February 2007. It's not quite Spring yet!

Your Home – Tips for Finding a Reputable Contractor

Regardless of the age of your home, you will eventually find the need to hire a contractor for those improvement projects that are too big to do yourself. The next time you need to hire a professional, make sure you take the time to find a reputable contractor before starting the job. Hiring the wrong person may not only lead to less than professional work, but it could end up costing you unnecessary time and money.

By following these simple tips below you can avoid unnecessary headaches when working with a contractor:

Check References
Before hiring a contractor, take some time to check their references. When checking references, it’s important to talk to clients who got similar work done on their homes. By asking some simple questions about the quality of work done, how the actual price compared to the estimate and whether the contractor worked professionally, you can quickly determine if the contractor is someone you’re comfortable working with.

Watch for Fraud
Many sub-par and unlicensed contractors will offer deals that are too good to pass up. However, working with someone who offers you an unbelievable special can lead to disastrous results. Usually contractors like this will stop by your door and tell you that they have materials left over from a job they just completed and they’d be happy to do the same work on your home for a fraction of the price. Avoid working with people who solicit door to door, only accept cash payments, ask you to get the required permits to complete the job, or want the entire payment up front.

Ask Questions
Most states and localities have specific licensing requirements for contractors. Ask what certifications and licenses your contractor has on file as part of the hiring process, and verify they exist. You should also ask them what kind of experience they have, what the payment options are and whether they will be using subcontractors on the project.

Watch your Money
Make sure that you understand the payment options before beginning work. Most reputable contractors will require a down payment and then you can pay in installments as certain milestones are met. Never pay the full amount of a project up front.

Also, if you plan on using financing, make sure you understand the financing prior to signing any paperwork. Some contractors will pressure their clients to work with a preferred lender to get them into a home equity loan or high interest financing. If you want to finance the improvements you’re making to your home, take the time to consult with an independent mortgage professional first.

Finances – Maintaining Proper Insurance

Maintaining the proper levels on insurance on everything from your health to your car is critical to your financial well being. However, most Americans are not carrying the proper levels of insurance. If you have not recently reviewed your insurance levels with a professional, now is a good time to evaluate your policies.

Many people throw away money every year by being over-insured or carrying the wrong types of insurance. Some common examples of this include carrying whole life insurance when a term life policy would make more economic sense or adding disability insurance to their car policies. If you have multiple insurance policies, you may be able to save on your annual insurance premiums by having all of your policies reviewed by a professional.

On the other hand, you do not want to run the risk of being under-insured. If you currently have dependents, it is important that you have the proper levels of coverage to protect them in case of an emergency. There are many more types of life insurance on the market than there were in the past that cater to people in all walks of life. If you do not currently have a life insurance policy of adequate health coverage, you may want to consider looking into additional coverage.

If you would like to review your insurance needs with a professional, please let me know and I would be happy to refer one to you.

Inspiration – Staying motivated

Many people feel that they could contribute more both in their professional and personal lives, but complain that they find it hard to make that extra effort even though they know that doing so could produce great results. Even when we begin projects with the best of intentions, it’s easy to lose our motivation over time.

One of the best ways to keep your motivation is to concentrate on projects that fit with your values. For example, earning a good salary is important, but it can be hard to remain motivated to work if you are not working in a positive environment or don’t care about the work you’re doing. By centering our goals on the things we really care about, it is a lot easier to consistently to achieve greater results over a longer period of time. If you are finding it hard to stay focused at work, consider why that is and how your performance would change if you were working on something you really cared about. By changing our everyday lives to match our values, we can become more successful in everything we do.