Don’t even think about remodeling your home
without reading this book first!
 $16.95plus shipping & handling 
|
How to Survive a Remodel Remodeling a house involves much more than choosing the right paint color and countertops. Not only do you have to decide what you want to do, you have to figure out how to pay for it, who is going to build it, what the city will allow you to do and where to put your family during the process. It is a stressful experience, with potential pitfalls deeper than the holes you are planning to gouge in your walls. How to Survive a Remodel combines a step-by-step guide to remodeling with a unique legal perspective, helping you to navigate the jungle of contracts, contractors, and construction hazards. Interspersed with humorous and sometimes scary stories, Chillag takes you through the decision-making process, provides helpful hints to get the most for your money and explains your legal rights to ensure that you get what you ask for, at the price you expect. This easy-to-read book takes the mystery and fear out of home remodeling. |
“An indispensable educational tool for homeowners considering a remodel!”
- Pat O’Toole, Editor, Qualified Remodeler Magazine
Want to see more before you buy?
Read an actual excerpt from How to Survive a Remodel:
Excerpt from Chapter 7: “Should I have a Written Contract?” (requires Adobe Acrobat)
Check out the Table of Contents to see all the information covered in this valuable book:
Table of Contents: How to Survive a Remodel
Introduction
1. To Remodel or Not to Remodel, That is the Question
- Am I Over-Improving my Home?
- Can my Marriage Survive It?
- Can my Neighbors Survive It?
2. The Preparation Stage. Making the Road Map
- So What Exactly Do I Want to Do?
- The Pow-Wow
- What Can’t I Live Without? The Art Of Prioritizing
- The Budget. How Much Can I Spend?
3. Putting the Plan on Paper.
- What Exactly Does the Architect Do?
- Will I Need an Engineer?
- Reading the Plans
4. Pay Attention to the Details
5. Does the City have any Say About my Remodel?
- The Planning Department
- The Building Department
- Other Things Affecting the Remodel
6. How Am I Going to Pay for This?
- What Kind of Loan Should I Get?
- How Much Should I Borrow?
- What are the Lender Requirements?
7. Who Is Going to do the Construction?
- Should I Act as My Own Contractor?
- Can I at Least Do Part of the Work?
- How do I Find a General Contractor?
- Is There Such a Thing as “One-Stop Shopping”?
- What do I Ask the Contractors When I Call Them?
- What Happens at the Meeting with the Contractor?
- How do I Check References?
- How do I Compare the Bids?
- Should I have a Written Contract?
8. Should I Have Insurance?
- General Liability Insurance
- Worker’s Compensation Insurance
- Payment Or Performance Bond
- Builder’s Risk Insurance
- Homeowner’s Insurance
9. The Project. Oh My Gosh, We’re Going to Start!
- Should I Live in or Should I Live Out?
- How do I Prepare My House for the Remodel?
- What are My Responsibilities During Construction?
- How Often Should I Meet With my Contractor?
- What Should a Project File Look Like?
10. What is the Construction Process Going to be Like?
- In the Beginning . . .
- The Middle Ground
- Coming Down the Home Stretch . . .
- And the End Is Here . . .
11. Changes During Construction. How to Double The Cost of Your Project
- Changes Required By the Government
- Unforeseen Conditions
- Now That I’ve Seen It, I Don’t Like It
- The “While You’re Here” Syndrome
- Contractor-Recommended Changes
- Can I Change Anything I Want?
12. How Do I Pay the Contractor?
- How Much Should I Pay In Advance?
- How Will I Know When to Make a Payment?
- How do I Make Payments?
- What is a Retention?
- How do I Pay for Special-Order Items?
- How do I Pay for Changes?
- When is the Final Payment Due?
- What Kind of Records Should I Keep?
13. When Things Fall Apart
- When Should the Red Flag Go Up?
- How do I Fire my Contractor?
- It’s Time to Call the Lawyer
NANCY CHILLAG is an attorney and has practiced law for over 25 years. She has published a multitude of articles on construction-related topics.
How to Survive a Remodel, is a book that offers homeowners a step-by-step guide to taking the mystery and fear out of home remodeling. She is also the author of Building by the Book: Legal Advice for Contractors , a collection of these articles, is packed with easy-to-understand, relevant and vital information for any contractor.