Putting on an addition

[UCGal]

[quote=briansd1]UCGal, if you don’t mind sharing, how much was your price per square foot on your addition?

I’m going to do a garage addition soon and some interior remodeling on my rental house. I think that this fall/winter is a good time to do construction.[/quote]
I don’t think it’s relevant for several reasons:
– Our project was a DETACHED companion unit.
– It was hillside development that involved several retaining walls and significant grading. This was a large portion of the budget. It involved more engineering, more inspections (city called for “special inspectors”, etc.
– We had labor issues… which resulted in multiple contractors and legal fees. Those were part of my total budget since the money was spent towards the end project.

not typical.

Also – we had costs you wouldn’t have had – sewer, water, and power lines all had to be trenched and connected in, etc.

Like I said – our project wasn’t typical so a $/sf is not really relevant unless you’re talking about a hillside project that involves building permits, stamped structual engineering plans, civil engineering permits…

[CBad]

UCGal, who were your contractors? I seem to remember you had major issues with one. We’re in the process of bidding out a large addition and I want to know who to avoid! We’ve had 5 bids so far and I only like 1 guy.

[CBad]

UCGal, who were your contractors? I seem to remember you had major issues with one. We’re in the process of bidding out a large addition and I want to know who to avoid! We’ve had 5 bids so far and I only like 1 guy.

[CBad]

UCGal, who were your contractors? I seem to remember you had major issues with one. We’re in the process of bidding out a large addition and I want to know who to avoid! We’ve had 5 bids so far and I only like 1 guy.

[CBad]

UCGal, who were your contractors? I seem to remember you had major issues with one. We’re in the process of bidding out a large addition and I want to know who to avoid! We’ve had 5 bids so far and I only like 1 guy.

[CBad]

UCGal, who were your contractors? I seem to remember you had major issues with one. We’re in the process of bidding out a large addition and I want to know who to avoid! We’ve had 5 bids so far and I only like 1 guy.

[UCGal]

Our settlement says I can’t mention the name anywhere. (I had posted here about him – and had to have Rich remove the post.)

All I can say is with the first guy who shall remain nameless, his CSLB license shows a complaint, and if you click on the complaint you can read all about it – including the judgement.

That’s public record, because it’s the state’s record. But I’m not allowed to say anything.

Don’t want to jeopardize anything with our settlement…. But definitely check the licenses of potential contractors.

Look for the following:
* Gaps, even short ones, in their bonding history. This can indicate a bond was paid out and they needed to get a new bond company.
* A switch in bonding companies at an odd (not annual date) time. See above.
* Complaints filed.
* Disciplinary action.

Another red flag (to me) is if they refer to employees in their marketing, but don’t have workmans comp. If they have direct employees, they have to have workmans comp.

But – even if their record is clean on the CSLB – there may be complaints filed against them – the CSLB took more than 6 months to vet our complaint enough to agree it was worth posting, and another year to start prosecution. And we were exceptionally well documented in what had happened. In other words – people may have complained, but there’s a lag between the complaint filed and the reporting on the website.

Also – look up the contractor (under corporate name and under personal name) in the court records
http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1056871&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
(click on court index, then party name search – look for civil cases).

And it doesn’t hurt to look to see if they’re lien happy – look them up on the county recorders site
http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx
If you see they have a lot of liens filed, decide if this is a contractor you want to work with.
(this would have been a “tell” with our second contractor – and yes we were slapped with a lien for not paying for work NOT provided)

And lastly, check their corporate status (if they’re incorporated or LLC) with the Sec. of State’s office. If the corporation is suspended that’s a HUGE red flag… if the contract is issued under the corporate name.
http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/

And, obviously, check references. Don’t just drive by… phone or knock on the door and talk to them about what it was like to work with the contractor.

[UCGal]

Our settlement says I can’t mention the name anywhere. (I had posted here about him – and had to have Rich remove the post.)

