Trade ya!

We spent a lot of time researching, calling, emailing and asking around about trades.  This has been taking up the bulk of our time up until this point. I have used my phone (as a phone) more in the last 2 months than I have in the last 10 years!

We got a minimum of 3 quotes from every trade/subcontractor we would be using. There were a few exceptions for friends or family in the biz. 

I had seen a quote (haha) by Benjamin Franklin that rang true while comparing quote after quote,

We were (and are) on a fairly strict budget, but we wanted to work with reputable companies to get high quality work we would be proud of. 

Sometimes we went with the lower price, sometimes we went with the person we felt most confident with, but most times we went based on recommendations and referrals from others. 

Another thing we tried to do was use local companies. I find the service to be exceptional compared to some larger companies in larger cities. 

Here's a list of the trades/contractors we got quotes from:

-house designer/engineer

-insurance broker

-excavating/foundation/septic/driveway

-framer

-plumber

-electrician

-roofer

-mason

-siding/fascia/eaves installer

-HVAC

-cabinet maker

-stair manufacturer

-finish carpentry

-drywall/insulation

-glass shower door installer

-garage doors + installation

-timber construction/install

And material quotes:

-lumber

-roof/floor trusses

-roofing materials

-siding/soffits/fascia/eaves

-stone

-windows/doors

-trim/interior doors

-flooring 

And then there are lots of other things we needed to shop for like lighting and plumbing fixtures and a fireplace. 

We tried staying organized with a binder and tabs for each sub-contractor like this:

It made it easy to compare quotes and find them in a hurry. Remember to be specific when you're sending out for quotes. Provide as much detail as possible to allow for less guessing on their part which will get you a more accurate quote. 

We learned this the hard way after getting a few quotes back that had thousands of dollars difference for what appeared to be the same thing. At first glance we dismissed them right away based on price alone. Then we realized that they had quoted a finished basement too, which we're not doing right away. Never assume they know what you want, because chances are good they have no idea!

We have now chosen all of our sub-contractors... Here's hoping we chose well!