Choosing a contractor is the most difficult and most fundamental challenge that is often faced by any newcomer. We asked interior designer and Studio head of design and construction Irina Fefilova to give a few tips from practice.

Whom to entrust the purchase of materials?

Among the superintendents there are many fraudulent schemes by which the contractors take money and disappear. Surely among your colleagues or friends there’s at least one who fell for such a scheme. So the first advice of the designer will either self purchase of materials, or precise control checks. Trusting that the builders, in which you are not sure, you may get the materials at inflated prices unmatched quality.

If the designer is also monitoring construction, performing the function of a General contractor, all purchase are paid by him. However, you need to understand that this is a separate function, not always available to the inexperienced interior designer.

Where to buy materials?

It is best to buy materials in large retail chains. Here reasonable prices, the possibility of tampering is minimal, and checks are virtually impossible to forge. If, nevertheless, the contractor has begun the purchase of materials, persistently ask for receipts, which is required when such transactions.

Be sure to carefully calculate amount of materials: experienced foremen rarely wrong, and in the process of repair is a minimum quantity of materials. If the contractor requires constant rebuy, it is likely to convict him of negligence and wrong calculation. The original estimate for repair can increase significantly.

Experience shows that if you work with an experienced team, the estimated cost may exceed the initial by no more than 10%.

How to protect yourself?

First of all, the customer must enter into a contract with any performer. If the General contractor maintains a separate organization (or design Studio), the contract is between the customer and Studio complex of works, it checks the contractual relationship between the contractors and the Studio. Feel free to request these documents.

The contract will always help in solving disputes, and guarantees the legal responsibility of both parties.

Write estimates and order of payments to avoid costly additional work. And pay close attention to the list dopravu that can be just an allegory of the mandatory operations from the estimates.

Practical advice:

• Post-payment is a normal and even mandatory practice for construction. While the object isn’t handed over the money transfer is not necessary. Nothing is exempt builders from the obligation, in their opinion, as a prepayment. The repair can be divided into stages and transfer money only after acceptance of each phase separately.
• Do not rush with the selection of a contractor — learn the average cost of the work and receive the recommendation of colleagues and friends. For example, the average paid worker in Moscow is 25-30 thousand rubles per month, the rest remains in the pocket of the superintendent. And the average bill to repair the economy and business class varies from 8 to 15 thousand rubles per square meter.
• Start of construction is possible only when you already have an architect or designer with a designed project. Hired by unknown builders can commit gross errors, for example, when wiring electrical or sewage.
• If in doubt, ask for advice of a specialist in a particular area — a plumber or electrician. For a nominal fee you will receive useful recommendations.

The conclusion is clear: a contractor may be required to set transparent and clear scheme of work, when the reporting and payment can be at any time raised, reviewed and, if necessary, challenged.