All I can say is with the first guy who shall remain nameless, his CSLB license shows a complaint, and if you click on the complaint you can read all about it – including the judgement.

That’s public record, because it’s the state’s record. But I’m not allowed to say anything.

Don’t want to jeopardize anything with our settlement…. But definitely check the licenses of potential contractors.

Look for the following:
* Gaps, even short ones, in their bonding history. This can indicate a bond was paid out and they needed to get a new bond company.
* A switch in bonding companies at an odd (not annual date) time. See above.
* Complaints filed.
* Disciplinary action.

Another red flag (to me) is if they refer to employees in their marketing, but don’t have workmans comp. If they have direct employees, they have to have workmans comp.

But – even if their record is clean on the CSLB – there may be complaints filed against them – the CSLB took more than 6 months to vet our complaint enough to agree it was worth posting, and another year to start prosecution. And we were exceptionally well documented in what had happened. In other words – people may have complained, but there’s a lag between the complaint filed and the reporting on the website.

Also – look up the contractor (under corporate name and under personal name) in the court records
http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1056871&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
(click on court index, then party name search – look for civil cases).

And it doesn’t hurt to look to see if they’re lien happy – look them up on the county recorders site
http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx
If you see they have a lot of liens filed, decide if this is a contractor you want to work with.
(this would have been a “tell” with our second contractor – and yes we were slapped with a lien for not paying for work NOT provided)

And lastly, check their corporate status (if they’re incorporated or LLC) with the Sec. of State’s office. If the corporation is suspended that’s a HUGE red flag… if the contract is issued under the corporate name.
http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/

And, obviously, check references. Don’t just drive by… phone or knock on the door and talk to them about what it was like to work with the contractor.

[UCGal]

Our settlement says I can’t mention the name anywhere. (I had posted here about him – and had to have Rich remove the post.)

All I can say is with the first guy who shall remain nameless, his CSLB license shows a complaint, and if you click on the complaint you can read all about it – including the judgement.

That’s public record, because it’s the state’s record. But I’m not allowed to say anything.

Don’t want to jeopardize anything with our settlement…. But definitely check the licenses of potential contractors.

Look for the following:
* Gaps, even short ones, in their bonding history. This can indicate a bond was paid out and they needed to get a new bond company.
* A switch in bonding companies at an odd (not annual date) time. See above.
* Complaints filed.
* Disciplinary action.

Another red flag (to me) is if they refer to employees in their marketing, but don’t have workmans comp. If they have direct employees, they have to have workmans comp.

But – even if their record is clean on the CSLB – there may be complaints filed against them – the CSLB took more than 6 months to vet our complaint enough to agree it was worth posting, and another year to start prosecution. And we were exceptionally well documented in what had happened. In other words – people may have complained, but there’s a lag between the complaint filed and the reporting on the website.

Also – look up the contractor (under corporate name and under personal name) in the court records
http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1056871&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
(click on court index, then party name search – look for civil cases).

And it doesn’t hurt to look to see if they’re lien happy – look them up on the county recorders site
http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx
If you see they have a lot of liens filed, decide if this is a contractor you want to work with.
(this would have been a “tell” with our second contractor – and yes we were slapped with a lien for not paying for work NOT provided)

And lastly, check their corporate status (if they’re incorporated or LLC) with the Sec. of State’s office. If the corporation is suspended that’s a HUGE red flag… if the contract is issued under the corporate name.
http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/

And, obviously, check references. Don’t just drive by… phone or knock on the door and talk to them about what it was like to work with the contractor.

[UCGal]

Our settlement says I can’t mention the name anywhere. (I had posted here about him – and had to have Rich remove the post.)

All I can say is with the first guy who shall remain nameless, his CSLB license shows a complaint, and if you click on the complaint you can read all about it – including the judgement.

That’s public record, because it’s the state’s record. But I’m not allowed to say anything.

