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Mirrors Work Magic

• A contractor could be in your home and around your family for days, weeks or even months while changing the way your house looks and functions. So if you don’t like a contractor for any reason, don’t hire him, says Tony LaPelusa, president of LaPelusa Home Improvement in Niles, Ill., and past president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
• “The biggest thing is choosing the right contractor,” he says. “If somebody says something that’s even an embellishment, it’s enough of a reason not to trust him and move on to the next contractor. You have to trust the contractor 100%, not 95%.”

MAKE SURE THE CONTRACTOR IS LICENSED, BONDED AND INSURED

• Having a license and insurance demonstrates a contractor’s credibility and knowledge, says Bob Peterson, co-owner of Associates in Building & Design Ltd., in Fort Collins, Colo., and chairman of the National Association of Home Builders’ Remodelers Council. The license shows that contractors have taken an exam and proved they know building codes and processes. “A license minimizes the risk to homeowners of getting ripped off,” he says. To be sure, get the contractor’s license number.
• If a contractor doesn’t have insurance and a worker gets hurt on your project, you could be liable. The same goes with accidents that damage your next-door neighbor’s home. “If you have scaffolding that fell and damaged the property next door, you want the contractor’s liability to cover the cost of that damage,” LaPelusa says. Get proof of insurance.

PICK A CONTRACTOR WHO SPECIALIZES IN YOUR PROJECT TYPE

• “It’s important to research contractors to know if they have experience in a type of project,” Peterson says. “Today, so many projects are regulated and code-specific that you want someone who knows the details of what’s required.”
• He points out that pros often take classes and research the kinds of projects they undertake, so they’re experts in their fields. This enables them to address potential problems and perform the work correctly. “A good remodeler knows how to anticipate the nuances of the work,” he says.
• If you’re asking several contractors for a bid, make sure each one is using the same set of plans and specifications, the NAHB advises on its website: “You can’t effectively compare estimates from contractors who plan to use different brands of building materials.”

HAVE A DETAILED CONTRACT IN PLACE BEFORE ANY WORK BEGINS

• The contract should cover costs, brands of items being installed, approximate start and finish dates and the complete set of drawings being used with written specifications, LaPelusa says. “There’s never too much detail in a contract.” If a specific brand for a part hasn’t been agreed upon yet, the contract can include allowances instead, such as “up to $500 for a front door.”
• A lot of homeowners talk to multiple contractors to get bids on the job, and then they can’t remember who told them what, LaPelusa says. The contract spells out everything. “A contract is really an expectation setting, right down to what color the hinges are,” Peterson adds. “It’s all about expectations. If we agree on everything upfront, then there are no surprises.”

FIND OUT WHO’S PERFORMING THE WORK

• Will the person you’re hiring do the work himself, or will it be subcontracted to someone else? It’s nice to know who will be showing up on your doorstep, and large jobs such as additions and major kitchen remodels often involve multiple subcontractors, such as electricians and plumbers. General contractors often subcontract specialty jobs, such as roofing or vinyl siding, to other pros.
• “Having subcontractors is sometimes a good thing. They have a more thorough knowledge of their part of the job,” LaPelusa says. “It all goes back to hiring a contractor you can trust, because he’s never going to put a bad subcontractor on your job.”

GIVE THE CONTRACTOR GUIDELINES FOR WORKING IN OR AROUND YOUR HOME

• If you don’t want the workers showing up before a certain time, staying past a certain hour or using your bathroom, or if you need to have the project finished by a specific date, tell the contractor before you hire him, LaPelusa says. The contractor may not want or be able to accept the job based on your parameters.
• “The contractor has to know what your limits are and what your expectations are,” LaPelusa says. “If people don’t want you starting until 9:30 and want you out by 4, that project — instead of taking 30 days — might take 45. That means it might cost additional money.”

KNOW WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE

• You may have to move everything out of a room so it can be painted or remove a fence so a concrete truck can be driven into your backyard.
• Peterson’s company, for instance, doesn’t move items out of a room because he doesn’t want to be responsible for broken TVs or stereos. Because he recommends a furniture mover, he holds a pre-construction meeting with homeowners to discuss their roles. “We set all of those expectations in writing,” Peterson says. “It may be that you need to take everything off those six walls and move the furniture out of the room.
• “My biggest fear, to be honest, is losing someone’s dog or cat,” he says. “We want to know upfront where they’re putting the cat or dog.”

