Ask These Questions Before Hiring a Contractor! | Julie Khuu

This video will show you how to choose and hire the right contractor for your home remodel project including all the questions you MUST ASK before signing any contracts.

Interior design and renovations are all about the proper planning, sourcing the right materials, and hiring the best people for the job. Sometimes you need a knowledgeable contractor to oversee it all, especially if you have never embarked on this type of overhaul before. Whether it’s a whole house remodel or you’re simply looking to renovate a guest bathroom, here are my top PRO tips you should consider before hiring the best contractor for the job.
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LET’S CONNECT!
Edited by: Kelly Nguyen for Julie Khuu Interior Design
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MUSIC B Y
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#hiringcontractors #choosecontractor #contractortips

[rikwen]

4 thumbs up Julie! This should be the video that people must watch before they start a home project. You have covered everything to think about how to get the job done. If people follow your advice, I think that they will be happy with the results. Over the years, I have also worked with really horrible contractors and even professionals who should not have been in the business. On the other side, I have had contractors that I hired who were very good at doing what I wanted done but also confident enough to tell me that something was not a good idea or there was a better way to do something. Believe me, I reused these guys and gals whenever possible.

[XY-nbvk]

I love the balance of your videos: on point, precise, fun, diverse, packed with professional tips and a hint of story telling.

[angeleszamorano]

You’re so knowledgeable! I’m in the process of renovating and decorating my house and I love your channel. Thank you for all the help!

[nadinecius]

Always hire the right skill level. Hire a handyman to do basic stuff that you would diy if you had the time. Do not hire a handyman to install a water heater or do any other advance/specialty job. In all of the trades there are different skill levels. If you need your house re-piped, hire a master plumber. The same goes for electrical, carpentry, etc. The more major/detail the work is, the higher the skill level needs to be. Also, any major work (especially with your kitchen and main bath) needs to be done by someone that has been highly vetted. If you decided to take a chance on a contractor, then start them off with a small project and see how that goes before giving them a larger job. Following these rules along with not paying a large advance up front will eliminate 95% of all problems.

[clt]

I have worked with a nightmare contractor before...so I totally agree with you - when you find a contractor you love, pay his premium fee and hang on to him for dear life!

[alicesmith]

I would love for you to expand on this idea. As a soon to be first time homeowner, I will be searching for a semi-fixer upper home. Can you give input on painting, DIY vs. professional, and what should determine what I can realistically do. Another question is with limited funds going into my first home, where should I focus a remodel first i.e. kitchen, bath, etc. and what can wait until the budget allows for more renovations. Many thanks for the wonderful tips and content on your channel!

[mahogany]

i was literally gonna suggest this video! Okay I liked the video already but I'll go back and watch to see if all my questions were answered. You're the best!!

[alicebell]

Very helpful, thank you Julie! We suddenly decided to completely renovate our bathroom (taking down a wall and stripping everything to the brick) in November last year after I realised the feng shui won't again be suitable until 2022. The only plumber I could get was an engineer who was just going into his own plumbing business so he wasn't clueless and he was recommended, but turned out to have ADHD so it was a bit like herding cats. In the end he did a lot of the tiling, at about 6-7/10 quality and didn't fully complete the job with the tiles but thankfully all else was done. I project managed the entire thing and found that I was reasonably good at it, and all other tradesmen were brilliant. The bathroom ended up looking really good in the end, with small imperfections, and it was done before March 2020. Yay!

[dstringer]

Fabulous video!! So agree. We are going thru a fireplace redo right very careful when hiring a licensed contractor, he is an independent mason contractor and woodworker (made our mantle and corbels). Have had a couple of hiccups (due to his personal problems....death in the family, home schooling etc), however we are on the downhill trek and should be done this week!!! A few gray hairs added, but, not bad!! And our stone fireplace should be gorgeous!!!

