Confessions of a Home Remodeling Contractor

This ebook is for people who are thinking about, planning to, have a mind to, are considering, contemplating, designing, getting ready to improve, renovate or remodel their home. Anyone with a home improvement in mind: Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, room additions, finished attics, dormers, bedroom extensions or room extensions. Anyone who has an interest in contractors, designing, estimates or contracts.

HOW TO ADD MORE VALUE TO YOUR HOME WITH A LOT LESS MONEY

For over 25 years I watched & squirmed as I witnessed people fumble their way through the remodeling process. Not having a clue what to do now or next & needlessly squandering away a fortune of money.

 I am not talking about getting fleeced by some con artist. I’m talking about smart people dealing with competent contractors. I’m talking about homeowners spending many thousands of dollars & adding little or no value to the house.

 I watched as people devalued their homes with ill designed, ill thought out “improvements”. The remodel, when finished, having little eye appeal or functionality.

Here is what my readers have to say:

“Where were you when I needed you a few years ago. This new renovation is going to be done your way. Thanks for everything”

“I should have figured everything out by myself. You did it for me. Thanks”

“Finally finished our basement at a price we could afford. If it wasn’t for your book it would never have been done. Thanks for the push.”

“Great web-site & book. I am in the early stages of planning my room addition. I learned a lot. Thanks for all the info. You are doing a great service.”

“Your answer to my email was a good idea & solved my problem. Nice to have someone like you to bounce ”

Driving home, after talking to people about their home remodeling project, I would think to myself:

“Someday, after I retire, I’m going to show people the best way get help designing their remodel”

 “Someday, after I retire, I’m going to teach these people how to buy a home remodeling project without throwing away at least hundreds & sometimes thousands of dollars.”

“Someday, after I retire, I’m going to show them how to plan the whole project so they are not disappointed after spending many thousands of dollars.

So after I retired, I did! I wrote a book!

BENEFIT FROM WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
 SAVE AT LEAST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON YOUR PROJECT

I tried as hard as I could to these homeowners. But people wouldn’t believe me. I was sitting in their house trying to sell them home remodeling. Homeowners don’t trust sales people trying to sell them something. They thought I was only after their money.

Well they were half right, I did want their money. The part they missed was that they could have enhanced their job to make it look better & at a lower cost. My price wasn’t lower than anyone else. I just made it look lower. This book tells you how to get the lowest price after getting only three estimates.
 
Let’s face it, when buying a home remodel from a contractor you are involved in something about which you know little or nothing. You know, of course, what it is that you want to accomplish. It’ the “how to” part that is the problem. You are going to be spending many thousands of dollars. It is something you are going to do only once or maybe a very few times in your life. And what’s more you try to do it by yourself & hope you come out of the experience without overspending & have a good investment in your home.

It’s kind of like buying jewelry, except jewelers are a lot smarter than remodeling contractors. The jewelers realize that a customer must have confidence in the person they buy from. The average person knows zilch about what makes a gem valuable. They rely on theof the jeweler to help them make a smart purchase.

People take tennis lessons, golf lessons, swimming lessons, auto driving lessons. They go to school to learn to become engineers, doctors, teachers & stock brokers.

Why in the world don’t people learn how to spend a huge chunk of money on home remodeling? What makes people think they can hire someone, without any guidance, to pay someone to tear apart their most valuable possession & put it back together again?

Remodeling contractors or especially the term “Home Improvement Contractor” has taken on a derogatory status in our society & for very good reasons. They have earned that poor status with some of their practices.

I will talk about how to deal with the other kind, the good kind & avoid the other kind. There are plenty of them out there if you know where to look. Very simply, the book is about getting a good looking remodel for the least amount of money. You can do this very easily if you get a few lessons on how the business works. I will give you several ideas that will help you.

A little background
My name is Bill Harbrecht, remodeling contractor, retired. I spent 25 years remodeling homes like yours. I owned & managed a company doing several million dollars worth of home renovations every year. I’m retired now. The company is still thriving. (You will not see the name mentioned in the book.) Over the years I have given over 5000 estimates, met with about 10,000 people & supervised maybe a 1000 remodeling jobs. I am a past president of a local chapter of NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) I also did arbitration cases for the local Better Business Bureau. Does that make me an expert? I think so. Experience enough to write a book.

v I am no longer selling you home remodeling.

v You can rely on, & believe every word I have written.

v I have no axe to grind. (No commissions here)

v I have absolutely no reason to steer you wrong.

v All I want to do is help you accomplish your goal. That is, a well designed project at the best price available.

The advent of computers & the great idea of being able to send a book to your computer gives me the opportunity to explain some things you won’t read anywhere else. I will try to get you to understand how to get through the remodeling maze in one piece.
You have all read magazine articles about improving your home. They are usually shallow pieces of dribble telling you little.

The article starts “Don’t finish your basement. Remodel you kitchen. It’s a better investment”

You say “I don’t want to remodel my kitchen! My kitchen looks fine. I want a finished basement! I need some place to throw the kids”

Those mag pieces are really a big help.

