Mar 26, 2009
Contractor Tapped, We Are Ready To Rock
On Monday this week Chrissie spent the whole day in Greenport at our architect's office. We had meetings with 4 potential contractors, spaced 1 hour apart, at 1, 2, 3 and 4 pm. By the end of the day, we were ready to jump into Long Island Sound.
We got the 4 bids in on March 16. We asked all 4 to come back and revise them, and try to bring the numbers down. Three of the four guys did. So then it was just up to the personal interviews. I looked at the bid process just the same way as I look at my regular job, which is a project manager. But I must say that the architect-builder approach is light years more orderly than publishing projects.
The interviews went well, and for the last few days we waited on the contractors to get back to us. We had it narrowed from four to three, with two favorites. However, the guy we liked the most coming out of the day was the one we went with. I will tell you more about him after the contract is signed. He is from the area and has been building houses for decades.
So now we have the plans and the man to build the house. Chrissie is working on the financing plan. I am still going back and forth with Demolition Depot, to see what exactly we can use from an old house for a new one.
If this proceeds according to plan, we might be able to start the new house in April. The first thing is to demolish everything that is left of the old house: we are starting from scratch. It is sad, but there is nothing we can use from the old house in the new house. Not even the wood, which is fire-damaged.
Since the fire in January 2008, it has been a very long road to even get to this point. But knowing we have a guy who will have a hammer in his hand to build the thing is a huge deal for us.
We got the 4 bids in on March 16. We asked all 4 to come back and revise them, and try to bring the numbers down. Three of the four guys did. So then it was just up to the personal interviews. I looked at the bid process just the same way as I look at my regular job, which is a project manager. But I must say that the architect-builder approach is light years more orderly than publishing projects.
The interviews went well, and for the last few days we waited on the contractors to get back to us. We had it narrowed from four to three, with two favorites. However, the guy we liked the most coming out of the day was the one we went with. I will tell you more about him after the contract is signed. He is from the area and has been building houses for decades.
So now we have the plans and the man to build the house. Chrissie is working on the financing plan. I am still going back and forth with Demolition Depot, to see what exactly we can use from an old house for a new one.
If this proceeds according to plan, we might be able to start the new house in April. The first thing is to demolish everything that is left of the old house: we are starting from scratch. It is sad, but there is nothing we can use from the old house in the new house. Not even the wood, which is fire-damaged.
Since the fire in January 2008, it has been a very long road to even get to this point. But knowing we have a guy who will have a hammer in his hand to build the thing is a huge deal for us.
Labels: Construction, Contractor, Plans
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