Most homeowners assume their contractor’s insurance automatically protects them. But when a worker gets hurt and there’s no valid coverage, the law looks for the person with assets—and that’s you. Bill Reid, residential construction expert with 35+ years of experience, explains the two policies that stand between you and disaster, and the exact verification steps that keep you protected.
When a contractor offers you a 10% cash discount construction contractor deal, it feels like you’ve won the lottery. But that $13,000 “savings” can turn into six-figure liability if a worker gets hurt, zero warranty protection, and lost tax deductions when you sell. Bill Reid walks you through the four hidden risks and how to protect yourself.
Most homeowners sign contracts without ever seeing a construction schedule. That missing document is why projects finish late, budgets explode, and you get panicked phone calls asking for tile selections nobody told you about. A real construction schedule does five things at once—and it controls your money. Here’s what to demand before you sign.
Construction change orders start more arguments on job sites than almost anything else — not because anyone is dishonest, but because nobody set the rules at the start. Roughly a third of all construction projects hit at least one major change, and on projects with rushed planning, those changes can add 10-30% to the original price. Learn what construction change orders actually are, where they come from, and the one iron rule that protects both you and your contractor.
The construction contract is the single most important document in your project — yet most homeowners treat signing it like a formality. After 35+ years in residential construction, Bill Reid has seen where this goes wrong. In this episode, you’ll learn the three critical things to verify before you sign: who you’re actually contracting with, what must be inside the document, and how to confirm the license number is even real. A proper construction contract review takes 60 seconds and can save your entire project.
A cost plus contract can work — but only with the right structure. Most homeowners sign without understanding billing mechanics, documentation discipline, or the hybrid model that caps exposure. Bill Reid explains the four moves that turn cost plus from a leap of faith into a project you can actually manage.
Before your contractor slides that contract across the table, understand what you’re signing. A cost plus contract shifts financial risk onto you — and in California, it may be illegal for your remodel. Bill Reid breaks down the three flavors of cost plus, the 15-25% markup ranges, and the seven questions that tell you whether this structure fits your project or puts you at serious financial risk.
You have completed the design. You have the estimates. You have ranked your contractors and chosen your builder. Then they
Stop guessing when three bids land on your table. Learn how to choose a contractor using a 7-category weighted scorecard — the same system commercial developers use.
Learn what a bid package for home construction really is and the 7-step process to get accurate, comparable contractor estimates.
Got three contractor bids with wildly different numbers? Learn how to compare contractor estimates using the Work Breakdown Structure.
Learn the two-tool system — construction budget checkpoints and formal estimates — that keeps homeowners in control of costs through every stage of design.
