As for an adult person, owning and managing property is an essential part of your existence. Taking care of your own house, ensuring that your accommodations are in proper condition, is the responsibility of every homeowner. From time to time, every piece of property needs to be remodeled, amended, or otherwise improved.

There are a lot of things you can do to improve your home. Unless you’re a skilled and seasoned builder, plumber, electrician, and designer yourself, you will likely need a third-party contractor to conduct some technical improvements and renovations for you. Inevitably, you will want to put in place an agreement between you and the contractor - a home improvement contract. This document will ensure you get the agreed services done properly and timely. Today, we will discuss how you can write such a document. With today’s technology, there are multiple softwares you can use to manage this.

Basics of a Home Improvement Contract

If you intend to improve your home, it is essential you know how to write a home improvement contract. Below are some pointers to follow.

Use a Contract Sample

When creating a new home improvement contract, it will be helpful to have a sample agreement to look at. There are several contract templates and examples on the internet. Using such documents will save you a lot of time and energy. All you need to do is extract sections of the agreement that apply to your case. Also, be sure to include the contractor's standards as well. TrustMyPaper is an option you can opt for to get a decent contract or any other content written. Online writing services like these can help you create professional-looking pieces of comprehensive writing for any occasion.

Include Sections for Parties' Information

Your contract must contain sections for your information and that of the contractor. Therefore, you will want to capture the names, addresses, and contact information of the people involved. In addition, the person responsible for making changes to the specifications of the agreement must be identified. 

You will also want to include the responsibilities of each party. Doing this specifies who is responsible for handling security and clean-up of the site. For example, as the homeowner, it is your responsibility to secure all your personal items. On the other hand, the contractor is responsible for clearing the site of debris and ensuring safety. You will want to capture all these responsibilities and more in the agreement to prevent future problems.

Include the Property’s Full Address

The home improvement agreement you are creating must contain the property's full address. Having this information is extremely essential. Therefore, you will want to include the house number, street name, and zip code. In some cases, you will want the GPS coordinates included. Doing this makes finding the house easy for delivery services and subcontractors.

Permit Handling

A home improvement contract should explicitly state who is responsible for handling work permits. Doing this is crucial as many home renovation projects will require permits to continue. Therefore, you must identify the party responsible for applying and paying for permits.

Define the Work

A home improvement agreement should capture the scope of the work to be done. Therefore, this contract should contain detailed processes of the work. Additionally, it should give a timeframe for the completion of each activity. It is also essential that only licensed contractors and subcontractors participate in the contract. Doing this is essential as you will only want a licensed plumber to work in your home.

Include a Cancellation Clause

All valid contracts must have a clause that allows for cancellation. In most states, three days is the standard cancellation period for a home improvement contract. This clause lets you get a refund of the money you have paid to the contractor in the event you change your mind or if there is any force majeure. However, note that the cancellation clause is not valid on emergency repairs. Therefore, plumbers and electricians do not have to refund the money you pay to them in advance.

Include a Rescind Clause

Another essential component of a home improvement contract is a rescind clause. A rescind clause basically allows you to cancel a contract when the contractor is not complying with the terms of the agreement. Within this clause, you will need to specify all the reasons that can lead to the cancellation of the contract. Additionally, the clause will highlight the procedure for rescinding the agreement. Before you rescind a contract, you will need to write a complaint to the contractor. After allowing sufficient time for compliance, you can activate the rescind clause.

Specify Agreed Payment Terms

You must include the agreed payment terms within a home improvement contract. In most cases, the payment terms specify a breakdown of labor including, profit. Additionally, you will want to state the terms of the payment, including down payment and retention. Also, you will want to capture the agreed retention period. In some states, a minimum down payment is necessary. Therefore, this minimum amount must be stated on the contract. It is also essential to capture the procedure of processing change orders when they occur.

The process of home improvement can be hard on a family, financially and otherwise. If a student lives in a home that is undergoing renovations, they may need to help out or be distracted from their studies and suffer a drop in grades through no fault of their own. You can mitigate this if you hire an essay writer - it is one way to keep up with studies during an ongoing home improvement. This way, there will be one less stressful thing on your to-do list!

List of Suppliers and Subcontractors

Having the list of suppliers and subcontractors written in a contract protects you from problems. It helps protect you when the contractor refuses to pay third parties. It also helps you to know the people that have access to your home.

Include Laws, Warranties, Guarantees, and Dates

You should include the law to be used in case of litigation within the agreement if such a case happened during your home renovations. Doing this makes resolution easy. In addition, you should include all warranties and guarantees given by the contractor, subcontractors, and suppliers. Likewise, all-important milestone dates should be clearly written.

Final Words

When writing a home improvement contract, you must include some essential information, fields, and clauses. Putting these items in the agreement helps protect you and the contractor alike. In the event of a disagreement, a well-written home improvement contract ensures fast and litigation-free resolution.

Guest Contributor: Donald Fomby