Tag: Beale Corp

How to Work With Difficult Home Builders

Getting a home built is a very stressful process. When things are not going right, you may begin to worry about whether or not the builder you hired is doing the job at the pace you originally agreed upon. According to Bart Beale sometimes there is a need to deal with difficult home builders but as with anything, there is a process to it that can make things easier for you.

Home Builders

  1. First, you want to talk with the builder in a clear and decisive manner. There may be changes needed and you have to make some quick decisions. Talk about problems with the home builders without raising your voice.
  2. Always talk in a completely calm and reasonable manner with them to keep things from getting too heated.
  3. When you do talk, you should keep a positive attitude. You have a right to be firm, but you should not be harsh with the builder. While you may want to comment on certain things, only comment on things that you understand. If you are not an expert on something, then do not make comments about it.
  4. You need to be flexible. Things can take longer than you expected due to delays that were not foreseen. A home can take as extended as one year to make, so do not get on the home builder if the home is taking one month longer than you thought it would. This will only make them more difficult to deal with.
  5. If you are worried about the schedule of the home building development and the home builder is being difficult, schedule a meeting with them. Discuss the timetable and write up a new schedule for the project. This helps you work and it shows the home builder you understand the challenges of building a house.
  6. If the home construction is not going along the path that you want and changes are being made without your consent, then you should stop the construction immediately. It is better, in the long run, to ensure that you get what you want for your home, even if it means you have to hire a new builder for your home.

Sometimes things do not go as planned and when they don’t it is better to cut your losses with one builder so that you can find another home builder who can make the home you want at the price you can afford.

Bart Beale is a Friendswood native who runs Beale Corp LLC, specializing in municipal, corporate and residential reforestation.

Beale Corp is a large wholesale tree farm owned by Bart Beale of Friendswood, TX. Bart Beale and Beale Corp have decades of experience serving home builders, architects and other wholesale clients throughout the Greater Houston Area.

Commercial Construction Tips | Completing the Project on Budget

There are times it senses like it’s important to announce a commercial project that came in either on the budget or even under budget. But the truth is most projects are undertaken with the belief that they will be finished on budget, even though that can also be the hardest aspect of the project to complete. Bart Beale shared are a few tips to keep in mind so you, too, can bring your commercial construction project in on budget.

Few contractors are willing to take less profit to compensate for any cost overruns that happen on the project. As such, there is almost no contract written that expects a contractor to take a loss. Change orders are de rigueur, so expect to see them. Even if a contract is based on a fixed price or bid, the contractors and subcontractors can still pass cost overruns on to you. A time and materials contract often means your contractor will end up paying for overruns himself or herself, but even this is not guaranteed.

Bart Beale

To keep this from happening, look over the contract carefully. Omissions are the leading cost overrun category. Check the contract to be sure it covers things like permits, licenses, fees, and so on. Also, make sure that every aspect of the project is covered in the plans and contract documents. A clearly crafted contract ensures that all parties involved understand exactly what is expected. Never assume anything when it comes to a contract.

Before anything is finalized, have an engineer and/or an architect look at the specs and the plans to be sure they are complete. You should also make sure your project manager is on the same page you are and that he or she fully understands the plans and the project scope before anything gets started. A consultant may be able to give you some advice as well, and though it costs more up front, you could end up saving thousands in the long run.

According to Bart Beale if your project has anything unusual about it or it will be using exotic materials, be sure these are accounted for in the contract. Also, do an inspection if you can of the job location so you know exactly what condition the property is in. Will there be a lot of trees to clear? Is the existing building that will be retrofitted in good shape or does it have water or insect damage?