Welcome to McMaster Construction...

The Lowest Bidder

"It is unwise to pay too much but,
It's worse to pay too little.
When you pay too much, you lose a little money...that is all.
When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything,
because the thing you bought was incapable
of doing the thing it was bought to do.
The common law of business balance prohibits paying
a little and getting a lot...it can't be done.
IF YOU DEAL WITH THE LOWEST BIDDER,
IT IS WELL TO ADD SOMETHING FOR THE RISK YOU RUN
and if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better."
John Ruskin ~ 1819 to 1900

The NARI (National Association of Remodelers Industry) which we are a member of, is pledged to uphold the associations strict CODE OF ETHICS and is dedicated to the professionalism and integrity of the remodeling industry.

CODE OF ETHICS
Each member of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry pledges to observe high standards of honesty, integrity and responsibility in the conduct of business:

Consumers Awareness Guide

My job as a building contractor is to educate you. The only way to make an intelligent remodeling or new home decision and get the enjoyable experience that you want is to have all the facts you need. This is why I created this Consumers Awareness Guide.

Regarding me personally, I am a member of the Illinois chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, the Elk Rapids Chamber of Commerce, The Home Builders Association, and owner of McMaster Construction, Inc. I've been in the building/remodeling business for over 12 years and I hope my experience helps you make an informed decision when you choose a building contractor.

In this document, I will share with you two costly misconceptions about remodeling, things you should avoid when choosing a contractor, plus I will offer six recommendations to you. Also, I will give you eight questions you should ask a re modeler before you invite him or her into your home.

Misconception #1 You can rely on the Better Business Bureau to determine whether a contractor is qualified or not.

No. Unfortunately, this is a very common mistake. Many people feel that if the Better Business Bureau (BBB) doesn't have any complaints against a company, they must be a reputable firm. Unfortunately this just is not true. You can not rely on the Better Business Bureau to determine whether you are dealing with a competent contractor. Just because a contractor has not had any complaints logged with the Better Business Bureau does not mean he is competent or that he will do a good job! All that it means is that the Better Business Bureau does not have a file on him at this time. In fact, according to the October 1995 issue of Money magazine, the Better Business Bureau does not do a very good job of reporting offending companies at all. So, just because a contractor does not have any complaints with the BBB you are not assured you are working with someone who is reputable.

Misconception #2 The company that offers you the lowest price is the company you should hire.

No. Not necessarily! Here are some important points to consider:

On a low estimate, you must ask yourself what is being left out or what short-cut is being taken. Be careful of choosing your re modeler based solely upon the lowest price. The price you see offered may not be for the services you want performed.

For example, you can buy a new car for $10,000, $20,000 or $40,000. All three cars have four wheels, four doors and can drive on any road in the U.S. But there is a substantial difference between a Geo and BMW. Likewise for a remodeling project. Before you accept a low price, consider the level of services involved, the type of company you are choosing, and the project's design and specifications.

One of the most common signs of trouble ahead in your project is someone offering to do the work for much less money that other contractors or a contractor asking for large sums of money up front. This could be a tip-off that the contractor is not financially stable and that could spell trouble ahead for you.

Though price is a consideration, you should be more concerned with VALUE - that is getting the best contractor you can find and the highest quality work for your money.

When Choosing Your Remodeling Contractor, Here's Some Things You Want To Avoid*.

AVOID:

OK, so how do you find a good, reputable contractor? If you are thinking about remodeling your home, I offer these six recommendations:

Recommendation #1: Choose a NARI (National Association of Remodeling Industry) contractor, like we are. It is always a good idea to consider hiring a NARI contractor. Here is why:

Recommendation #2: If you want to choose the right contractor, you must ask the right questions. The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are the questions I suggest you to ask:

Recommendation #3: Get several references from a contractor, usually previous custom from the last six months to a year. A reputable, well established contractor should welcome this request. Once you get the reference, call ALL of them. Ask if the job was done on time and at the agreed upon price. Ask if the contractor was easy to reach and easy to deal with. Most people will be very frank on honest. This is the best way to determine the type of re modeler you are dealing with. Make sure the reference are recent, for the same type of remodeling project that you are about to undertake, and are located within a reasonably close driving distance. Then go take a drive and check out the contractors work.

Recommendation #4: ONce you are satisfied that you are working with an honest, competent professional, invite him out to your home to discuss the project. After evaluating your project, your contractor should provide you with a written proposal that includes all the details - exact materials, payment schedules confusion. Be skeptical of verbal quotes or prices penned on the back of a business card or envelope.

Recommendation #5: Now that you have met the contractor, make sure he is got a neat appearance. The may sound silly but it is not. A coat and tie isn't necessary but neatness does count in this business. During construction your home should be kept as neat and tidy as possible. So, make sure his truck is clean. He is clean. His shoes should NOT be caked with mud!

Recommendation #6: When discussing your project with a contractor make sure that you can communicate well. You are going to be involved in an important project together. You should feel that you contractor listens to your needs and ideas, answers your questions, and he should be accessible. This avoids miscommunication and costly errors.

By following these six recommendation, you will gain all the information you need to make an informed, intelligent decision. If you want to take chances on having "a typical remodeling experience" with your project, there are many companies in the phone book that will be willing to contract with you. Or you can rent some tools and do the job yourself.

BUT, if these points I have made make sense to you and you are curious about my approach to remodeling and if you want your project to turn out wonderful - The McMaster Construction Guarantee is; "If you are not completely satisfied with your project I will pay you $200 cash!" - something to be proud of -- then I invite you to call me.

I will be happy to answer all of your questions or to come out to your home and give you a free project evaluation and written quotation -- without obligation of any kind. You can call me at 231-620-4677 cell phone, 231-223-4166 office phone.

Here is the last point: I know that many consumers are skeptical about remodeling companies. Before I got into the business, I was skeptical too. So in addition to dedicating my business to consumer education, I do one more thing as well. I guarantee my work. That's right. I fully guarantee every remodeling job we do. If you need service of any kind, we come back and do it, free. See my guarantees in this portfolio book.

Thank you for reading this and I hope the information stated here has helped you in making your decision on a building contractor. If you would like to talk to me and schedule time please call 231-620-4677 cell or 231-223-4166 office.

*Source: The Master Plan published by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.