Over the last year we had the opportunity to observe a remodel in the Irvington neighborhood in Portland, OR. After the project was finished Northwest Renovation (NWR) asked Larry and Pam Levy, the homeowners, and Jason Sloane Enders, the general contractor, their general impressions of what went well and what did not. NWR: When purchasing your home was remodeling a factor in your decision? Levy: We bought a home that we knew would need extensive remodeling. We weren’t looking for a home to remodel;... more

How to Stress a Marriage or, Should You Be Your Own General Contractor? Recently, my wife Kelly and I set out to answer that age-old question; should you serve as your own general contractor? We had just discovered that Kelly was pregnant, and it didn’t take a genius to see that we needed more room. We put our plans for a kitchen remodel on hold, and began planning a 1,000-square foot two bedroom/two bath addition. After... more

In previous articles for Northwest Renovation, I had discussed how homeowners can protect themselves when working with contractors. “Five Things Every Homeowner Should Know About Construction Liens,” April/May 2003; and “The CCB: A Friend to Oregon Property Owners,” August/Sept 2003). Above are a few photos used as evidence in a case involving water infiltration in a home due to faulty windows.Top... more

You need them for a lot of reasons.. Time to remodel the kitchen? Or maybe you’re ready to build your dream home. Whether you’re a skillful do-it-yourselfer, or you wouldn’t know a two-by-four from a railway tie and need a good contractor, the experts want you to know that permits protect the safety and value of your home. “For most people, their home is their most important investment. We see too many... more

My wife and I recently did what we told ourselves numerous times we would never do again: we hired an unlicensed contractor. While we knew the risks involved in hiring this guy, he was available, he talked a good game, and, best of all, he was cheap. Well, we got burned again. Early in the job, certain indicators revealed that the guy was not the “experienced carpenter” he claimed to be. First, he couldn’t... more

Whether you are undertaking a large remodeling project or simply hiring a contractor to paint your house, you need to be aware of a powerful tool contractors in Oregon (as well as most other states) hold that allows them to get paid for their services: the ominous-sounding “Construction Lien.” Under Oregon law, licensed contractors may place a lien on any property where they provide either labor or services. At the very least, the filing of a lien can be a headache resulting in stress and possibly... more

The first wave of women entered the building trades briefly during World War II under the emblem of Rosie the Riveter; they were laid off after the “boys” returned home. Women weren’t allowed entry into the trades again until the 1970s. Today women account for less than 3% of the construction workforce. It’s still unusual to find a woman running her own construction company, but here are five women-owned businesses that prove women’s strength in the field. Charlene... more

When choosing a contractor to work on your home, the one universal bit of advice is: Interview three contractors and choose the middle bid. The reasoning behind this theory is, supposedly, that the highest one charges too much for his services and the lowest one underbids and then asks for more money later. The middle bid, however, is just right. Maybe. If this theory is universally accurate, all you have to do is follow its formula, confident that everything will be all right, and relax happily-ever-after... more