Apartment remodeling - contractors

Vica

Hi there,

I'm planning to do the remodeling of an apartment (flooring, paint, tiling, bathrooms, lighting, but no structural changes) in around 20k budget. Which way would it be to get this done properly with the general contractor involved and not have a lot of issues, losses, pain etc?

-Do I need to get contractor to sign a contract, and in which case should it be the standard RIAI blue version (or it can be signed only with an architect involvement?) Will they be willing to sign it for this type of job?
-What payment terms are standard for this work? Just we pay on completion?
-What warranties/insurance (written etc) should we ask for?
-I heard those contractors registered in CIRI as the most you can trust, but they seem to be too big for this type of things, and expensive. What certifications etc the builder need to have to get him on for this? Got 2 very different quotes, don't know which one to trust. Please help!

Gumbo

Sounds like you need an interior designer rather than Architects and RIAI forms of contract.

I may be wrong though but I'm sure this can be classed as decoration.

Vica

Is that not subject to some sort of contract with the builder though?

Gumbo

Vica wrote: »

Is that not subject to some sort of contract with the builder though?

What would a builder do? You are painting and tiling and fixing a few lights juding by the OP.

You need a registered electrician, good recommended paitner and tiler and maybe somebody to bring all those together to get the internal finiah you need, hence an interior designer.

I may be missing something here, but thats what it sounds like to me.

Vica

I would've thought general contractor would coordinate all the plumbers, carpenters, tilers, electricians, plasterers, etc, and also offer the insurance/warranty on the whole fit out. Also, sourcing materials, taking deliveries, etc. Otherwise to hire each one separately is a mess for months....

What do fit outs generally require from the contractual/liability point of view? Do they sign some standard agreement, have their "one-pager", or don't give anything at all? What happens if say kitchen or your own electronic appliances get damaged, or window glass painted and cannot be rectified etc ?

Gumbo

Vica wrote: »

I would've thought general contractor would coordinate all the plumbers, carpenters, tilers, electricians, plasterers, etc, and also offer the insurance/warranty on the whole fit out. Also, sourcing materials, taking deliveries, etc. Otherwise to hire each one separately is a mess for months....

What do fit outs generally require from the contractual/liability point of view? Do they sign some standard agreement, have their "one-pager", or don't give anything at all? What happens if say kitchen or your own electronic appliances get damaged, or window glass painted and cannot be rectified etc ?

I think you will struggle to find a contractor to take this job on. You need an organiser, a project manager maybe, but you will have to pay them too on top of all the sub contractors fees.

A lot of domestic builds will finish ready for paint or tiling, where you get your own tiler or painter. The builder would not be responsible for any appliance etc