My Basic Lessons of Building

Assumptions: Do not proceed with a contract, work, or purchase if there are any unanswered questions.

The Question: Asking “How much?” without analyzing the details is like buying sight unseen, and will almost always get you an orange when you expected an apple.

Home Owner: It is the home owner’s responsibility to verify that a contractor’s previous work and performance is compatible with their expectations.

Contractor: A contractor makes contracts to provide the physical description within an agreement engaging a minimum of two parties.

Changes: Simple substitutions are OK, but changing custom orders and designs affect cost and scheduling significantly.

Generic terms do not identify the actual products used or how well the work has been completed in every aspect of construction.

Mandated warranties are minimal to what can be achieved.

Building codes are the minimum guidelines enforced in construction and pertaining to health and safety. They do not set standards for quality and aesthetic values.  California law holds a contractor liable for their work to only four years and ten years for certain latent structural defects.

Building department inspections are for official records and do not oversee expectations between homeowner and builder.

Industry Standard: These are the measurements that describe acceptable appearance and performance tolerances and can be used as the default in a dispute.

Deterioration begins hidden from view, under sustainable conditions long before it is detected.

Product life expectancy: Without written guarantee or market appreciation, materials retaining 96% of their original function and aesthetic integrity at 8 years have typically proven to be reliable for much longer.