Thanks guys. It'd be great if this was a small town where everyone knows everyone and there is only a couple to choose from, but good grief, Houston is freakin' enormous.

It's too bad there isn't a section in the Yellow Pages "Contractors - Top Notch".

Our homeowners association keeps a list of contractors somewhat up to date and I have found it helpful. I also make at least a mental note when I see a neighbor or friend having work done. It's really good to get a reference or two if you are talking any real money. I generally try to go with the guy who has a couple or three crews, not a dozen, and drives a two or three year old pickup, not a new Escalade. I rarely go with the low bid and don't do any major haggling over price. I pay attention to the rep they send out to do the estimate. If he takes care to do a careful and accurate estimate I generally figure the rest of the operation is well run. Ken

Sorry to get off topic here.

First off you are not welcolm on my job site. It is privite and you do not talk to my subs of any of my employees period. If you need to talk about up coming projects, talk to me. If you need a phone # to a certain trade, you talk to me. If you are nice, I might give it to you. Just because it is under construction, that does mean you can walk right through someone else's property. I have to protect the owner's place. I hope you don't go straight into a restaurant's kitchen and ask the chief to come to your house next weekend to cook you a fish dish.


Second, so you want to cut out my profit and pay the supplies up front? do you bring the fish to the restaurant to have it cook for you so you can just pay the labor? if the material is wrong or defected, who's going to take care of it? What if its short or over. If I don't make a percentage, It aint my problem. If I have to wait for more materials, my crew and i will charge you for time waiting until the rest of the stuff to come. If I order it and make the percentage, then I should take care of the problem. Does that make any sense?

Carry cost for a few weeks???? On a big job??? I write the terms of payment and they need to be met on time, not you. The contractor always write it own contract and it should be fair to both parties.

Wha's the penaltie? completion before a certain day or else... deduction in final payment for each and everyday after that? Then I think the following should be included then. If contractor completes before the dead lline, then he should be awarded a bonus for the same amount as if he was late. If the owner is late with the final payment, after 3 days of completion (being nice here), there should be a 20% compounded interest on the amount owe to the contractor.

If you play nice, I will play nicer. So be nice, not all people are **** heads. I have never had but one unhappy client for the 21 years that I have been doing this. I started in my second year of college. I hand pick them. clients have waited for 1 1/2 year for us to do work for them.