Maintenance Q & A

Hiring a Contractor

by Various Authors

Q. What is the best way to check out a contractor and make sure she or he can do the work and complete it in a timely fashion?

A. Take steps in the beginning to ensure that the contractor you have chosen can and will complete the project.

First, you will want to put together a checklist to use as you interview contractors for the job. This checklist should contain information you require for the project, including but not limited to your specific budget requirements and your requirements for the contractor. List the following requirements for your contractor: (1) general liability insurance (2) workers’ compensation insurance, (3) a lien waiver, (4) required permits, (5) performance bond requirements and (6) the project deadline.

Next, obtain bids and references from preferably three contractors and then contact the SFAA to see if they are associate members. Go online at www.cslb.ca.gov to confirm that each one has a current contractor’s license. Also call all their references. Depending on the type of project you plan, you may want to view previous jobs the contractor has finished such as exterior paint, concrete work and landscaping.

Once you hire your contractor, ask the contractor to add you as an additional insured on his or her general liability insurance policy for the duration of the project. You will find out at this point if the contractor has current insurance, has let it lapse or does not have insurance. After the contractor has demonstrated adequate insurance coverage, you can execute the contract. All the information from your project checklist should be included. Your checklist should also contain information about: (1) progress payments built into your project—that is, if a certain portion of the work is not completed by a certain time, a percentage is deducted from the price; and (2) terms of cancellation or what happens in the event there are delays or the contractor cannot complete the project.

Do not begin work on the project until all documents have been signed, and you have received the rider indicating your project as an addition on the contractor’s insurance policy. Always stay involved in the job, varying the time day when you inspect the work. If changes need to be made during the project for situations or items not previously anticipated, make sure you complete a change order before the work continues. All parties involved must execute all change orders, documenting both changes and additional price fluctuations.

As progress payments are made, review each step of the project in order to determine your level of satisfaction with the progress of the work and make sure the contractor provides partial lien releases. Definitely hold 10 percent of the cost of the project until you have made the final inspection of all completed work, and you are satisfied. Once you have made the final payment, make certain you receive the final lien release.

If you carefully follow each of these steps, your contractor will understand your expectations and implement them at each and every phase. At the time of the project’s successful completion, you will know that your careful monitoring made all the difference. You will surely take pride in your precise checklist, a competent contractor and your keen oversight.
– Michelle Horneff
Property Management Systems

Q. I have a deck with a sliding glass door and it’s leaking into the unit below. Any idea of what is causing this? A. There are two main suspects for this problem: (1) the lack of a pan flashing below the sliding glass door (SGD) or (2) the deck-to-wall intersection. The typical places where SGDs leak are at the lower corners or at the jamb-to-threshold joint. A sheet metal pan installed in the opening before the SGD is installed will capture this water and redirect it to the outside.

A solid surface deck may develop cracks where the horizontal surface of the deck meets the vertical wall. A leak here usually indicates the waterproof membrane has split or cracked at this intersection. On an open deck with deck boards, water will enter the building either through uncaulked bolts or through improperly flashed deck framing members attached to the building.

To determine the actual source of water infiltration, a systematic water test by trained professionals is essential because water travels around once it enters a building.”
– Steve Saarman
Saarman Construction

Q. I’m confused about the fire sprinkler regulations. How often do the sprinklers have to be serviced?
A. Fire sprinklers must be fully serviced every five years. The service consists of a thorough inspection of each sprinkler, sprinkler pipes, braces and the fire department connection point. It is not a quick service, for it usually takes the better part of a day. Upon completion, the system is certified by placing a State Fire Marshal Certification Tag on the standpipe. Only a licensed, fire-protection contractor can perform this service.

Additionally, sprinkler systems must be inspected every three months. A
professional contractor can do this inspection or the owner can do it. An emphasis on the three-month inspection ensures that the sprinkler heads have not been damaged or painted. Fire sprinkler systems monitored by remote fire alarm companies have additional testing and servicing regulations. The regulations vary depending on the number of floors and other occupancy considerations. For further data, you should contact the fire alarm company monitoring the sprinkler system.
– Scott Mazzarella
Mazzy’s Fire Protection

Q. How do I get good value on a paint job? Is it the paint brand, number of coats, mill thickness of coats, amount of surface prep or caulking that make the price vary so widely?

A. There is a lot more to a good paint job than just rolling on the finish coat. Prices do vary from contractor to contractor. That is usually due to the amount of labor put into surface preparation. When reviewing various bids, here are some details to consider:

Will the contractor power wash the building? It is imperative that the paint is applied to a clean and dry surface in order to adhere well. Explore in detail the strategies the contractor employs for surface preparation.
After power washing the building, make sure they remove loose paint, clean and spot-prime stubborn and/or stained areas, caulk and seal all cracks, caulk around all windows, repair and replace loose glazing around windows and lightly sand all wood surfaces.
Will the contractor use a primer instead of two coats of paint? A primer is especially formulated to seal a surface and to leave a somewhat tacky finish that will allow the final coat to adhere better. (Here’s a tip: Ask your contractor to tint the primer to 1/2 of the color of the final coat. Spots that may be inadvertently missed will not show up as a result.)
Finally, insist that your painter use only top quality paint. Regardless of brand, use the top of the line. The extra expense will add years to your paint job.

– Rick Karp
Cole Hardware

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the SFAA or the San Francisco Apartment Magazine. Consult the advice of a specialist for any specific problem. Michelle Horneff is with Property Management Systems 415-661-3860 x 2. Steve Saarman is with Saarman Construction, Ltd., 415-749-2700 x 229. Scott Mazzarella is with Mazzy’s Fire Protection, 415-665-5553. Rick Karp is with Cole Hardware, 415-753-2653 x 5. Copyright © 2004.