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The latest from Lili about Boston Real Estate.

Advice on Hiring a Boston Contractor

September 3, 2011 |

In the current real estate market, homeowners are adding value to their property by constructing additions, such as decks and balconies; or by reconfiguring and redesigning their living space, like remodeling kitchens and baths. The redesign doesn’t have to be drastic, but small touch-ups can have a big impact on the resale price. It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to update your home.

[caption id="attachment_298" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Brookline home features Boston Interior Designer Anthony Catalfano"]Luxury Condo Boston[/caption]

There are some guidelines to remodeling your Boston home the right way, going through all the proper (and legal!) channels. If you don’t do it right the first time, trust me, you will pay for it twice as much in the long run.

  • No matter how small the job is, or how highly recommended the contractor is, make sure that the contractor is licensed and insured. 
  • The contractors need to pull a permit from the city and present their license and appropriate credentials.  Every reconstruction job, big or small, has to meet city code and have the proper permit.  If the contractor isn’t licensed and makes a mistake, you have no recourse and it will cost you three times as much trying to fix their mistake.
  • Don’t hire cheap contractors just to get the job done. Look at the contractor’s project portfolio and talk to other owners who have worked with them. Make sure you’re hiring the right person upfront.

I've heard more horror stories from Boston home owners –- be it a luxury condo, multi-family home, townhouse, or just a small pied-a-terre –- about fly-by-night contractors who leave a mess of their beautiful homes. To name a few projects gone wrong: detached balconies, illegal decks, breaking a fire sprinkler head accidentally while painting the ceiling, installing the wrong plumbing fixtures. And scary enough, the list goes on and on. Make sure you take the proper precautions and hire the best person for the job.

I provide my buyers and sellers with a list of qualified contractors , designers and architects. People whom I’ve worked with for years and can highly recommend, based on their past  work and completed projects. Your Boston luxury condo renovation can certainly be trusted in their capable hands.

Do you have a similar contractor horror story?

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