The weekend before Christmas and only two of the four toilets in your home are usable.
This was a small project and perhaps that is the problem. As you had a chance to visit with the contractors who came to assess your current situation it became evident that the bigger projects likely get the best, most experienced, and proven contractors. Your $1,500 project appears to be very low on the totem pole. The fact that the contractor did not make use of an entire empty bay in the garage or a covered front porch that spans the width of your house for the cutting of materials is only the beginning of the lack of professionalism. He was a very nice man, but clearly was very random and chaotic in his approach to working in our home.
This is a list of the items that are NOT negotiable in the aftermath of this failed project:
- The leak in the toilet in the walk through bathroom needs to be fixed and the fixture needs to be put back into service immediately.
- If the current contractor cannot supply a licensed plumber to remedy this situation then you will hire your own and demand that this amount be removed from the credit card charges to your account.
- The old vinyl will be removed from the guest bathroom before the new flooring is replaced.
- There will be new flooring and quarter round installed in the guest bathroom.
- Facia strips will be provided and installed for the two upstairs bathrooms that will serve as the transition between the luxury vinyl flooring and the cabinets.
This is a list of the items that are negotiable in the aftermath of this project:
- When the ceiling in the first floor bathroom will be fixed.
- When the stain on walls of the first floor bathroom will be repainted.
- When the toilet in the guest room will be repaired and put back in use.
- When the facia is installed in the space between the flooring and the cabinets in the walk through bathroom.
- When the flooring in the guest bathroom will be installed.
Finding the Right Contractor for a Job Is Important
It has been three days since you called to report the problem. The first call was unfortunately made to the original contractor, but at least he answered his phone and came to the house within six hours. When you realized that he was not in consultation with his supervisor and as soon as he left your home you called the main office fo the store where this project originated. Since that time you have waited on hold during several attempts to make a call; waited for more than five hours for the “most experienced contractor” to show up to assess the current situation; and listened to floor sales people, customer service representatives, and managers apologize but indicate that your concern would have to wait for a response from someone else.
Whether they are from a school that awards Nevada contractor licenses or they are a recent graduate from a trades school in the midwest, the success of any project in your home is completely dependent on the contractor you hire. Unfortunately, in a time of significant growth in many parts of the country, finding a licensed contractor is not always as easy. As a result, many people may misrepresent themselves as being reputable, when in fact they have not completed the necessary steps to get Arizona contractor licenses, or the required paperwork from another state. And while these requirements may var from one region of the country to another, the fact of the matter is some states like Arizona are in the middle of such a building boom that the process for getting Arizona contractor licenses is one that other states might follow as well.
Insisting that the workers that come into your home have Arizona contractor licenses, or the appropriate licenses from your state will help you know that these workers have followed the steps needed for Arizona contractor license exam preparation and have passed all tests. Likewise, it is important to understand the kinds of tests and licensing procedures that are required in the state where you live. With a market share of around 10%, the U.S. is the second largest construction market worldwide.