Insights
Jim Dixon Provides Tips for a Successful Home Renovation Project
June 11, 2021
Partner Jim Dixon provides commentary for Super Lawyers in an article titled “Keeping a Home Renovation on Track.” The article discusses issues that homeowners might face when working with a contractor on a renovation project and tips for ensuring the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Jim notes “Projects tend to be more complicated than you might think, even when compared to commercial and industrial work”. “Unlike commercial and industrial work, the emotions involved are different and can be much more intense, and those things combine to create a situation where everyone should proceed carefully.”
He notes that “[s]electing the right contractor is absolutely the most important part of the process, and there are a couple of aspects to that”. “You have to select a contractor that's a good fit for your personality, [but] you have to understand that contractors who are very good at their work might not necessarily be very good at the sales aspect of the job or the interpersonal aspect of the job.”
He also recommends checking building permits to find other people who have hired the contractor and online records at local courthouses to find out if the contractor has been involved in litigation. “Some litigation is part of doing business with contractors,” he notes. “If there's a lot recently, then that's the kind of stuff you want to know and ask questions about.”
It is a good idea to consult an experienced attorney especially to prepare or review the contract to avoid legal issues down the road. Dixon notes “I see a lot of problems that come up”. “Significant effort has to be put in to choosing the right contractor and checking references, finding other references, researching lawsuits, anything that you can do to make sure that you've got the right person.”
To read the full article, click here.
Jim notes “Projects tend to be more complicated than you might think, even when compared to commercial and industrial work”. “Unlike commercial and industrial work, the emotions involved are different and can be much more intense, and those things combine to create a situation where everyone should proceed carefully.”
He notes that “[s]electing the right contractor is absolutely the most important part of the process, and there are a couple of aspects to that”. “You have to select a contractor that's a good fit for your personality, [but] you have to understand that contractors who are very good at their work might not necessarily be very good at the sales aspect of the job or the interpersonal aspect of the job.”
He also recommends checking building permits to find other people who have hired the contractor and online records at local courthouses to find out if the contractor has been involved in litigation. “Some litigation is part of doing business with contractors,” he notes. “If there's a lot recently, then that's the kind of stuff you want to know and ask questions about.”
It is a good idea to consult an experienced attorney especially to prepare or review the contract to avoid legal issues down the road. Dixon notes “I see a lot of problems that come up”. “Significant effort has to be put in to choosing the right contractor and checking references, finding other references, researching lawsuits, anything that you can do to make sure that you've got the right person.”
To read the full article, click here.