When it comes to hiring an exterior contractor, money can be a sticky subject to talk about. It’s so much more fun to think about how awesome your home will look once the work is done, to get lost in all the design possibilities—factoring in a budget can feel like a major downer!

But as necessary as hashing out the numbers is, determining how much you can spend on a project doesn’t need to be torture. Perfect Exteriors, your Monticello team of home exterior contractors, is here with some quick and simple tips on how to make financial prudence painless.

Be Aware of All the Labor That Goes Into an Exterior Home Contractor’s Work

Aside from performing the obvious budgeting basics—determining how much monthly you’ll be able to pay, making smart credit decisions, etcetera—you must go into an exterior project with the knowledge that additional fees may apply to the work you want done due to additional services that might go into it.

This isn’t a nickel-and-diming thing; we at Perfect Exteriors would never dream of that! We’re simply saying that you need to be aware that there’s a lot more to an average home exterior project than paying for labor and materials.

While installation costs generally make up a majority of what a contractor charges for, your contractor might also need compensation in order to

  • Haul away extra materials
  • Rent a dumpster with which to do so
  • Fix structural problems, like mold, discovered while on the job
  • And more.

The point: Budget for more than you think you’ll actually need to pay.

Learn How Your Contractor Charges Before Signing Anything

Many exterior remodeling contractors charge a flat fee per project so the customer doesn’t take the fall if, say, inclement weather prevents safe work or the team experiences holdups. However, this isn’t all of them—so make sure you understand fully what, financially speaking, you’ll be on the line for and what might affect it.

This means you must

  • Understand what types of the above “extra” services you might be charged for
  • Read the contract you’re given thoroughly; this isn’t a “terms and conditions” thing you can skip
  • Learn about what your contractor does to keep prices down for you
  • Ask your contractor questions and get clarification
  • Take notes if you need to

Here to Help Make Your Dream Renovation Fiscally Possible

We’re here to serve our community and to create the type of beautiful home exteriors that make Minnesota homeowners proud—all while offering full project management to help you to stay within your means. Give our Monticello location a call at  763-271-8700.