If you plan to build a new custom luxury home or renovate an existing home in Naples, Florida, your bank account will likely take a significant hit. Given that you’re seeking “luxury” in your home build or renovation, this shouldn’t be a surprise. However, before you part with any of your hard-earned money, you’ll want to take all necessary steps to ensure the quality of the build, both before construction begins and once the project is finished. You can do this by taking specific steps before making any pre-construction down payment on the work and again before paying the final bill.

With a stellar reputation for designing, building, and renovating gorgeous luxury homes in Naples, Carlson Harris General Contractors has some tips for how to use the power of your purse to ensure outstanding contractor work. Given their pride in their work and commitment to delivering the highest quality luxury home builds and renovations, Carlson Harris encourages their clients to take the following steps before remitting any payment for their contracting work.

WHAT TO CHECK FOR BEFORE MAKING ANY DOWNPAYMENTS

Be wary if your building contractor requires a large downpayment before starting work. You can consider down payments of 20% or less reasonable, as it ensures that both the contractor and homeowner are invested in the project without putting the latter in excess financial risk. Know also that with down payments of more than 10% Florida Statute 489.126 requires contractors to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days of the contract date, unless the contract states otherwise.

Before signing the contract and making a downpayment to a contractor, conduct the following due diligence:

• Review the contractor’s qualifications by securing references from their previous clients and checking out online reviews.
• Secure a written estimate that details the scope of work, materials, labor, and potential cost overruns.
• Ensure the contractor is licensed and has liability insurance and worker’s compensation.
• Confirm that the contractor will obtain all necessary permits and that the planned work complies with local building codes.
• Carefully review the terms of the contract to ensure your agreement with payment terms, timelines, dispute resolution, and warranties and guarantees.
• Confirm the qualifications and insurance of any planned subcontractors.

WHAT STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE MAKING FINAL PAYMENT

Home construction and renovations often seem to take forever and, with some projects, the work appears complete but your contractor may still need to finalize some minor issues or touch-up work. With the bulk of the work complete, it’s not unreasonable for the contractor to seek payment. However, you are within your rights to retain 10% or so of the final payment until that last touch-up work has been completed to your satisfaction.

Barring the need to withhold a portion of the final payment or not, when it comes time to pay the final or near-final bill, you’ll want to take several steps to ensure that the project has been completed as agreed to by the terms of the contract and any amendments to the scope of work. The final inspection is a crucial element in closing a residential contracting job. You should review the entire project with your contractor to verify that all work was completed with the correct materials and fixtures specified in the contract. During the review, carefully check for any defective work and test the proper functioning of all electrical, plumbing, HVAC, alarm, or other mechanical/electrical home features. Also, ensure your contractor has removed all construction debris and cleaned the worksite.

Other steps you should take before paying the final or near-final bill include:

• Confirm that the work has passed any required inspections and complies with building codes by reviewing closed permits or contacting the building department.
• Ensure your contractor has provided you with agreed-to warranties for materials, labor, electronics, appliances, or other home features.
• Carefully review the final or near-final invoice to ensure that all terms of the contract have been fulfilled and that the cost details make sense.
• Request lien waivers from the contractor and their subcontractors that confirm they have been fully paid for their work and materials.
• If needed, establish a plan for how the contractor will finalize any last touch-up work.

TRUST CARLSON HARRIS FOR YOUR NAPLES-AREA LUXURY HOME BUILD OR RENOVATIONS

We trust that the above tips will help you get the best in a high-quality custom luxury home build or renovation. And if you’re seeking an outstanding home build or renovation work in Naples, we hope you’ll consider Carlson Harris as a prime contractor candidate. To learn more about our expertise in completing exemplary new-home construction and renovation projects in Southwest Florida, contact Carlson Harris General Contractors today at 239-352-2460.