Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
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Our team has more than 35 Years of experience building and remodeling properties in Central Florida
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If You Plan to Renovate Your Home. Protect Your Investment …
Remember, Always Ask Plenty of Questions Before You Hire Anyone
Tips for finding a contractor:
• Look around homes in your area and ask about the contractors that were used.
• Make preliminary calls to contractors from reference as well as those found on the internet, you want to have a good amount of initial quotes. Pay attention to how quickly contractors are willing to come and see you.
• Be sure to select an established firm with years of service in the area. Ask for references from their place of business.
• Observe the thoroughness of the contractor, and the time he spends planning your project.
• Ask to see the company’s contractor license, as well as their insurance information.
• Ask several questions about how the process will be carried out and when work will be completed.
• Ask for job specifications and plans in a formal contract, do not accept verbal promise.
• Remember that the lowest bid is rarely the best buy.
Overall, when selecting a contractor, you should always trust your instincts and ask lots of questions. If you have a project you would like to get started on, contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.
1. Make a project list. Write down what you would like done, note any ‘must-haves’ and outline your wish list. Photos from magazines and social media sites, like Pinterest, are always helpful.
2. Set a Budget – know what you can afford to spend.
3. Make sure your Contractor…
• Has a current license with the County (and Town if applicable).
• Has insurance for personal liability, injury and property damage.
• Has references and a history of successful completed projects like yours.
• Has a clean record with Consumer Affairs or the Better Business Bureau.
4. About Contracts…
• Get it in writing! Make sure that all promises, including a project start date, specific list of materials, payment schedule and the expected completion date are given to you in writing.
• Don’t pay a large down payment before work begins. Negotiate only reasonable payments that are tied to completion of a specific work.
• The law gives you three days to cancel a home improvement contract. Cancellation must be in writing and should be sent to the contractor by certified mail, return receipt requested.
5. During and After the Job
• Check the Materials. Examine fixtures and other materials before installation.
• Identify unsatisfactory work and have it corrected as soon as possible.
• Get specifics on extra work and unexpected charges that arise. Additional materials and other changes may be needed during the job. All changes or extra work should be detailed in writing and, ideally, presented to you before used.
FAQ
What areas do you service?
We service the Greater Orlando Metro Area including: Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, Winter Park, Heathrow, Lake Mary, Longwood, Ocoee, Winter Springs, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Casselberry, Sanford, Clermont, Belle Isle, Edgewood, Oviedo, Davenport and surrounding communities.
How close do you stay to time lines and budgets?
Are You Properly Licensed by the State of Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation?
Yes. Our Florida license number is CGC1525961
Florida law requires that every contractor be properly licensed in this state before contracting to build or remodel a property.
A contractor who is “certified” is licensed by the State and may operate in any City or County in this State; a contractor who is “registered” is licensed by a particular City or County and may operate only in the City or County of registration. However, all licensed contractors are regulated by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (“DBPR”), which can be contacted at: 1940 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL, 32399-1027; telephone: 850-487-1395; website: myfloridalicense.com.
When someone contracts without a license, they endanger the health, safety and welfare of the public, undercut licensed contractors who operate legitimately and lawfully, and hurt the entire construction industry. Hiring an unlicensed contractor will leave the property owner with no recourse through the State of Florida Construction Industry Recovery Fund.
The budget and a reasonable time frame are stated in the contract, which is signed by all parties with copies provided before break ground or start any project. There is an Act of God provision in the contract. Construction during a hurricane is not only dangerous, but not likely to produce a good finished project, but check with our references and you can see for yourself if it’s not due to nature or outside forces, we do what we say, when we say.
The budget and a reasonable time frame are stated in the contract, which is signed by all parties with copies provided before break ground or start any project. There is an Act of God provision in the contract. Construction during a hurricane is not only dangerous, but not likely to produce a good
finished project, but check with our references and you can see for yourself if it’s not due to nature or outside forces, we do what we say, when we say.
How are payments made, and when are they made?
These terms are broken down in the contract, based on progress and include a completion date. Typically, we take a deposit of 10% for materials, and the rest of the payments are determined beforehand. Once the work is completed to a pre-determined point, a pre-determined payment is made, with final payment due upon completion.
How many of your customers come from repeat business, or from referrals from existing or previous customers?
We are very blessed to say that over 50% of our customers come to us or are referred to us from customers we’ve performed for in the past. As you will see when you check our references, there is a reason for such a loyal client base.
What about permits?
Depending on your location and what is being done, a permit may be required. If a permit is required for your project, we will obtain the permit, handle all inspections, make sure everything is built to code, and that the project and process satisfies all requirements to the letter of the law.
