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My husband and I have an acre and a half behind our home and really wanted to do something special on part of it. We also just recently decided to renew our wedding vows and thought what better place to do it, than our very own home. Our dilemma began here because we did not have any ideas about what exactly we wanted. So over dinner one night we decided to talk about what we both envisioned for our wedding day, and what our budget would look like. Since we had been saving for this big event we were pleased with the amount we thought we could spend. So the next step was to look through some magazines, and watch a few remodeling shows on television for ideas.

It took us about a week and a half to get our ideas on paper and map out what we thought would function affectively for our family and still look appealing for future gatherings and events. We decided on a nice decorative gazebo with a beautifully lit pathway to its entrance. We also thought that we would put in decking section off to the side to provide for a dance floor, or future bar-be-que events at our home. The landscaping and gardens we decided we could handle ourselves with some hard work and planning, but the construction projects we knew better than to think we could tackle it. So we decided to look for a local general contractor that could meet our budget, and who shared our vision.

We wanted to be sure that we found the right contractor for the job, so we asked around to other people who had used him. We were glad we did, because we were able to even visit some sites where he had personally constructed other yard structures and other gazebos. This helped in the process to put our minds at ease using this particular contractor and his company.

We were also able to get a good idea of the material costs by calling around to local retail stores and asking a few questions. Then we spoke with this contractor and compared his quote with theirs. So far he seemed to be giving a fair price quote. One thing we really liked about this particular contractor was that he provided us a written quote and a list of the local retail stores that he tends to use or had used in the past. Not only was this helpful to compare costs, but also gave us a chance to ask others their opinion of this contractor.

Another aspect we appreciated about this contractor was that he provided a copy of his license and expiration dates. Over all, we were so pleased with this contractor because he provided a written contract that was easy to read, provided his name, address, phone number, license number, project description in detail, starting and completion dates, materials list, and a statement that said he was responsible for permits and inspections. He also provided us a warranty of workmanship and his guarantee. At the end of the project the contractor also provided a team that came out and cleaned-up all the mess and swept up any extra debris.

In the end, the total price was very accurate and the payment schedule ran smoothly. We were more than pleased with the working conditions during the building of the project and they always kept the site safe and as clean as possible. What more could a family ask for? Everything was completed on schedule and the wedding was on time too! Our guests had a wonderful time and they were so impressed with the gazebo and deck that many of our friends and family are considering using the same contractor to do some work in their yards too!

Meredith Merchan is a freelance writer and consumer advocate for the general contractor and building contractor sector, and answers visitor questions and concerns at http://www.findacontractor.org