Contractor's Responsibility and How to Enforce the Same

the above was getting long so i will add this in here:

the cost of jobs is tied up in labor. it takes the same amount of labor to lay a crappy, non approved underlayment on a floor as it does to lay a proper approved one. or use crappy paint as better paint. so the difference in the costs is in the materials. there may be great variation between what some people wish to use as underlayment and what should be used (i imagine 40% or more?). but with many materials paints and such, adhesives, caulking, the price variation is small. sometimes it is a matter of driving a little further and going to a better supplier (dykes as opposed to HD). with this in mind, the contractor should advise the homeowner on the better products and suggest them. if the homeowner feels that saving 10% on some of these materials is in their interest (btw, the pricier products are often easier for us to use; Phenoseal caulk over Dap for instance) and if the contractor is ok using a lessor grade, then the onus is on the contractor to explain the risks of making such a move and if they cannot guarantee something, they should advise that. contractors cannot expect homeowners to know these things and if the contractors do not know more than the homeowners, they should not be contractors.

i did tell the customer the other day that “anyone can frame a wall and hang and tape drywall” but the jobs really fall apart with the final finishing where people are willing to take short cuts that will have long term effects. basically, things look ok when you pay the contractor but a year later something is coming unglued.

andriywww1990

in General Discussion 4 years and 5 months ago

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andriywww1990 | 4 years and 5 months ago

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i recently had a conversation with someone who has some questions about the compatibility of certain flooring adhesives with certain flooring underlayments. i do not know anything about glue down wood flooring (at least not anything more than anyone on this board can read on google; i do use a lot of adhesives though and compatibility is a big concern). the person i was dealing with was someone who i had done a small job for and had been fair with me, so i did not mind making a few pro bono phone calls on her behalf. i called the tech team at one of the adhesive companies and he specified a certain approved (stamped) underlay.

i had to visit the customer for an unrelated matter and the conversation continued. as we spoke i got a sense that the customer was uncertain of how to wield control over contractors and the products they use. and bear in mind sometimes things change ( a customer can sometimes make an on the fly change that can have a domino effect, especially with finishes and compatibility). sometimes contractors have to change something – when i prime wood i often switch between primers depending on the conditions of the wood; we as contractors cannot simply change products willy nilly without reason and if we do so it should be for the benefit of the customer, not the contractor’s wallet, and it must be done within the manufacturer’s instructions.

when we worked in commercial, we made them list every material they were using by name or at least an industry standard. so for underlay, they would use an approved (stamped) underlayment flooring, paint would be Ben Moore Oil, glass would be safety glass, etc. when i worked for professional property managers, my job as a person on the ground was to check all the materials to be sure they were using approved items. fire doors had to have MEA labels. roofing had to be what was specified in the contract (this was my JOB to check these and the contractor could not hide things from me; he’d be tossed of the job). but just like homeowners on here, we did not always know what was being used throughout because we were often hiring trades that we ourselves did not have full understanding of. and just like people on here have to protect their homes, we had to protect our jobs. this is how we did that: add this line to all contracts the contractor puts before you (and have him sign next to this change:

“All work to be done in a professional manner to industry standards (AIA has a book you can reference; the national wood flooring association has standards you can reference) using approved materials and the installation of all materials is to follow manufacturers instructions. Payment will be withheld if these standards are not followed”..

add this as well: “all changes are to be made in writing and approved by homeowner. any changes made without the written consent of the homeowner will result in withheld payment until the situation is remedied”.

if someone does not want to sign statements such as these, I would take it as an admission that they are negotiating the job in bad faith or with the intent on taking short cuts, from the get go. i would not proceed any further with them.