Corporate and Business owners spend millions of dollars on office improvements. Far too often, they will not get quality work by office improvement contractors. Remodeling and improving your offices can be a huge task. Fortunately, by understanding your rights under the law and taking a few precautions, you can avoid potential problems. Be sure to plan carefully before investing thousands of dollars into home/corporate improvements.

Before You Begin the office improvement Project

* Think about the specific design you want (consult an architect or designer if necessary) and decide on a budget.
* Think about the materials you want to use. Visit office improvement centers, read magazines featuring distinctive office designs, or talk to others who have completed similar renovations.
* Clearly describe the work you want done in a specification sheet and floor plan for potential contractors. When all contractors who bid on a job work from the same design description, there is more likely to be a complete and accurate bidding process.

Before You Hire a Contractor

selecting a contractor is the most important part of the office renovation process. You should always:

* Interview at least four or five contractors and request a written, detailed estimate.
* Check with the past data and his experience to make sure that the contractor or subcontractor you hire is reliable to your project
* Confirm references for each contractor. Look at the jobs the contractor has completed. Contact the other homeowners who have hired the contractor and find out if necessary.

There are some exceptions to the registration requirement. Contractors who do not need to be registered include installers or providers of central heating and air conditioning, energy conservation devices, landscaping, interior painting, wall and floor coverings, fencing, freestanding masonry walls, above ground pools, shutters, awnings, ground level patios, driveways and certain licensed professionals such as architects, electricians and plumbers who provide services that are exclusively within the scope of their profession. Additionally, some part-time and small job (under $500) contractors do not need to be registered.