I live in Cleveland, OH and do mostly residential remodeling in older homes that are in an area called Shaker Heights. I have no employees, just me.
I had an interesting telephone call this afternoon with a designer whom I do a lot of projects for. I was supposed to gut one of the bathrooms in her own home beginning the week of Nov. 1st.
This designer and her husband recently bought a condo at Kiawah Island, SC. They would like me to consider delaying the bathroom in Cleveland to go down to their place on Kiawah Island to do some work in their new condo. My wife & our three-year-old son would go down there with me.
I will be meeting with them this evening and I am trying to think of all the things that should be considered and discussed involving a long distance project like this. From the sounds of it, the work would take 1 to 1-1/2 weeks for me to complete. They have some photos of the condo as it exists. All of the work would be interior modifications.
Anybody want to offer any words of wisdom?
Thanks,
Steve
“Kerry/Edwards”: A campaign so full of cr*p that they needed two johns.
Replies
First of all, congrats on you for doing such fine work that your customer would put so much confidence in you.
Other than travel and expenses while on site you should consider any expenses or inconveniences that might develop at home while you are away. Do you have pets? Will they need to be taken care of? What about Roaming charges on your cell phone?
Hope it works out for you if you want to do ita nd if it is profitable. Good luck.
Thanks. Yeah, I've done numerous projects for her over the years, at her home and for many of her clients. We communicate well, and she knows I am familair with how she likes things to be done.
"Kerry/Edwards": A campaign so full of cr*p that they needed two johns.
One thing to consider is licensing. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe SC has some pretty strict licensing laws for contractors.
Is the work sufficient to require a permit be pulled? If so, have the client get the papers for you to review. Someone may need to talk to the BI whether or not she can pull the permit and act as the GC with you providing an 'advisory' role. In actuality, you might be best to level with the local BI and see if they have any hard spots with you doing the work without a local license.
Other things to consider: all the tools/equipment you will need, have, but forgot to take with you, who pays for that? Is it part of the project expense and therefore covered under the proposal?
Are you submitting a proposal on a sight-unseen basis? If so, perhaps T&M might be better, as it is unclear of all the potential problems you might find. Sometimes the details you can't see can make or break a budget.
Who pays for hotel/meals while you're enroute and there?
Materials, are you expected to produce all, and if so, you need to have an accurate estimate of material costs in a location you are unfamiliar with. (Get the HD CD where you can tap into a local HD in any state in the country, giving you a good idea of where costs are like there.)
Make darn sure you have an itemized list of what the project entails before you submit a proposal, if this is a sight-unseen job. I realize you have a good working relationship with the client, and we can and sometimes do eat some expenses to maintain a good relationship with the client, but 'eating too much' is bad for your health; it's best if you both are clear that any additional work required for any reason will require additional job scope and a change order.
Allow yourself time to see the area, especially with wife and kid. Never been there, but why go just to work?
along the lines of the licensing ...
does anyone know if these projects can actually happen?
working out of state ... if the state requires a license ...
can an out of state contractor ... or carpenter ... go work if the state resident so requests. I've been close to doing this a coupla times ... but things always fell thru.
last time was on a share vacation property in in-laws own in Fla.
But if a job required permits ... hows that work?
The home owner just act as their own GC ...
the out of state builder/carpenter act as a carpenter ... maybe lead carp to be more precise?
Anyone know for sure ...
anyone ever do this?
Jeff
What about Pa.? My wife's aunt lives in Philly and every time we see her she is pestering me to come down and bring the truck to catch up on 25 years of maintenance and renovations. I assume Philly may have different requirements than, say, Bucks Co., right?
There was a discussion last month about a guy who thought about going down to Fla. following the hurricanes, but I'm not sure what the result was, other than very confusing.
I'm thinking if you check in with the local Bldg Dpt, you should get the answer for that particular area.
Edit: It's also been my experiance that the closer you get to city and urban sprawl, the tighter the enforcement and inspections become. Up in Maine, for example, with the nearest BI several counties away, codes are things that city-slickers need, or so goes the attitude. Here in somewhat rural SE Conn., each town has a Bldg Dept/BI and each one has a different intreptation of the codes and their implimentation. But here the HO can pull all the permits, and although they are suppose to list the contractors and their Worker's Comp verification, or an affidavit otherwise, there is nothing to prevent the HO from not listing them and using whoever they wish.
I never met a tool I didn't like!
Edited 10/19/2004 7:00 pm ET by NickNuke'em
PA has no licensing.
Allegheny County .. where the city of Pgh is ...has county inspections of plumbing and electric. The building permits are all done local.
I think Philly is the same way.
the City of Pgh has their own rules ... only a "registered contractor" can pull a permit ... or, of course , a home owner.
Registered is flashing some ins info and then give them what it's really about ... a check for $65/yr.
No checks ... they just keep the paperwork on file.
So ... I'm guesisng your aunt could pull all the permits ...
and the building inspector will come and go and not ask U doing the work one question. No licenses to question ...
My plumbers and electricians always handle their permits as part of their bid.
I think I do anything I want in Bucks County! ..... grandfathered in ....
Jeff
Many years ago I was doing ALOT of kitchen remodels by refferal from a significant cabinet retailer. I also dis most of their display installations.
I got to know the owner(s) quite well. The main principal had me do some work on his home and was quite pleased, as he was with the displays and the work I had done for his customers in general.
One day he asks me if I wold remodel his kitchen in the vacation house on Block Island. I'm 3-4 hrs. away from the ferry pick up.
He says he'll pay me a daily wage, plus trans. and the ferry to come out and do this for him. I took my 2 sons, 12,13ish?, and stayed at his place for a week or so. The kids plaed and went to the beach within eye or earshot of me, I worked my #### off, they helped a little, we all had a good time, worked out real good for the most part. Truck looked like the Clampets goin out there and back though!!
About permits and license..........do be careful. One morning in rolls The Building Dept! All of him! Shuts me down even as I sleazin my way through this. I called the owner and he had it right in no time at all. Small island! Might not be that simple though.
Eric
I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
Edited 10/19/2004 6:07 pm ET by firebird