The question of the day is do contractors handle paperwork? The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, contractors must handle a significant amount of paperwork starting in the planning stage of your project. They are responsible for all of the documentation that’s required by your city or town. Contractors are in charge of all of the contracts that are executed between themselves and the subcontractors. They’re accountable for providing you with some very important paperwork as well.
For example, the contract agreement is one of the most significant pieces of paperwork that you’ll receive. In essence, it’s the agreement between you and the contractor. It’s basically the main document that most of the other documents will reference. The contract agreement should include a thorough description of your construction project, the scope of the work, any payment and or deposit information, and the construction schedule. Speaking of the construction schedule, this important paperwork outlines the timeline of your construction project.
In essence, it helps to guarantee that you and the contractor agree to a projected completion date of the project. The construction schedule should also include a bit of information about the duration of the project. That includes both the projected start and finish times for each phase of construction. The construction schedule should also break down each phase. You should be provided with an outline of the activities, building permits, resources and time needed to complete each and every phase. The scope of work defines exactly what will occur during your construction project.
That includes information regarding who is responsible for each phase of the work, the techniques that they utilize, the materials that they plan to use. The scope of work document should also outline how any change orders should be managed. Your contractor should also provide you with a detailed cost estimate before starting any work. That includes any soft costs and hard costs. Speaking of which, hard costs estimates summarize the construction expenses including the labor and materials needed to complete the project.
For example, labor and material costs for the finish carpenters are considered to be hard costs. On the other hand, soft costs are construction project expenses that are not related to paying for labor or materials. For example, taxes and accounting fees are considered to be soft costs. The contractor should also provide you with a copy of their insurance paperwork. That way if something goes wrong during the construction project at your property, you’ll have all the information at hand.
In fact, prior to starting your construction project, the contractor must provide you with proof of general liability insurance and workers’ compensation. These documents should be attached to the contract agreement. General liability insurance covers any damage to your property that resulted from the construction project. Workers’ compensation insurance pays workers who get injured on the job.
For more information about who is responsible for the paperwork on your home improvement project, or to schedule an initial consultation in Connecticut or Massachusetts please contact us today at 860-341-6373. DBC Solutions takes great pride in providing the highest quality custom carpentry and contracting services in the home improvement industry. Our business model has been the same for 17 years. Doing things the right way the first time every time is the only way to do it.
