Finding a Contractor on the Cheap

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Finding a Contractor on the Cheap

Planning to hire a contractor to tackle one of your home improvements projects? Here’s how to minimize the bill:

Target the off season

Contractors generally don’t get as much work during the cold months of the year, so you may find it to your advantage to schedule your project for the winter. Arrange for estimates from several contractors, and then inquire about any discounts they can offer for off-season work. Not every contractor will go for this, but it’s certainly worth trying to track down one who will.

Do some of the work yourself

Sure it’s nice to hire someone to handle a project from start to finish, but this may not be the cheapest approach. To minimize the expense of your home improvement project, ask yourself if there are parts of the job that you could do yourself. If, for example, you are hiring someone to finish your basement, consider doing some of the finishing work yourself. A little do-it-yourself painting and trim work could be the ticket to a lower bill.

Tackle multiple projects

If you have several home improvement projects going on at once, consider giving them all to the same contractor. You may just be able to negotiate a discounted price for the overall project.

Talk up your project

Often the best way to find a contractor that works for a fair price is to mention your project to friends and family. People are generally quick to recommend contractors that worked out well for them.

Be flexible

A rush job is always going to cost more, so try to be flexible with your completion date. If you can wait until the contractor is able to clear a few projects from his schedule, you may just be rewarded with a cheaper price.

Go young

Contact your local high school or community college to see if there’s a class that would like to take on your project. Vocational teachers are often looking for projects to offer students hands-on experience in their field. Since the teacher is responsible for supervising any such project, there’s little reason to worry about the quality of the work that you’ll receive; and often you’ll only be responsible for the cost of the supplies—not a bad way to knock out the labor costs.

Become an advertiser

Many contractors will deduct a certain percentage from your bill if you’re willing to post a sign in your front yard that advertises their services. This may not be the quickest route to beautifying your yard, but it is a quick, and easy way to save money.

Contractors have the experience and know-how to ensure that your home improvement project gets done right. Put that experience to work by finding a contractor that will work within your budget.

-Erin Huffstetler

Erin Huffstetler is a freelance writer specializing in frugal living tips and tricks. Her work has appeared in numerous print and electronic publications including Family Circle, Guideposts For Kids and Pregnancy. As the stay-at-home mom of two young kids, Erin is always looking for new ways to live better for less. For fun decorating and craft project ideas check out Erin’s “Trash to Treasures” and “Bead Making Basics” courses at Suite101.com.

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Maintain Today, Save Tomorrow

Posted by admin Maintain Today, Save Tomorrow

Like it or not, unexpected repairs are just a part of home ownership. Roofs will leak, appliances will break and accidents will happen. While you can’t avoid unexpected repairs entirely, there is a lot that you can do to ensure that your home remains in working order.

Think you are staying on top of your home’s scheduled maintenance? Perhaps you are, but even the most maintenance-savvy homeowners tend to overlook a few areas. Read on to learn about four critical maintenance items that you may be overlooking:

Hot water heater- Sediment deposits inside the tank can mean big problems for your hot water heater—leading to rust, and premature deterioration of the unit. To combat this problem, simply use the spigot on the side of the unit to drain a bucket of water from the bottom of the tank. Doing so will remove a lot of the sediment, and slow down the rusting process. Repeat the process every 6 months for best results.

Refrigerator- Dirty refrigerator coils cause the unit’s air compressor to work harder—thus using more energy and significantly reducing the life of the appliance. To keep your refrigerator working efficiently, take the time to clean the coils every few months. Just pull the refrigerator away from the wall, and use a vacuum cleaner to remove all of the dust and build-up on the coils. If you have animals in the home, you may find that you need to vacuum the coils more frequently, as animal fur will tend to accumulate on the coils.

Smoke detectors- Dust in and around a smoke detector can inhibit the devices ability to function properly in the event of a fire. To ensure your detectors are in working order, clean each unit at least a few times a year. To do so, vacuum the outside of the cover, and then remove the cover and finish by vacuuming out the inside. While you are cleaning it is also a good idea to make sure each smoke detector has fresh batteries, and responds properly when tested.

HVAC system- Dirt and debris pose the biggest threat to the life of a heating and cooling system. While changing the air filter on a monthly basis is a great way to maintain the cleanliness of the furnace coils, it is not the only part of the system that requires routine maintenance. To optimize your system, you should also check your outdoor condenser unit on a monthly basis to be sure that there aren’t any leaves or other foreign objects hindering the airflow. If upon inspecting the unit, you determine it needs to be cleaned, simply turn the unit off, unscrew the top cover, and remove the debris. Then screw the cover back on, and restore power to the unit.

Make maintenance a part of today’s routine and you will save a lot of time and money tomorrow!

-Erin Huffstetler

  Erin Huffstetler is a freelance writer specializing in frugal living tips and tricks. Her work has appeared in numerous print and electronic publications including Family Circle, Guideposts For Kids and Pregnancy. As the stay-at-home mom of two young kids, Erin is always looking for new ways to live better for less. For fun decorating and craft project ideas check out Erin’s “Trash to Treasures” and “Bead Making Basics” courses at Suite101.com.

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