What should I be asking my contractor?
Don’t be afraid to ask your contractor all your questions. We want our clients to feel confident in our concept and work before we move forward, and throughout the process. A few key questions to ask could be: “How long have you been in business?”, “Have you ever done a project like this one? If so, tell me about it?”, “Do you have insurance?”, “Who does the work? you, your employees, or is the project completely done by sub-contractors?” We take immense pride in our reputation. If you are interested in references, or have any questions about a previous, future or current project – just ask us!
What about materials?
Important materials are specified in the contract. All materials are covered, however, as substitutions are sometimes unavoidable due to stock, we make it clear that an equal substitution will be made, but only upon your approval. We will determine a budget in the contract to cover exactly what will be spent on items such as lighting fixtures or doorknobs that you have not chosen when the initial contract is signed.
What is a change order?
A change order is a written statement signed by the customer authorizing the contractor to do additional work not included in the original contract. The change order should be signed before the additional work is started, but often it is not, in order to keep the project moving. The amount specified is due when the project is completed. A change order also may be written when a contractor comes
I have been offered a “ball park” estimate over the phone or via email from other contractors. can you do this?
We believe that contractors willing to give a ball park estimate are setting themselves up for failure and the consumer up for a potential shock. Without seeing a project, it is virtually impossible for us to guess what the estimate would be. We strive to create a trusting partnership with our clients and establishing a clear estimate when we first view the project in person is important to us.
Doesn’t “fully-insured” mean that they have plenty of insurance?
Not necessarily.
There are two ways you can protect yourself.
• 1. Ask to be listed as the certificate holder on a Certificate of Insurance.
2. Require that the Certificate of Insurance be sent directly to you by the contractor’s insurance agent so you get assurance that their coverage is current.
In addition, every building-improvement contractor is required to maintain statutory Worker’s Compensation insurance for all employees and it is a good idea for them to carry at least $1,000,000 of Liability insurance per incident.
Can you explain how your pricing works?
We make it our mission to be up-front, honest and detailed. There are no gimmicks or hidden fees when you choose TeknoBild. Many companies use a tactic of leaving out costs, to make their pricing appear better. At some point, these building owners may find themselves stuck spending a lot more money than they had anticipated, because they are “stuck” with the contractor and finding a new one would be too costly, and time consuming. This could cause a property owner to pay 20% more than their original estimate. You won’t find TeknoBild utilizing this tactic. Ever.
What do you do to maintain an elevated level of quality on your projects?
There are many steps we take to ensure the quality of every project.
We spend extra time in the beginning carefully detailing all parts of your project and anticipating potential issues. Since we design your project, we know every detail and step that is coming up.
We use a formal-scheduling system, a pre-construction checklist and complete walkthroughs at key points in each project to ensure they are proceeding according to plan.
What steps do you take to keep your projects on time?
We use a formal-scheduling system for all major projects. It allows us to quickly see if we are on or off track and it also makes it easy for you to see how the job is going.
How often will you meet to review my project?
We understand that everyone wants to be kept up to date on their project.
• We meet with you every week to review the progress of your project in detail. For shorter projects we will provide you with updates every two days.
• • You can reach us via phone or email from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on normal business days. If we happen to miss your call or email, we return all morning calls and emails by 1 p.m. and all afternoon calls and emails by 6 p.m.
• • We perform complete walkthroughs at key points in your project to ensure what is in the plan is in your project
Will you be working on my project every day?
Yes, but there are occasionally issues out of our control that may arise. Depending on the project, extreme weather can play a factor in slowing our progress. National holidays or an emergency could also cause minor delays. Know that our priority is always to finish your project in a timely manner to your satisfaction. We want to finish your project because that is the only way we get paid.
Do I need to be at the building whenever you are working?
No. Many of our clients provide the security code for their buildings and we appreciate this vote of trust and do not take it lightly.
How long will my project take?
We provide realistic completion dates. Other contractors may be quick to give you a short estimate, but be sure to ask them for the breakdown of how they will accomplish their tasks. Simply saying, “This is a 3-month project,” doesn’t cut it for us. We will give you details, every step of the way.
Do you have a process for daily clean up?
We use a written daily clean-up checklist to ensure your building is clean and secure at the end of each workday. We might ask for access to a sink or side yard area with a hose so we can use for clean-up, but will make other arrangements if that isn’t possible.
Do you work with Home Owners’ Associations?
Yes. We will provide the appropriate information to your HOA.
Do you have questions that we didn’t answer here?
Give us a call at 800-414-4845.