FAQ's:
Building Permit? I don't need no stinking permit. Or do I?
Does 1st Impressions Sell do free estimates?
Building Permit? I don't need no stinking Permit. Or do I?
When your house was originally constructed, before an occupancy permit was issued, the frame and foundation, plumbing, wiring, heating and cooling systems were all inspected and determined to be safe and up to current code. Square footage had been determined and your base tax rate was calculated.
In broad terms, any change to anything approved in the original occupancy permit requires a building permit. If you have any question at all, ask your contractor or contact your local building inspector.
Estimates vs. Quotes: The terms are used a lot in our line of work, sometimes correctly, sometimes not. There is a difference between “estimate” and “quote”. An estimate is really an informed “guesstimate”, and may change based on anything unknown that may be encountered after the fact. This can just as easily work in the client's favor as it may in the contractor's.
A quote is usually a firm, fixed price, unless otherwise pre-negotiated. A quote is usually based upon the variables that may or may not be found once the job has begun. We feel that you, as a client, are better served with an estimate than you are with a quote (more….).
Does 1 st Impressions do free estimates? It depends upon the situation. A big part of our business model is doing the smaller jobs that other contractors may not want to bother with. In order to do these smaller jobs and keep our pricing reasonable, we have to remember that time is money. Anyone who tells you that they still do free estimates is “baking in” the time and fuel costs required to quote the job. If you have a small job and can more or less accurately describe it over the phone, we'll be happy to give you an estimate. On the other hand, the Commonwealth requires, as a condition of our license, that any job over $1,000 include a written contract.
If you really want an on-site estimate, we will charge you a nominal fee, payable upon arrival, to come out and look at the job. This fee will be applied to and deducted from your bill should you choose to have us do the work.
How do I know when to do it myself? The answer to that depends upon several factors. Given sufficient time, patience and organizational skills, building a house isn't all that difficult. The trick, of course, is in balancing the three against budgetary considerations and what else is going on in your life. We have included a very simple how-to here to illustrate what we mean (more….).
Why should I hire a licensed contractor? Basically, it's a roll of the dice. There are a lot of very talented people who work without licenses. Unfortunately, there are a lot of hacks as well. To be fair, having a licensed contractor is no guarantee that you will always be 100% happy with what you get. However, one of the things that the vast majority of homeowners are unaware of is that by hiring a licensed-and-registered-by-the-Commonwealth contractor, you have recourse if something goes wrong. Part of what any contractor has to consider when determining price is what he or she is paying for the licensing fee, Guaranty Fund and insurance.
As part of our licensing, we are required to post a bond that is used in the Guaranty Fund (up to a $10,000 reimbursement). Chapter 142A of the MA General Laws spells it all out. Click here if you want information on licensed contractors, or to check a license.