Q. I am looking to install laminate flooring. I'm shopping around, using local yellow pages, for flooring/installation companies One in particular seems ok but their labor price is quite high, $3.50/sq foot. How do I negotiate the price down? It's quite frankly not something I could afford but still want to use them. Is there a set of questions I should ask all these flooring companies, like should I ask for references...should they have a certain certification...should they offer installation warranty.. Please let me know what's most important when choosing such a company, in terms of quality and price. **please let me know what our experience is -are u a contractor, do u install laminate etc.. How do I negotiate the FLAT RATE????? That's what I mean:) Just like at a car dealer you'd negotiate the "fixed price"...

A. Your best negotiation is to get at least three quotes from three reputable, qualified, certified installers. Check their references and how they stand with the Better Business Bureau as well. Then if you still like the one, you have quotes to barter with and they can then choose to lower their rate or bow out. You still have others to choose from. We have always done this when looking for contractors and have found some will work with you on their pricing and some not. Don't settle for some handyman working on the side. We did that once and really took it in the ear.

Q. My family owns a business that sells kitchen and bath cabinets. Any ideas on way's to advertise and make it grow effectively? It's not that we are small, but obviously you always want more? any suggestions will me read. thanks for the help. If you are in the kitchen/bath business please let me know what did or did not work for you. Thanks for the help!

A. You are kidding right? Have ya heard? We are in the worse depression since 1928 and the economy still continues to deteriorate. I can promise you that the last thing on peoples minds now is spending a wad of money on a new kitchen. They dont know when they too will be layed off. Besides everyone knows homes are depreaciating at a rapid pace. Why dump $20 grand into an asset that is losing value faster then this country is losing jobs. Any child knows better then that. Even the wealthy stopped spending money on their homes but this is the only market worth going after because some still are spending, just being more careful. The economy is choosing what cabinet to buy, not the customer. Those who walk into my showroom make a beeline for the pretty cherry but end up buying the less costly oak. As little as 3 years ago I had 3 to 5 people per week coming in with a $25,000 kitchen budget. Today once a month some one walks in with a broken drawer box they need replaced. The best part is when they walk in with a stack of bids 5" thick and ask you for another one. New home starts across America stands just about at zero. Now to answer your question with a wish and a prayer. Advertising in newpapers or magazines is a waste of money. The consumer is numb from ads that bombard them every day. Most saying the same old crap. Lowest prices of the year. Best sale yet. Compare and save. Free installation...and on and on. Another waste of money are those contractor referral services. You pay for so called qualified leads. But only one in 100 ever call you back. Most of us honestly believe the Bob Vila and Service Master referral services have hundreds of fake phone numbers to sell leads with. Out of about 40 leads so far that we paid $25 each for, we got 2 small jobs from them. The one thing that does work is very expensive. It's called google optimization. It cost us $1500. What it does is anyone searching key words will get YOUR business web site as the very first listing on google. Google already knows where the searcher lives. If they simply type "cabinets" into the google search bar, YOUR company will come up because google knows the searcher lives in Anytown,USA so it will find Anytown Cabinet company. My friend all you can do is sit and wait. I just hope you are living off the fat from the good days. But for most of us, the fat is decomposing quickly. I been in in this biz for 29 years and I still stand. But perhaps 70% of everyone I knew in the cabinet biz has moved on to something else. It is not good out there and I see little hope of any improvement in the housing market as well as the economy for a very very long time. Of course that is not what this govt says when they try to pull the wool over we the peasants heads. They are liars, criminals and crooks. I am honest and truthful with nothing to gain by being honest and truthful. I wish you luck. I really do.

Q. If the station wasn't complete there had to have been thousands of independent (non military) contractors aboardd when it blew, right?

A. As a independent contractor i can tell ya, personal politics play a big role when choosing a job

Q. I have a contractor in mind but I will be responsible for choosing the color/type of backsplash, floor and countertop I want for my kitchen. How does this system work? Do I just submit samples or buy and have the material delivered (once I know how much)? New at this...

