Don't do business without a contract

I hope you have a legal contract that you use for all of your remodeling and home improvement work.

If you don’t, put down your tools and go right to your attorney’s office to get one. Otherwise you may end up there for not using a contract.

A contract protects not only the homeowner but you in case something goes wrong. It sets forth the full specifications of the job as well as what is expected from each party.

And if there is a change to the initial contract, make sure that you do an addendum. This can be a change order or additional work authorization or whatever you want to call it. But you have changed the initial contract and that, too, needs to be in writing, signed by both parties.