Like a lot of other remodelers, Strong Construction in Fremont, Calif., can't afford to waste time with clients who want to push $50,000 where $100,000 should go, or who get fixated on some magic number for a project's cost. But co-owners Steve and Sandy Strong also can't afford to turn away good business, so they bring up the big, bad B word ó budget ó as part of the typical first phone conversation. More
High-end jobs mean costly materials and sophisticated designs, and finding and keeping “golden” subs is critical. The other end of the spectrum means job delays, warranty work, and strained customer relations. “A careless plumber can cause a lot of expensive destruction in very little time,” says Alex Dahlgren, partner at Acheron Construction in Garland, Texas. “One wrong turn of the wrench can ruin a $700 faucet.” More
Finding a good Web site designer is like finding a good remodeler: You get what you pay for. More
