Here (Vancouver, Canada), it is very unusual to have a fixed offer or contracts for large residential renovations. The most common and best way (IMO) is “Cost Plus”, which was also mentioned above. Firm offers are good for business or leasehold improvements, but not for a place that is really close to your heart. Almost all entrepreneurs base their firm estimates on past projects and prices are constantly rising. Most finishing products (cabinets, countertops, tiles…) will increase in price at the beginning of the year (hello January renos!) So now your guy is going to buy products and they are more money, he still wants his profit, so he tries to get the cheaper things. Especially in a situation like yours, where “trimming” could mean anything, you`re not in a good situation. With Cost Plus, you control exactly what you get, and if you want to exceed the budget of your tile (for example), do it with your eyes open. He calculates all his work at a fixed rate (which he must estimate before starting the project). Here, the cost plus is usually 12-15% for an average house (no luxury). And that`s a very transparent way to do it. Your discount with suppliers is usually 25-30%, so you always get a deal. And yes, a designer would save you money (or at least cost you nothing), because those mistakes probably wouldn`t happen.
Most architects would also like to do this kind of work, but obviously they would ask for more than just making drawings. Live and learn, I think. As mentioned earlier, you may want to sit down again with your contractor and review the contract. I think it may be too late for my advice, but maybe you can implement some of it or just consider it for next time. It is a complicated question that has to do with your contract, what you have in writing and what you have agreed orally. Communication is all that is contractual relations! Anyway, he immediately increased his fee for the work for the window change around $700 (because he had reconsidered the amount of work the change would be, I suppose). Ok then. We decided to pursue the change anyway. In the end, we ended up with courtesies, but I felt like he was upset that we didn`t pay extra for drywall and insulation. And this will be problematic in other places, such as the construction of the sheath and the selection of the chimney (which is not going very well either).
You never know what you`ll find hidden behind drywall or even under bathtubs. Many builders, especially builders, cut many corners during construction to reduce costs. It can easily cost anywhere from $1 to $2000 more for a renovation in a country house than a home that has been built properly. By working closely with a reputable contractor and determining the cost of every little thing, you`ll make sure your budget covers expenses and more. Being responsible and taking the extra time can and will save you from having to spend an unnecessary amount of money. Keeping track will also prevent your contractor from going over budget as you are prepared for any situation that may arise. Fiasco. We will fire the contractor by consulting a lawyer to ensure that the contractor does not attempt to charge us for the work we paid for in our previous payments, etc. I agree with GN. Let us tell him about the change orders that bring him to that number. The “contractor” should have informed you before the work began and then received your approval. I always receive approval and full verification for change orders/add-ons so there is no misunderstanding or oversight at the end.
I think this “entrepreneur” (I continue to use “quotes” because he doubts the status of entrepreneur with such a carefree attitude towards money. Good luck. I would look at your local bylaws to see what can be charged at the end, especially if you have given some sort of permission to do extra work or go over budget. Cover up and take the offensive on this one and you`ll probably do well. However, if you know you`ve accepted extra things and you know you should pay something more, be fair, but don`t let them crush you. A price estimate is essentially an informed estimate of what a job in general can cost based on their skills and previous experience. Contractors will review the project specifications and then determine the raw materials and labor they need. They then go to their specific suppliers to get quotes for the above raw materials, and then they use that price and everything else to give the customer the best estimate of what an order might cost.
The estimate may or may not take into account taxes, overhead, subcontracts and equipment costs, and the prices of everything may change when the order is completed. A cost estimate is usually not legally binding. However, some offers are incorrectly marked as estimates. An offer is considered to be an offer within the meaning of contract law. If an offer is accepted, a contract is concluded and becomes legally binding. Overruns that occur because the project is more complicated than you originally thought are common. .