One of the core causes of consumer confusion is the lack of standardization in the remodeling industry. Building codes help ensure the minimum acceptable standard for construction and utility installation in both remodeling and new home building. However, unlike new home building, where there are rarely unknowns and the homeowner moves in after completion, each remodeling project is unique and presents daily management challenges. Clients usually live in, so customer-relations issues, such as a clean work site, noise and resident safety, are high priority. And until someone invents X-ray vision, we can only make an educated guess about what’s really behind that 100-year-old wall. The need and ability to resolve these and dozens of other issues every day are precisely what make remodeling both difficult and fun for those who possess the skills – and why the most successful companies identify their strengths and weaknesses and focus on their most profitable market niche.
In a recent issue of Remodeling magazine, Editor Sal Alfano reminds the industry “the range in dollar size and scope of remodeling work creates demand for a variety of practitioners. A company that can efficiently produce a $150,000 master suite addition is not well suited to completing a $40,000 bath remodel or a smaller still roof repair.”
So how do you figure out if your bathroom project requires a remodeler, a renovator or a homebuilder? Here are some general definitions that should help you target firms for your project:
General contractor is the broadest of headings and the most confusing. In its purest form, the term means “who’s in charge.” A general contractor might do commercial or residential work, large or small. The term can refer to a septic contractor performing a tank installation that requires other trade involvement like irrigation and landscaping or a remodeling firm that manages a full-home remodel while performing the carpentry portions of the job. A general contractor is not allowed to practice other licensed trades, like plumbing and electrical, without the proper licensing. The remodeler, renovator, building contractor, homebuilder or home-improvement contractor are all examples of general contractors.
A handyman contractor is geared to smaller projects, such as a window repair, screen door installation or a porch railing replacement, and may be a one-man band or an organization with multiple trucks and crews. This contractor might work on several homes in a day, performing myriad tasks, or may spend several days performing only one. These contractors are generally not permitted to perform electrical, plumbing or heating and air conditioning work without the required license for that specialty. They usually work directly with the homeowner, although every general contractor I know has established a working relationship with one or two for referral of small jobs.
A replacement contractor focuses on a specific task, such as window replacements, a new roof, new gutters or vinyl and shingle siding. These contractors are often a franchise operation, offering a standardized final product and efficient, repeatable systems for installation. They are some of the largest firms in our industry, based on sales dollars, and often work in a regional territory. They usually work directly with the homeowner.
A home-improvement contractor may also be a replacement contractor, sometimes specializing in several related niches, such as windows and siding or decks and porches. Specific room specialties, such as bathroom remodeling, are also common. A home-improvement contractor may own a franchise or two and often work for remodelers and builders, as well as directly with the homeowner. Many also provide full remodeling services.
The remodeler, remodeling contractor or renovator specializes in adding to or improving an existing space. This contractor may “build new” as part of the project, but that new space generally attaches to the old space, sometimes in several locations. These firms may specialize in full-home remodels or just kitchens. They might work on only one or two projects at a time and expect to be there for weeks or months. They often provide design services or will work with the homeowner’s architect or designer. Company crews often perform the demolition and carpentry portions of the project. The remodeling contractor serves as the conductor for the sometimes dozens of specialty trades required to complete your job. Due to the diverse nature of remodeling and its demand for detail and problem solving, you will find many excellent small remodelers. Quality of the process for the customer can be as important as the quality of the final product.
Specialty contractors – also referred to as subcontractors – will perform the electrical, plumbing and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning), all of which require specific examinations and licensing. Some only work for general contractors on new building or remodeling, some only with homeowners, many with both. They often have insights and ideas that can substantially improve the end product. Other subcontractors include insulation, drywall, tiling and painting.
It used to be you either built homes or remodeled them. Because no one has figured out how to make more land, many communities are now “built out,” forcing homebuilders into remodeling. Homebuilders or building contractors may do remodeling. For some, the transition has been easy. They’ve done the research required and made the internal changes necessary to accommodate remodeling’s higher consumption of time and money. Others remain focused on what they do best: producing a new home, from the ground up on a predictable schedule with consistent results.
Lyn Wilkinson is co-owner of Wilkinson Design and Construction in Harwich, a nationally certified remodeling firm. She is a board member of the Cape Cod Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
For a complete list of verified contractors, see our Verified Directory.
Home Remodeling Cape Cod, the Islands & the South Coast magazine
143A Upper County Rd. • Dennisport, MA 02639 • Phone: 508.398-6101 • Fax: 508.398.4711