ASK ABOUT A MECHANIC’S LIEN

• Under the mechanic’s lien laws in some states, anyone who worked on or supplied materials to your project and is not paid can place a lien on your home. This means that even if you pay your contractor, but he doesn’t pay the lumberyard for your materials, you can be liable for that bill. “It’s important for homeowners to understand the lien laws in their state because they vary from state to state,” Peterson says.
• And definitely check on your contractor’s legal status before you sign anything. “If a contractor owes $30,000 from his last job, there’s a good chance your money is going to pay the bills on that last job.”
• If a contractor has a lien against him, it’s best to move on and avoid a potentially messy situation, Peterson advises: “It’s called a big snowball going down a hill.”

LOOK AT WORK SAMPLES

• This lets you see a contractor’s handiwork and may spark ideas for your project. “Samples are more important than references,” Peterson says. “They allow you to see the quality of our work. You can see the designs we came up with and how creative we are.”
• Looking at a contractor’s past projects also lets you see the variety of work the company has performed, such as contemporary, Craftsman or historic designs.

THINK LOCALLY

• Area contractors who have been in business for a long time are usually reliable and safe bets for projects. If they didn’t do good work in your community, they wouldn’t still be around.
• “I always say shopping locally is the best approach,” LaPelusa says. “The company is involved in the community, the workers are probably local and, if you have a problem later, a local contractor is going to be on top of it.”

KITCHENS

1. Traditional is the New Contemporary

Traditional will continue as the most popular kitchen design style in 2011, with contemporary following closely behind, while the Shaker style is seeing a surprisingly strong resurgence. Shades of whites and off-whites will be the most common kitchen colors in 2011, while brown, beige, and bone hues will also be popular.

2. Cherry on Top

Cherry will remain the most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry, followed closely by maple, while alder increases in use. As for the finishes placed on those cabinets, medium natural, dark natural, glazed, and white painted will all be common. Other colors of painted cabinetry and light natural finishes are in decline, however, as are distressed finishes.

3. Floored by Tile

Ceramic and porcelain tile, as well as natural stone tile, remain popular kitchen flooring options, but hardwood will dominate the kitchen landscape more than ever in 2011. For countertops, granite continues to be the most popular option, but quartz will nearly catch up in popularity. For backsplashes, ceramic or porcelain tile and glass will serve as the primary materials.

4. Flexible Faucets

Standard kitchen faucets will become less standard in 2011 in favor of more convenient models. Pull-out faucets continue to increase their market dominance, while pot filler faucets will also become more prevalent. Kitchen faucets will most often be finished in brushed nickel, followed by stainless steel, satin nickel, and—surprisingly—polished chrome.

5. Under-counter Refrigeration

French door and freezer-bottom are the two most popular styles of refrigerators, and side-by-side refrigerators remain a popular option. A surprising trend is the extent to which under-counter refrigerator drawers are being used in the latest kitchen designs. Perhaps even more surprising is that under-counter wine refrigerators have been recently specified by half of kitchen designers.

6. A Range of Cooking Options

The tried-and-true range continues to serve as the workhorse for cooking, although the combination of a cook-top and wall oven is beginning to overtake it. Gas will maintain its position as the most popular type of cook-top over electric, although induction cooking continues to gain in popularity due to its energy efficiency.

7. Dishwasher-in-a-Drawer

Standard dishwashers, with the traditional door that pulls from the top down, will once again be easily the most common type in 2011. However, an increasing number of dishwasher drawers will be installed in kitchens this year for their convenience and their ability to wash small loads of dishes in each drawer, thereby saving water and electricity.

BATHROOMS

1. In With the Old, Out with the New

Traditional will be the most popular design style in bathrooms in 2011, as contemporary designs will be a distant second, followed by the Shaker style as an even more distant third. Beiges and bones will be the most common colors used in bathrooms, followed by whites and off-whites, and then by browns, indicating a somewhat subdued color palette this year.

2. Ceramic and Granite

Ceramic and porcelain tile will be the dominant flooring materials in bathrooms this year, while natural stone will continue to prove popular as well. Though increasingly popular in kitchens, hardwood flooring won’t become common in bathrooms in 2011. For vanity tops, granite will remain king, with quartz and marble also proving popular options.

3. Simple Fixtures

Perhaps more than ever, the most common color for fixtures will be white. Bisque and off-white will be the only other fixture colors at all common in new or remodeled bathroom. For sinks, simple under-mount models will be most popular, followed by integrated sink tops, drop-in sinks, vessel sinks, and pedestal sinks.

4. A Nickel for Every Finish

Faucet finishes in the bathroom are similar to those used in current kitchen designs, with brushed nickel continuing to lead the way in 2011. Polished chrome and satin nickel will also be incorporated into many bathrooms, just as they had been throughout 2009. These faucet finishes will be followed by bronze and stainless steel.