Don’t want to jeopardize anything with our settlement…. But definitely check the licenses of potential contractors.

Look for the following:
* Gaps, even short ones, in their bonding history. This can indicate a bond was paid out and they needed to get a new bond company.
* A switch in bonding companies at an odd (not annual date) time. See above.
* Complaints filed.
* Disciplinary action.

Another red flag (to me) is if they refer to employees in their marketing, but don’t have workmans comp. If they have direct employees, they have to have workmans comp.

But – even if their record is clean on the CSLB – there may be complaints filed against them – the CSLB took more than 6 months to vet our complaint enough to agree it was worth posting, and another year to start prosecution. And we were exceptionally well documented in what had happened. In other words – people may have complained, but there’s a lag between the complaint filed and the reporting on the website.

Also – look up the contractor (under corporate name and under personal name) in the court records
http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1056871&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
(click on court index, then party name search – look for civil cases).

And it doesn’t hurt to look to see if they’re lien happy – look them up on the county recorders site
http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx
If you see they have a lot of liens filed, decide if this is a contractor you want to work with.
(this would have been a “tell” with our second contractor – and yes we were slapped with a lien for not paying for work NOT provided)

And lastly, check their corporate status (if they’re incorporated or LLC) with the Sec. of State’s office. If the corporation is suspended that’s a HUGE red flag… if the contract is issued under the corporate name.
http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/

And, obviously, check references. Don’t just drive by… phone or knock on the door and talk to them about what it was like to work with the contractor.

[UCGal]

Our settlement says I can’t mention the name anywhere. (I had posted here about him – and had to have Rich remove the post.)

All I can say is with the first guy who shall remain nameless, his CSLB license shows a complaint, and if you click on the complaint you can read all about it – including the judgement.

That’s public record, because it’s the state’s record. But I’m not allowed to say anything.

Don’t want to jeopardize anything with our settlement…. But definitely check the licenses of potential contractors.

Look for the following:
* Gaps, even short ones, in their bonding history. This can indicate a bond was paid out and they needed to get a new bond company.
* A switch in bonding companies at an odd (not annual date) time. See above.
* Complaints filed.
* Disciplinary action.

Another red flag (to me) is if they refer to employees in their marketing, but don’t have workmans comp. If they have direct employees, they have to have workmans comp.

But – even if their record is clean on the CSLB – there may be complaints filed against them – the CSLB took more than 6 months to vet our complaint enough to agree it was worth posting, and another year to start prosecution. And we were exceptionally well documented in what had happened. In other words – people may have complained, but there’s a lag between the complaint filed and the reporting on the website.

Also – look up the contractor (under corporate name and under personal name) in the court records
http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1056871&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
(click on court index, then party name search – look for civil cases).

And it doesn’t hurt to look to see if they’re lien happy – look them up on the county recorders site
http://arcc.co.san-diego.ca.us/services/grantorgrantee/search.aspx
If you see they have a lot of liens filed, decide if this is a contractor you want to work with.
(this would have been a “tell” with our second contractor – and yes we were slapped with a lien for not paying for work NOT provided)

And lastly, check their corporate status (if they’re incorporated or LLC) with the Sec. of State’s office. If the corporation is suspended that’s a HUGE red flag… if the contract is issued under the corporate name.
http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/

And, obviously, check references. Don’t just drive by… phone or knock on the door and talk to them about what it was like to work with the contractor.

[sdrealtor]

Cbad
I have a great guy. Will PM you with his name and number. If you havent spoken with him yet I think you will like him.

[sdrealtor]

Cbad
I have a great guy. Will PM you with his name and number. If you havent spoken with him yet I think you will like him.

[sdrealtor]

Cbad
I have a great guy. Will PM you with his name and number. If you havent spoken with him yet I think you will like him.

[sdrealtor]

Cbad
I have a great guy. Will PM you with his name and number. If you havent spoken with him yet I think you will like him.

[Author]

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