[Shakashack]

Excellent video. Took 2 full months, daily internet investigating (studying your tips 😊, collecting photos, confirming contractor’s licenses, client reviews, qualifications), weekly budget crunching, phone calls/emails questions, 7 solid interviews, and a quick instinct to find the best-fit GC & project manager for our kitchen & bath remodel. Next, our design meeting! Everything you’ve mentioned is so far in alignment with our team’s communication & positive professionalism, so happy with our choice. With pandemic supply issues & skilled licensed-contractor availability, we expect demo to begin Sept & we’re ok with that! It’ll be worth the wait.

[tl_MW]

Love this and needed this. Can you do a video on the latest looks for bathrooms that are classic and timeless. I'm tired of the white and gray; pretty but so over done. Just about everybody I know who have remodeled their master bathrooms all chose that design. Thank you and keep up the great work!

[MrAkanishi]

One thing I regret with my contractors is that we did not check their status or monitor their work every day since we live an hour away. It’s a vacant house before we moved in and we left some personal belongings in the garage with the side door locked. One day we found out that the contractor’s huge ladder was left standing leaning towards our house and someone broke in from the window, got the garage key from the master lock inside the house, and stole many things from the garage... they also stayed for a while and ruined the brand new carpet we just installed...they were there even before us!! Luckily, the stolen things were not too much of a value but it’s such an annoying and scary experience! Worse housewarming gift ever! The contractors of course denied they had anything to do with it, and since it was a vacant house, no internet no camera installed..so we don’t have any evidence. However the police said no signs of forced entry so it means that the windows were NOT LOCKED by the contractors. Also why the ladder was left in our backyard unattended in the first place? LESSONS LEARNED: monitor their work frequently, Be present if you can, always be cautious of the things that could expose your house in danger. Burglaries happen even in the safest community!

[SaltieCat]

"Skimp on materials but not the contractor" - makes perfect sense! We're about to remodel the 1930s kitchen in our 1800s Cape Cod house, but we're also going to do a pile of other projects too - moving a door, removing the kitchen stairs, repairing floors and ceilings, potentially replacing mid-1800s plaster walls... As we're about to embark on meeting with prospective designers and contractors, your advice is especially relevant.

[LebohangPonoane]

I'm so looking forward to this Chanel. I mean the week felt long 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🙈🙈🙈

[anitabernardo]

Tried to start a bathroom remodel last year and COVID stopped that plan. Meeting with contacted this week and your video popped up today. PERFECT timing!! I will watch this one many time before moving forward with the remodeling project. Thanks Julie for sharing your knowledge with us.

[RemoteBuilder]

Great video! There are useful tips for all homeowners!

[samilanaeem]

I have recent experience in renovating my Annexe. I have learnt.. never go for daily wages workers but always make it done on contract, as Julie suggested, and before starting any project, have or get complete knowledge about materials and their costs . Never leave project on contractors entirely, keep check n balance with smile and little appreciation.

[marvinjayne]

My condo had water damage from a broken water heater (my upstairs neighbor). I hired a contractor to repair the damage & do additional work that I’ve been wanting to get done. During our consultation, I emphasized what needed to be done & what I wanted done, and that I’d be out of the country for two weeks, so I they can communicate via email. A week before I left, they started demolition. I stayed in touch with the contractor via email & 1 phone call while I was out of the country.
When I came back, to my horror, they hadn’t touched my project since the day I left. Come to find out, the contractor had a bigger job that needs to get done, so they pulled the workers from my project.
What I learned from this experience: before signing the contract, agree & write down in the contract, the approximate date of when you expect the project to be completed.

[tresboujay]

I so needed this post because I have come across some really questionable people even after giving them smaller jobs.

[Koitus]

The lean waiver shouldn’t be unnecessary if they are bonded. So many contractors say they are bonded, but you should ask, what are they bonded for? All a bond is a guarantee of payment and work. Each job must be bonded individually and if you didn’t discuss the scope of the project, which includes multiple of topics -from materials to duration of warranty on the job- and the all parties signed the bond agreement. Then you’re not bonded.