LMS Builders Inc.

LMS Builders Inc. Creating Lasting Impressions Since 1981. L.M.S. Builders work for those that have more discreet tastes. If you can dream it, we can build it.

Builders achieves Excellence in High-End Design, Custom Home Building, high-end remodeling, kitchens, bathrooms & Fine Architecture. Located in Salt Lake City, we provide construction management for residential and commercial construction within Utah's finest communities. Styles include contemporary, modern, traditional, and ethnic forms of architecture.

One of the reasons our clients are so happy is because we use great people in our homes. This is an example of the work ...
01/13/2014

One of the reasons our clients are so happy is because we use great people in our homes. This is an example of the work our cabinet maker does in homes.

2014 is a great year to finally start that remodel project.
01/12/2014

2014 is a great year to finally start that remodel project.

Poor workmanship drives me crazy but keeps me laughing.
10/12/2013

Poor workmanship drives me crazy but keeps me laughing.

08/05/2013

As a contractor, you're only as good as your team. For this reason, LMS Builders has spent years finding the right team.

07/17/2013

So here’s my two bits on the Top 5 signs of a good builder. A good builder ...

1- ...has experience. Find out how long your builder had been in business. It says something if he has been in business a long time. There are too many fly-by-nights in any business. You’ll never go wrong going with an established builder who has “been there, done that.” In fact, I often times get asked by new buyers to give them a really good deal. It’s then my response is always, “I’ll do better than that, I’ll do you a good job!”

2- ... is flexible. Whether it’s a starter home or an expensive custom home you should get what you want. That’s why you’re buying new. Make sure you do – from the colors to the style. Does your builder allow your input on drafting, colors and allowances? Make sure you can do “change orders” if you want to and find out how they are handled.

3- ... warranties his work. The difference between a good builder and a bad builder is that a good builder takes care of the problem. There will always be problems during construction, as well as adjustments after completion. However, you’ll quickly find you have no problems if you builder warranties his work. Check out your builder’s reputation and warranty. Make sure it’s in writing. Check with previous buyers on how your builder backs his work. See if you builder has a means of tracking warranties insuring completion.

4- ... clearly spells out what’s included. I often tell buyers “it’s more important to know what is not included than what is included.” Any such questions should be resolved before you ever start. You should have a clear set of house building plans, a detailed specification sheet with styles, allowances, and colors. A scaled plot plan should also be included. All these should be signed by you and your builder.

5- ... has clear communication for you from beginning to the end. You should always have someone to go to for answers to questions or for concerns. You should have clear-cut guidelines communicated to you from the start-up, through the construction, to the final walk-through and closing. There should be time line communication from your builder explaining what’s needed before a certain process is initiated and what is to be expected in change orders. A good builder has clear communication between his sub contractors,

05/13/2013

Make sure the contractor you hire is easy to work with.

Despite your best efforts to check on each contractor’s qualifications, there will be little indication as to how well you and the contractor will get along with each other once the work has begun. After you have signed the contract and the work has begun in earnest, the last thing you want to find out is that the contractor you have hired tends to be unavailable! When meeting with each general contractor therefore, you should take note of how he conducts himself, and whether or not he approaches the potential task in a professional manner. This is also a good time to find out just how committed each candidate will be to the planned project. Remember that the successful, timely and cost-effective completion of your project is greatly dependent on the skills and capabilities of the contractor, so you will want to find one that is firmly committed to your project.

04/29/2013

Deciding When to Use a Contractor

Making the decision to use a contractor is one that is often personal. It will come down evaluating:

Your comfort level with the task at hand;
Your time;
Your budget.

If you’re venturing beyond a simple home repair project to new technically challenging installations such as adding electrical circuits or adding a sink, you should first check to see if a permit is required from your local building department. You don’t need a permit for many home repairs but you may need a permit for “new work” especially for electrical, heating, cooling and plumbing. In some cases, the permit will require that a licensed contractor do the work to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare. In some cases it may be required that the local Building Inspector review your work during construction and after its completion.

If you find that a licensed contractor is not required for the permit or that the work you want to do can be covered under a “Home Owner’s Permit” then I’d suggest you ask yourself three questions:

Do I feel confident in making (or at least comfortable trying) this repair?
Are the consequences acceptable if it takes me longer to do the project than I anticipate?
Do I really want to try this project?

If you answer “no” to any of the above questions, you should probably hire a contractor for the repair. If you answered “yes” to them all, you should give it a shot and do the repair yourself. That’s the only way to gain experience and confidence.

03/20/2013

The cost of buying and owning a home is probably the biggest investment made by most people in their lifetime. Property owners therefore often look for the lowest price when looking to build or remodel a home. Since most unlicensed contractors are not bonded or insured and do not pay into the residential contractors' recovery fund or pay any unemployment compensation for their workers, they can often under bid the licensed professional. This bottom line may at first be attractive to the property owner, as a way to lower costs and save money. Most of the time, it is not.

02/01/2013

When to Hire Residential Contractors
Many people do not realize that the average kitchen remodel takes 5-6 weeks to complete. Not to mention that to complete the remodel you are likely to need an electrician, a plumber, a countertop contractor, a cabinet contractor, a flooring pro, a painter, and someone to install the appliances. That's a lot of people.

The brilliance of a residential general contractor is that he can not only coordinate all of these other professionals and schedule them so that one person is not in another's way, but he also knows what a good price is on their labor charge and how to do some of the work himself, whereas the average homeowner will not.

If the job is going to take more than a week, hire a GC.

If the job requires several different pros to complete, hire a GC.

If the job requires a few permits, hire a GC.

Make sure you ask for a Residential General Contractor as to not waste time.

Lee Schwartz

Address

Salt Lake City, UT
84093

Website

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