that involve the great outdoors, I’m forced to be a consumer of remodeling services; I have to hire a contractor. One I don't know. This happened last month when the wooden fence between my and my neighbor’s property breathed its last and fell over—allowing her two Chow Chow dogs and my two Chow Chow dogs a shot at the World Canine Association Inner-Breed Dominance Smack Down. (It was 1-1, btw).
Obviously the fence needed immediate replacement.; we needed to hire a contractor. But I’m an interior designer, my husband is a commercial carpet guy, and my neighbor is a professor of early childhood development at the local institution of highest learning—we don’t know no stinking fence contractors! I HATE it when I’m forced into the position my readers are in every day; knowing nothing about a trade, a material or an industry and having no connections therein. (This feeling is so loathsome that I’m compelled waste hours writing this blog, in a vain attempt to help folks feel .0001 degrees more informed about these situations.)
So I did what every other poor slob out there with a downed fence and two large Champion Smack Down dogs she can no longer exile outside would do: I solicited three bids for the work from three licensed contractors. None of whom I knew--holy Chow and honest to Dog. During this adventure, I made some observations about the five general types of contractors and businesses you can expect to find when you venture into the wilds of procuring remodeling work and have to hire contractors.
I went with Contractor Type B-2. But first let me tell you how we approached the bidding process….
Obviously the fence needed immediate replacement.; we needed to hire a contractor. But I’m an interior designer, my husband is a commercial carpet guy, and my neighbor is a professor of early childhood development at the local institution of highest learning—we don’t know no stinking fence contractors! I HATE it when I’m forced into the position my readers are in every day; knowing nothing about a trade, a material or an industry and having no connections therein. (This feeling is so loathsome that I’m compelled waste hours writing this blog, in a vain attempt to help folks feel .0001 degrees more informed about these situations.)
So I did what every other poor slob out there with a downed fence and two large Champion Smack Down dogs she can no longer exile outside would do: I solicited three bids for the work from three licensed contractors. None of whom I knew--holy Chow and honest to Dog. During this adventure, I made some observations about the five general types of contractors and businesses you can expect to find when you venture into the wilds of procuring remodeling work and have to hire contractors.
I went with Contractor Type B-2. But first let me tell you how we approached the bidding process….
permalink
