2020 Fall Home Improvement

2020 FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT Lincoln Daily News September 24, 2020 Page 29 the sheet and subtract the costs of the build. The author says that using your spreadsheet, where you can see an actual cost vary from the estimate on the sheet, instantly seeing how changes are impacting your bottom line. Next, you should hire a contractor. This is a very important part of your building process. Remember the opening paragraph says that a well built home will retain and even increase in value. Choose a contractor wisely. Goodman says his criteria for a contractor includes one who is “honest, experienced, reasonable, available, and local.” Note that ‘cost’ is not the first thing on Goodman’s list. Of course, you want to work with someone who is reasonably priced, but experience and integrity are two very high ranking needs when you are trusting your dream and your money to someone else. It is also nice to note that Goodman says to choose someone local. The money you spend is going to go back into your community when you use a local contractor. And, here’s something else to think about. That contractor is in your community, he or she is going to want your house to reflect his or her ability. The contractor will want you to be so happy that you will tell your friends and neighbors. On the This old House website the article ‘Top 8 Pro Tips on How to Hire a Contractor,’ ( https://www.thisoldhouse.com/21017791/ top-8-pro-tips-on-how-to-hire-a-contractor ) offers several suggestions on how to choose wisely. Note that one of the key factors they include is talk to others about the contractor. General Contractor in the program, Tom Silva, offers this advice, “Throw out the lowball bid. This contractor is probably cutting corners, or worse, desperate for work.” Technical competence and comfort should play an equal or greater role in your decision. How well you and he or she communicate is the single most important factor in choosing a contractor. If you are indeed building your dream home, then there is a good chance that in your mind’s eye you already know what it will look like inside and out. You may have even drawn it out. Share your vision with your contractor and talk about how to make the dream come true. When Goodman built his “dream home” were there many components that the contractor said just wouldn’t work. He responded, “We made it work.” So, talk to your contractor, and if he tells you Continued n