North Dakota's contractor license classes
North Dakota issues class A, B, C and D contractor licenses: class A has no limit on the value of a single contract project, while classes B, C and D are limited to projects of $500,000, $300,000 and $100,000.
Put the same question to every remodeler you meet in Grand Forks, and write the answer on their proposal:
- Does this job's value call for a North Dakota contractor license, and if so, which class do you hold and what is the number?
What a license application includes
A North Dakota contractor license application must include a certificate of liability insurance, and applicants with employees residing in North Dakota need a current certificate of payment from Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) for workers' compensation.
For your own project, ask each bidder for current proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation, dated and naming the business that will do the work. Questions about your homeowner's policy while the room is under construction go to your insurer.
Measure the path in before you shop
A new tub, a one-piece shower unit or a long vanity top has to travel from the driveway to the bathroom. Before you fall for one, measure the outside door, every hallway turn, the stairway and the bathroom door itself, and note any low ceiling over the stairs. Ask the remodeler whether the piece you like will make the trip, and whether a sectional or multi-piece version is made. Ask the same about the old tub: whether it will be carried out whole or broken up in place, and how the floors and walls along the route will be protected.
Who uses the room, and at what hour
Write a short schedule for a normal weekday. Who showers first, who needs the mirror at the same time, who bathes small children in the evening, and whether guests use this room when they visit. Note anyone who has trouble with steps, bending or balance, now or likely before long.
A room shared by several people at once may point toward two sinks, a toilet set apart behind a half wall or a door that locks. A room used mainly by one adult may put its space into storage or a roomier shower instead. Hand the schedule to each designer so the plan starts from how your household actually lives.
Choosing the toilet itself
The toilet is used every day, so ask to sit on a few in a showroom before you choose. Bowls come in round and elongated shapes, and seats come at more than one height. One-piece models can have fewer seams to clean; two-piece models can be easier to carry upstairs. A wall-hung toilet keeps the floor beneath it clear, with its tank and carrier set inside the wall.
Ask the remodeler which styles will work with the drain where it is now, whether moving the toilet is in the plan, and whether any spacing rule applies around it.
Towels, robes and hampers
Wet towels need somewhere to dry, and they can end up on the floor if there is nowhere to hang them. Count the people who use the room and plan a hook or bar for each, within reach of the shower. Decide where robes, a hamper, spare toilet paper and cleaning supplies will live. Ask the remodeler where hooks and bars can be fastened solidly, and whether a linen cabinet or open shelving fits the floor plan.
Matching metal finishes
Faucets, shower trim, drain covers, towel bars, cabinet pulls and light fixtures can come from different makers, and two pieces sold as the same color can look different side by side. Ask for finish samples from each product line you are considering and hold them together in the room before ordering. If you prefer a mix of metals, decide which pieces carry which finish and write it down for the bidder.
The order your choices come due
A remodel calls for decisions at different points. Some may be needed before the walls close, such as the shower valve and the location of any new drain. Others, such as tile and the vanity, may need ordering early. Paint, mirrors and accessories may wait until near the end. Ask each remodeler for a list of what you must choose and by what point in their schedule, and ask what happens if a choice comes late.
Crew access to an occupied house
Ask what hours the crew plans to work, which door they will use, whether they need a key or a lockbox code, and where their truck and any trailer will park. Ask which bathroom, if any, the crew may use, and how pets will be kept away from open doors. Agree on who you call with a question during the day.
Furnish, install and by owner
A proposal may use short phrases such as "furnish and install," "install only" and "by owner." Ask each bidder to spell out what each one means on their proposal. Does "furnish and install" mean they buy the item and put it in? Does "install only" mean you buy it and they fit it? Does "by owner" leave buying, delivery and installation all to you? Read every line for these words, and ask what happens if an item you supply arrives damaged or late.
Questions for each remodeler
- Which city permits does the job need, and who pulls them?
- Who will do the plumbing and electrical work, and are those people on your payroll or subcontracted?
- Can you show current proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation before the start date?
- How will you tell me about something found behind a wall, and how will that work be priced?
- What does your written warranty cover, and for how long?