How to Find Reliable Repair Technicians: Tips
In the spring, many of us begin to make repairs, because at the time of work it is already possible to move to the dacha. But who should be entrusted with the renovation of the apartment? Together with our consultant, the head of the construction company Ivan Poberezhnyuk, we figure out where to look for craftsmen and what questions they need to ask.
April 20 2017
Of course, the most reliable way is to ask those who have already done repairs to share the contacts of good tilers, painters and plasterers. The word of mouth method works flawlessly. But it so happens that a team that a friend likes is busy for many months in advance, then you have to plunge into the bowels of the Internet and look for masters there. There are portals where specialists offer services, provide photographs of already completed objects, there are also customer reviews. For example, StroiVitrina, “Remontnik.ru”, www.profi.ru. And the question immediately arises: who to give preference to – a construction company with an office, a website, a secretary on the phone, or teams of craftsmen, of which there are many now? Of course, a solid company is safer. But the services of firms are always more expensive than the rates of amateur brigades. After all, both the maintenance of the office and the salary of the secretary are money. And they take them from the clients of the company, inflating the cost of services. That is why many customers still choose the economy option. However, they are at great risk. And there are several reasons.
No Warranties. Single performers assure that they know how to do everything: to lay tiles, and to mount stretch ceilings. In fact, it turns out differently. The quality of work is often poor. But there is no one to present a claim, because only a legal entity can give a guarantee for work. The most that a disgruntled customer can do is pay less. But here a conflict may arise with the most unpleasant consequences. In addition, defects are not always obvious, sometimes they come to the surface after a few weeks. And in this case, the economical customer is left alone with the problem.
Inability to conclude an agreement with clear terms. The brigade does not give written obligations. This means that the repair time can be delayed. Often the craftsmen do not have their own roof over their heads, and they persuade clients to allow them to live in the apartment being repaired. In such a situation, the team may not be in a hurry to complete the work. After handing over the object, you will have to look for a new living space. Many brigades do this: they take two objects at once, live on one, and do the second in the first place, earning money. And only then they transfer forces to the second order. As a result, the client has to wait a long time for the completion of the work. But it is impossible to rein in the cunning craftsmen, because there is no written agreement with the terms. By the way, the absence of a contract often leads to higher prices. A few days after the start of the repair, the foreman shrugs his shoulders and says that additional work is required, for example, it is necessary to level the walls, but it was not immediately clear, or the wiring would have to be done differently than was stated at the beginning. And this is more expensive. Usually the client by this time already has time to pay for part of the work, and therefore has to put up with a sudden rise in price – there is nowhere to retreat.
Prepayment. Most brigades require it. And its size is 50-60% of the total estimate. Usually clients are told that it is necessary to purchase additional tools, to pay an advance payment to the workers. The arguments are very plausible, but, having received the money, the brigades often disappear without driving a single nail.
The need to control the situation. Since the foremen have virtually no bosses, the client is forced to monitor the performance of the work on his own. This means that you have to waste time, and sometimes nerves. In addition, it is difficult to understand the situation without special knowledge. This is used by negligent performers, composing all kinds of fables for the customer when it is necessary to explain the reason for the failure to meet the deadline for work.
7 questions to the director of the company
It can be concluded that only official organizations should be entrusted with repairs. But here, too, not everything is simple. Not every company is reliable. Therefore, you need to choose it with caution. It is possible to bring unscrupulous performers to clean water by discussing the following details.
1. How long will the repair take? The term must be specified in the contract. What penalties are assumed if the time for completing the work is delayed (usually the final price is reduced).
2. What is the price of work per square meter? Yes, yes, it is not necessary to count every attached skirting board, reputable companies have a price list in which the final amount is displayed, taking into account the installation of ceilings, laying laminate and tiles.
3. How will the materials be procured? Builders willingly take on this question, promising favorable prices, they say, they make a wholesale purchase, and therefore have good discounts in stores. This is often the case. But it is better to ask the price, to compare the retail price with the one that the company puts in the estimate. After all, it happens that builders are part of the supply chain of manufacturers and include their commissions in the cost of drywall, paint and wallpaper.
4. Who is responsible in case of damage to finishing materials? Even the most skilled craftsmen sometimes make mistakes, for example, gluing the wallpaper unevenly. The contract must say that the contractor will compensate for the additional costs.
5. How is material consumption recorded, if surplus remains at the end of the repair, who is responsible for returning them to the store? Agree that if the purchase is made by a company, then the customer should not then pound the doorsteps of wholesale companies and shops in order to return the money that he overpaid due to errors in calculations.
6. Does the customer have the right to control the progress of the work? The fact is that, even after contacting experienced craftsmen, it is still worth visiting the object at least occasionally. This will help to assess the situation (even the most qualified specialists sometimes behave in someone else’s apartment inaccurately).
7. What is the warranty period? Does it apply to hidden flaws that will be revealed not at the acceptance stage, but later?
Refuse the services of the company, having noticed in the contract the phrase that additional work is paid by the customer with a 100% prepayment. Anything you want can be summed up for additional volumes, and the prices for such work may, in total, exceed the preliminary estimate by several times.
Don’t trust the portfolio too much. Often, clients are shown photos from objects that were put in order by completely different workers.
Look for reviews of the company not on the website of the company itself (there are always good comments there). Type the name of the organization in the search box. If there is negative information, it will definitely come up.