If you are going to spend a lot of time at a construction site, invest in eye protection, dust masks, boots, and gloves. Some experts believe that sawdust is carcinogenic and there is plenty of it floating in the air at a construction site.

If you feel odd wearing a mask on-site when the workers are not, just tell them that you are allergic to dust.

Watch out for boards on the floor/ground with nails sticking out of them.

Note that pressure-treated wood is treated with a dangerous chemical. Keep children away from these materials and wash your hands after handling the pressure-treated wood.

▪ Ask your Contractor to save extra roof shingles for patching later. Also, BE SURE that the Contractor saves you enough paint for touch-ups. Even if you don't use the paint for touch-ups, you may want to refer to it later for a color match.

▪ Read the fine print carefully on all contracts that the Contractor is having you sign. I once signed a contract with an alarm monitoring company that locked me in for three years when I only wanted a few months!

▪ If you are installing granite countertops in your kitchen, tell your Contractor that you want to inspect the slab of granite at the shop before it is delivered to your home. There are wide variations in this natural material, and you want to be sure that you are getting a piece without a lot of defects. It may not look like the sample you saw in the store!

▪ It is essential that you pay your contractors quickly. If you do not, then you will quickly fall off of their "preferred customer" list. Have a check ready to give to the contractor as soon as the project is completed to your satisfaction.

▪ When things go wrong and all else fails, file a complaint with the local licensing board. When things start to go wrong, keep everything in writing, including logs of calls and correspondence.

▪ Be mindful of security while having people work in your home. Do not tempt anyone by leaving valuables out in the open. Consider getting a safe that can be bolted to the floor.

Dealing with Contractors, General Contractors, Subcontractors - Part 1

Former builder and instructor of "Save Time and Money in Home Remodeling" cont. ed. course at Emory University