A home improvement contract review helps homeowners and the contractors or subcontractors thoroughly review the contract to ensure that no details are missed. While signing a home improvement contract, make sure to conduct a home improvement contract review to make sure that nothing is missed out. A home improvement contact helps you to easily make changes and the necessary alterations in the initial home construction contract. This contract is signed between the homeowner and the contract or subcontractors.
What is a home improvement contract?
While constructing or renovating a house, an agreement is signed between the homeowner and the contract or subcontractor. This agreement includes all the details related to the construction. For instance, the design, materials to be used, budget, contract period, etc. However, it is also possible that circumstances may change, and either party wishes to alter the contract. For instance, the contract might wish to change the design due to the unavailability of the said materials. The homeowner might demand a different design. In either case, making changes to the original contract is not possible. Thus, a home improvement contract is drafted. This document or agreement involves all the changes to be made in the initial contract.
What is a home improvement contract review?
During the drafting of the home improvement contract, several negotiations are made between the homeowner, the contractor, and the subcontractors. This to and fro is mainly to accommodate the change in the pricing structure based on the change in other aspects, that is, designing, materials to be used, etc. During the negotiation rounds, there are several changes made within the contract. However, before signing, both parties must ensure that the final contract has no errors and fulfills every negotiation. This is where a home improvement contract review falls in place. A home improvement contract review is a process that helps you analyze that everything is in order and as discussed with the other party. It is a way of ensuring that no detail is missed out and the contract is legally valid.
Terms to be checked during a home improvement contract review
During a home improvement contract review, there are several terms that the lawyer must check. They are -
Details of all parties involved
It is compulsory to add all the details of all the parties involved within the home improvement contract. For instance, the full name, address, and contact details, such as a phone number, etc. During the home improvement contract review, a lawyer collects valid proof for these details and verifies the documents. This step helps ensure that the other party does not cheat you. Moreover, if anything goes wrong in the future or in an emergency, it becomes easier to contact the parties involved.
Date
The parties involved need to demand any changes in the future. Thus, keeping logs of the latest home improvement contracts is essential. This helps all parties involved be aware of the last discussed change. Adding a date to the contract helps maintain a chronological order and keeps things systematic. It also helps organize and keep the contracts in a particular order. The date must be added formally. Moreover, the date must be the day the home improvement contract is signed by all the parties involved.
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Changes demanded
This must be an elaborate section in the home improvement contract. The lawyers ensure that it talks about all the details of the changes demanded in a detailed and specific manner during the home improvement contract review. For instance, if the initial contract mentions the house walls to be painted in ivory white and the homeowner demands the walls to be painted in cream, it must be clearly stated. It is necessary to keep the details as precise as possible, as this helps avoid confusion in the future. Moreover, it also acts as proof of what changes were demanded.
Party who is demanding the changes
When one party demands changes in the initial contract, the other party may or may not accept the changes demanded. This is because the other party might need to make more efforts to incorporate the demanded changes. It is necessary to mention the party demanding the changes within the contract to understand the change or the home improvement contract better.
Further changes in the contract
After the changes are demanded by one party, there might be a need to make other changes in the initial contract to accommodate the requirements. For instance, if the initial contract stated a plain roof in the plan, the homeowner now wishes to have a faux ceiling. In this case, the contractor might need to make changes regarding dimensions, wiring, purchasing additional materials, etc. These are counted as further changes that have occurred due to the change demanded by the homeowner. During the home improvement contract review, a lawyer ensures that this section covers all the required changes, as per the demanded changes, which makes the transition smoother. This further helps to maintain transparency and a healthier alliance.
Termination and cancellation clauses
Once the home improvement contract is drafted, it is legally valid. Thus, there must be a defined way to end the contract if things go south. To avoid legal complications, lawyers prefer adding the termination and contract cancellation clauses while conducting the home improvement contract review. This helps in an easier transition and makes both parties aware of the process. An important part of this section is the notice period.
Fees and payment structure
As per the changes demanded in the home improvement contract, the contract or the subcontractor might demand additional charges from the homeowner. A detailed description of the additional charges must be included within the contract. Moreover, if the contractor or subcontractor requires expenses to accommodate the changes, for instance, wiring, POP, paint, etc., in the case of the faux ceiling, it must be clearly stated. A cost breakdown must be provided to the client to help them have a clearer idea. Further, payment details such as transfer mode, due date, late fee, etc., are also mentioned here.
Key Terms
- Construction Contract - A contract signed between the homeowner and the contractor or subcontractor that includes all the details about the construction of the house.
- Notice Period - Before the termination of a contract, the party demanding the termination must inform the other party before a defined period, which is a notice period.
Conclusion
A home improvement contract review helps ensure that all the changes demanded are mentioned within the contract and the changes needed to accommodate the requirements. Hiring a lawyer from ContractsCounsel can help ensure that the home improvement contract review is conducted effectively, leaving no loopholes within the contract. This helps ensure that the contract is legally valid.