A. You can save a ton of cash if you design your own kitchen, and buy the materials yourself, but it can get a little tricky to time everything right. Order and pay for your materials yourself, but ask for the contractor price, and throw them his or her name if they ask for it. Don't be afraid to ask for a deal. Is your contractor willing to go pick up the materials? Remember you need to reimburse him not only for his time but the cost of the gas and his truck. Also whoever is installing should tell you the amount of product you need (square feet, etc.) If you go to a large tile supplier, or distributor, like the ones the contractors use, they can usually get things in a few days and at a good price. If you are ordering a natural stone like travertine, order more than you need since inevitably some will be too flawed to look good. When I was designing my own kitchen, there was one shipment of Travertine tile I ordered from a big box store, and when it came in, it was of such poor quality, that I immediately returned it. That left me scrambling to find a replacement the same day since the tile guy was coming in the morning. It was a little stressful, but it led me to a product called Solistone, that I never would have picked otherwise.

Q. Hi. We're building a custom home on our lot in TX and want to know ANY and all pitfalls anyone can think of. I am researching references and BBB but we're nervous. Thanks in advance. I read all answers and will rate the best! I should add that we're working with a builder, and he's BBB, and we're choosing the model, so we know what it looks like for all our stuff! I'm mainly worried about permits, construction loan, getting the equipment in-if we'll need to use our neighbor's lot- it's vacant, but she won't want her trees messed up. I want to know what is my responsibility but that the builder might try put one over on me.

A. Are you building the home yourself? There are a ton of potential pitfalls, and the majority of them revolve around scheduling. You want your subs in as quickly as possible, but not to the point where you have 3 subs working in the same 10 sq. ft. area at the same time. Get the house closed in as soon as you can. This makes life much easier in the event of rain. Focus on getting the roof on, the doors and windows installed, and siding. Then you and your subs can work no matter what. Keep on top of lien waivers, as your bank will want them when they issue draws on your construction loan. Develop a good rapport with your building inspector, since he will be more inclined to help you and will point out errors your subs may make. Document EVERYTHING! If there are any issues down the road, it's much better to be able to put your hands on a piece of paper, especially if it's signed by the sub involved. If you are at all uncomfortable being the boss, hire a good general contractor. You will pay for their time, but it may save you in the long run. Don't be afraid to ask for references, and check the references. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Q. When your looking in the yellow pages what add do you call? the big one, the little one? Does text matter? Ever get a door hanger from an electrician that was working in your neighborhood? if you did how would you respond to it? Ever looked for any type of contractor on-line? What do you think of newspaper advertising? and most importantly what type of text is apealing to you in any form of text advertising? In this case opinions are better then facts. Would you call off a radio or tv add? Besides price what is the most important factor when choosing one electrician over another?

A. The best way I've found is to ask friends who they have used. Word of mouth is usually pretty reliable. If a contractor does a good job for me, I get a few business cards from them when I give them the check. If they do a substandard job, I let people know about that as well. Hope this helps.

Q. I'm adding a bathroom,kitchen,and attic to be finished.I'm not sure if I should deal with electricians,plumbers,and drywallers myself individually,or go the contractor route and let them deal with all of it.I don't know anyone to ask for a recommendation about what to do.

