Friday, April 1, 2011

Don't Be Fooled!


As it is April First, or Fools day, Centurion Homes, your Utah General Contractor, wants to take a moment to offer some sage advice.  Don't be fooled by the bottom bidder on your construction project.  If you receive a bid that seems to good to be true, it always is. 


Over the years we have heard (and been hired to fix) far too many horror stories from families that chose a contractor simply because they were the lowest price.  Typically these low-ballers have two approaches to rectifying their “get the job at all costs” estimates.  They either deliver very poor quality using sub-par materials and unlicensed, uninsured laborers.  Or they point out, after the contract is signed and the project is underway, that very little of what you asked for is actually included in the estimate.  Then you will receive an up-charge for all the items you requested in the first place.  


Be very careful to pay close attention to what is actually detailed in the bid.  Just because you asked them to bid your construction project doesn’t mean they actually did.  These predatory contractors are always well below their competitors bids and when something goes terribly wrong they tend to walk away with the substantial deposits they require up front.  Why employ such practices?  They are desperate for the work, usually because no one refers them due to their history of burning bridges. This never turns out well for the homeowner.  


Let it be a red flag to you if you have three bids and one is remarkably under-priced.  This is usually a "get in the door" technique used to ensnare your business.  In the end you may be potentially left without enough funds to complete your project.  When collecting bids for a project, why not get several?  After all, they’re free.  Then throw away the low and high bid and choose from the middle bidders who you will always find to be the competent competitive professionals who are very close in price. 


Again, remember to scrutinize each and every bid to make sure that the details include EVERYTHING you want completed by your contractor.  Lastly, select your construction professional based on which one you feel you will have the best communication and working relationship with.  


At Centurion Homes we will work hard to provide a detailed complete bid so that you can be confident moving forward with your construction project.  We are also happy to sit down personally and go through our bid to answer any questions and be sure we understand each and every item you would like addressed in your project.  Call us today at 801-722-5515.