Constructive Summer, Part II

So, I've been doing a lot of construction projects around the house lately. And by that, I mean I've called a lot of people to come do things that they do professionally. In so doing, I've learned a few things:

Be quick to point out what an idiot you are. I once read that mechanics, plumbers, etc., hate when people enlist their services and say things like, "I would do it myself, but I've just been so busy." Such a statement is probably equal parts male ego and a roundabout way of trying to assure that the work will be high-quality and affordable--as if your purported and unused skills as a handyman will allow you to see through being overcharged, or something. But, it's potentially insulting, probably annoying, and most likely a lie. So, I make it a point to say the opposite, like, "Thanks for coming; I would have no idea where to begin with this project! I've done [similar job, on a much smaller scale], but this is way over my head, and I've heard you do really good work." It helps to establish that you're not going to be looking over their shoulder the whole time, you're not defensive about requiring the services of a specialist, and that you respect what they do. All of these things are helpful.

Ask questions. Once it has been established that you are an idiot,

you can ask questions that won't be taken offensively. Like, "I think I've seen at Lowe's that they have quick-pour concrete with bonder in 10-pound buckets for $25. Is that kind of stuff similar to the [read: more expensive] materials you were proposing to use in this estimate?" In conjunction with the implicit statement of "Hey, we're moving anyway, let's keep this affordable," questions like this can help keep costs down.

Get referrals. We had a concrete guy come do some work based on a referral from our realtor. He therefore charged us an amount that included a discount because of that referral. Also, when concrete guy was over, I asked him if he knew any gutter guys. The relevant gutter guy then gave us a discount that turned out to be $5 greater than the total charged by concrete guy. So, in effect, we made $5 by having some new concrete poured.

So, with these tips--declaring yourself an idiot, asking questions that stem from your idiocy, and getting referrals--you, too, can become a home-improvement expert by hiring people to complete your home improvements.