As The Times pointed out last weekend, when it comes to planning your renovation with your architect or general contractor, make sure you get as much detail as possible in writing. Who owns the drawings? Who will be responsible if a subcontractor places a lien on the property? What are the milestones for payment? “Whether or not these issues are resolved ahead of time can mean the difference between a project that ends on a happy note and one that ends in litigation. The hardest thing for us was defining the quality of finish. Since we didn’t have the budget to strip every molding and door, for example, we had to specify which rooms of the house were getting what attention to detail. Any words of advice or horror stories to share?
Renovation Contracts: No Point Is Too Small [NY Times]
Illustration by Tom Bloom