Bayside, New York (PressExposure) September 01, 2010 -- Before you start on any home improvement project with Contractors in New York, it is important to get an agreement in writing with your general contractor. We strongly recommend against verbal agreements with your contractor as this often leads to misunderstandings and issues. And with a verbal contract, you are not necessarily legally protected. So bottom line with a contractor in Manhattan or NYC, always get it in writing! Your general contractor should have his/her own agreement to start with, but either way, here are some important parts of any good contract based on our experience with a contractor in Manhattan or NYC:
Timeline: Put in specific dates for start and completion of work including milestones. Include consequences for delays that are the contractor's fault.
Insurance: Accidents happen, particularly on the work site. Make sure the agreement requires the contractor to carry proper liability insurance for his workers, which may include workman's comp, disability and general liability insurance. Make sure it is clear that the contractor (and NOT you) is liable for any slips, falls or accidents with his workers and that he/she is responsible that any sub-contractors they use are covered by their insurance as well.
Payment Information: Make sure you list milestones and when payments are due. This will help you avoid the contractor coming to you and saying "hey, can you pay me money, I need $X" and then you need to argue or decide if that is too much based on work done. And then you may worry about upsetting the contractor, which could then lead to issues on the job site. So, make sure milestones for payments are very clear.
Scope of Work: This is critical. What finishes are you using, what is the contractor doing? Put in as much detail as possible will help both you and the contractor to be satisfied with the job. If you try to sneak things in, the contractor may do a few things, but will eventually be dissatisfied. The idea is to document everything so that both parties are clear and will be happy and therefore you will get your job done with minimal stress or disagreements which could lead to stress and delays.
Use Professionals: We ultimately recommend you have a lawyer and/or an owner's rep review your agreement. If you are willing, an owner's rep or architect will be able to help you do a better job drafting out all the details of the scope of work for the job.
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