One of our new Ignite Phoenix members, Sarah Merritt with Buildproof, has an interesting product for those of us doing remodeling projects. I asked her to write a little article about their services... hope you enjoy.
Gene Urban
The Urban Team at Realty Executives
www.UrbanTeamAZ.com
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For many people, home repairs or remodeling can be a very stressful experience. We hear about the scams and pitfalls others have endured nearly every day in the news and it’s hard not to believe that it’s all part of the process. Unfortunately we do not hear about the positive experiences often enough but they do happen. The how’s and why’s are simple. Good communication. Knowing and understanding the work involved. Knowing and understanding who you are working with. This is true for both home owners and contractors.
There are plenty of excellent resources out there. The Registrar of Contractors, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, and the National Kitchen and Bath Association to name just a few. Homeowners look to them to find advice on choosing a contractor while contractors can become members and make a clear statement about their ethics and dedication to their work. The Registrar of Contractors webpage has a long list of associations for all types of trades in the construction industry. Affiliation with any of these organizations is a good indication of a contractor’s commitment to delivering what is promised.
There is also a new service available that was created specifically to help contractors and home owners communicate better. It’s called Buildproof. It is a web based secure payment system that protects a homeowner and a contractor from financial risk during any type of home improvement project. It functions as an online escrow account which safely holds the money for a project until the work is finished. If a home owner wants to feel sure the work will get done and done right and a contractor wants to be sure that he will be paid for his hard work at the time it’s completed it is a unique and simple tool. It allows both parties to focus on the project and not whether they’ll lose money.
While issues can and often do arise while doing a home renovation project it doesn’t have to be the terrible story that ends up in the papers or on T.V. Knowing your resources, expectations and the services out there to assist you beforehand is a small amount of effort to put forth to avoid a costly and lengthy legal suit.
Sarah Merritt
Buildproof
sarah@Buildproof.com