A. You are planning a complicated and time consuming project involving several construction trades. Unless you, or another trusted family member, has a background in this type of construction, your best bet is to hire a qualified contractor. Choosing the right one is the problem. As you screen potential contractors, there are several things you should keep in mind as you move through the process. I would not consider a contractor unless he/she has been in business for at least ten years. Everyone offers a warranty (more on that later) of some kind, but it is worthless if the contractor goes out of business. Since most businesses fail within the first few years, chances are good that a contractor who has been in business for 10 years is in a stable position. Don't just take their word for it, ask to see proof. Many will offer proof as part of their presentations and may include copies of general business licenses in years past, old Yellow Page ads with verifiable dates, or other documentation. If your state, county, or municipality requires specific contractors licenses, ask for a copy of the license and make sure it is issued in the owner's name. In states that require contractors to be licensed, it is not unusual for a licensed contractor to "rent" his license to other contractors who may, or may not, be qualified. Make sure you contractor is insured. General liability, completed contracts, and worker's compensation insurance are absolutely essential. Again, don't just take their word for it, ask for a "Certificate of Insurance" which will identify the types, amounts of coverage, and policy periods of insurance they carry. Do not accept a copy of this document from the contractor, it is too easily falsified. Ask for a copy to be sent to you by the contractor's insurance carrier. Insurance companies provide these all the time and a contractor who actually carries good coverage will be only too glad to have his insurer send you the document. Ask for local references and check them out. If possible, it is best to actually visit a couple of a contractors past customers who have had similar work done. They will usually be willing to talk honestly about their experiences and will often be willing to take you on a tour of their own project. You should be able to find out if the contractor was prompt in returning phone calls, did quality work, stayed on budget, met a reasonable timeline in getting the job completed, kept a clean work environment, etc.. Many homeowners skip this step inselecting a contractor, and many live to regret it. A few States require "Waiver of Lein" documents and they are a good idea everywhere. Suppose your contractor is in financial trouble and can't pay material bills or subcontractors (think specialists like plumbers, electricians, etc.). You may well have paid the contractor for the work done, but if he doesn't pay his bills, these material suppliers and subcontractors will come after you. They have the legal right to file a lien on your property for the amount of money owed. All too often, consumers find themselves paying twice for the same work! Having a "Release of Lein" from each material /labor/subcontractor on your job, before you pay your contractor, protects you from this type of situation. A contractor who is in good financial shape and has adequate working capital will have no problem with this. In fact, they will like the fact that you insist on it because it tends to weed out the fly-by-night "I can do it cheaper" kind of contractors who are just a step away from bankruptcy. I know it sounds daunting, but there is a lot of homework to do when you set out to do this type of work. Unfortunately, most homeowners just don't do it, or aren't aware that they need to do it. A good place to start in finding a qualified contractor is your local chapter of the National Home Builders Association. Most chapters are involved in the "Qualified Remodeler" program. Membership requires that the contractor carry, and prove that they carry appropriate insurance. It also requries credit references, demonstrated abilities, trade knowledge, and customer references. Your local chapter will usually give you the names of several member contractors who specialize in the type of work you are proposing. Still, you need to do your due diligence with each one, since their screening efforts are not a guarantee. Here is a link to their website where you can plug in your zip code and find the nearest chapter: http://www.nahb.org/local_association_search_form.aspx# One last bit of advice involves money. If you make your buying decision based on the lowest price, you are all but assured of being disappointed. A business must, and is entitled to, make a profit to stay in business. If you have several contractors pricing your work, try to make sure they are all bidding on the same scope of work using the same specifications. It is the only way to get an honest comparison of prices. Most importantly, do not give any contractor a large downpayment. A 10% downpayment is fair, with the rest of the money being paid out in stages as work is completed and "Waivers of Lein" have been received. Anything more in the way of a downpayment should be an indication that the contractor lacks working capital and is thereby financially unstable. Do not make the final payment until all of the work is done to your satisfaction. It is the only leverage you have to get the work done. Unfortunately, once they are paid, you usually go way down on their priority list should you need them to come back and take care of the last little bits of the project. I hope this helps, and I wish you the best of luck with your project.

Q. I have to re-roof my house. I am looking for a good local roofing contractor. I have done quite a bit of research already. How do I find out if this company is the best?

A. Asking for references is kind of a joke. think about the when you are looking for a job and have to give references. When you get a copy of their insurance info, give it to YOUR homeowners insurance agent and ask them to check it out, make sure it is current and has adequate coverage. Reputable companies don't skimp on insurance Ask friends, coworkers, etc if they have used, or know anyone that has used this company. Do a Google search on the company and the owner. Check your city, state, and county court websites, to see if they have been named as a defendant in any lawsuits lately. Ask them for addresses of jobsites they are CURRENTLY working on, drive by and just sit in the car and observe. ask employees how long they have worked for company, and if they like it. if they treat employees well, they probably treat customers well also. Call the local roofing supply houses, and ask for their A/R department, and say you are doing a credit check on them. Roofing is a tough business full of fly-by-night companies, reputable companies do everything they can to pay their bills in a timely fashion, so if you find your contractor of choice has no credit, or bad credit at every supply house in town, I'd stay away....