You have read bits & pieces on the internet but nobody really gives you the whole story. I have written about all the good parts. The things homeowners can do to do a better job of buying remodeling.

Ever drive by a house that has just been renovated. You turn to your husband/wife & say “oh my, ugly, ugly. They should put the house back the way it was. Please!” Turn the corner & drive by another remodel “Look how nice that job came out. Those people must be very pleased”

Well I hate to admit it but I might have built a few of those jobs. (The ugly, ugly ones) But I have to tell you it was done under extreme duress. After trying as hard as I could the customer insisted I build that ugly job.

 You see, they thought I was trying to sell them something. That I was trying to make them spend more of their money. They thought I had an axe to grind (read more profit) & they thought I did not have their best interest in mind.

Nothing could be further from the truth. They should have given someone else the job. It would have helped my reputation. I never put my company sign on their lawn.

It was people like that who made me want to do this book. I’m trying to help you. Read what I have to say.

  Here’s a glimpse inside the book:

ü Learn how contractors estimate your job
  Save 10 times the price of the book.

ü Best way to go about planning & designing your job.
  Bad plan, spend too much. Bad design, ugly result

ü Positively, guaranteed best way to get the lowest price from the contractor.
  Use this method & you will not spend a penny more than you have to.
  Save 100 times the price of the book.

ü Designing
  I can’t design it for you but I can tell you who can do it the best. (Hint: It's not an architect.

ü Avoiding “cutting corners” by the contractor (& you)
  Find out how those corners are cut.

ü Avoid “Overbuilding”
  A guide to stop self destruction.

ü Ask the contractor the right questions.
  Stop asking those wimpy questions. You have to ask the right questions before
  you can get the right answers.

ü Am I spending too much?
  Here is the answer- the right answer.

ü Kitchens & Bathrooms
  Some remodeling advice & a few tips.

ü Dormers & attics
  Be careful here. “Danger ahead” if your’ not careful.

ü Room additions.
  They can be built for less than you think.

ü DIY(Do it ?Yourselfers)
  Some do’s & don’ts & tips

ü Per Square foot price Myths
  The real truth & nothing but the truth.

ü Signing the dreaded contract.
  Doesn’t have to be a nightmare.
  Save 10 times the price of the book.

ü A list of caveats.
  Never mind the do’s. Here’s some absolute “Don’ts”
  when dealing with contractors.

ü Size matters
  Size explained- Not what you may think.

ü Specialized remodels
  Pick the right kind of contractor.

ü Financing
  All you need to know on one page.

ü Finished Basements
  Thoughts & ideas on finishing your basement.

ü Those dreaded “Extras”
  After reading the book you shouldn’t need any.

During my 25 years on the job I have developed some strong opinions about how to do a home remodel. That is, the way it should be done by homeowners. Those thoughts are all written down in short essays about various aspects of doing a remodel on your house. No fluff, no stuffing, no fillers. Good hard, useable information guaranteed to make your remodel look better at a lower cost.

 I’m telling you things contractors would never tell anyone. The book is a look inside the business. It will show you how to use every opportunity to plan, design & build your dream project. And at a price at least hundreds & maybe thousands lower than other homeowners who do not have this knowledge. I warn you, the book is not long. There is no stuffing the pages with magazine type dribble. I have tried to be as succinct as I can to get my messages across.

  I’m going to try to make you one of those offers you can’t refuse.

Buy the book. You can start reading after the digital download in a few minutes. The book will be placed on your computer for reading at your leisure.

v If you don’t think you can save at least 100 times the price of the book.

v If you don’t agree you learned how to get the lowest estimate.

v If you don’t agree you learned a better, cheaper way to buy a home remodel.

Tell me & I will return your money.

I am so confident of my offer, I do not hesitate one second. Read the book & you will not be disappointed. If it is not as I say, it costs you nothing. I have not seen the information revealed in this book available anywhere else.

Oh, I forgot.

You can have me with the book FREE. Read on!

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have your own consultant-in-a-box? A convenient source of remodeling insight at your beck & call anytime….with the answers that can give you that value added remodel at a lower price?

I will then give you an exclusive email address. You will be able to contact me by email at your leisure. Ask me any question(s) you like about your remodel or any other remodel. Ask me about your planning, your estimates, problems with the contractor, design questions, anything pertaining to remodeling. Maybe you have a construction question or contract question. I will be available to answer as best I can by email till your job is complete.

You will have your own in house remodeling advisor available at your disposal.
 
Recieve the benefit of 25 years experience with that same “no axe to grind” opinion. I do not believe you can duplicate this offer anywhere on the internet, or anywhere else for that matter.

A lot less than a wall outlet installed by your contractor or the price of a few 2x4s. A mere pittance! It is only a tiny fraction of the many thousands thrown away by people who won’t have this knowledge or advice.

(The price of $27 is not going to last very long. I reserve the right to change it at any time & I give you fair warning, I probably will)

Confessions of a Home Remodeling Contractor Learn how to lower your remodeling costs. See how remodeling is sold & what goes on behind the scenes. Ramblings, advice, tips & a wealth of information. Only $27