While contracts can, and most likely should, be signed by everyone hired to work on your house, this article will focus on your home theater installer and integrator. However, many of these concepts are relevant to other trades like a general contractor, electrician, plumber, etc. Any of your subs, including your contractor, architect or designer, may provide you with a “standard” or form contract for you to sign. Don’t just sign it blindly without careful consideration, as you will be bound to all of the terms and conditions set forth in the contract.

Standard Contracts
The form contracts used by many architects and designers have been drafted by or on behalf of industry associations. These contracts may appear to be evenhanded and fair, but they usually contain clauses that favor the contractor. You are not bound to use the industry form contract and should not be afraid to ask for changes to it. The question then becomes: what do you look for in a contract? Negotiating and drafting the contracts is definitely a good time to have an attorney involved. A relatively small amount of money spent on legal fees for reviewing or drafting a contract can save money, time and frustration later on. Most attorneys want you to sign on with an open checkbook philosophy. I recommend you dictate to your attorney, if you choose to use one in this situation, the amount of time you want him or her to look over such documents and or to make phone calls. Five hundred dollars, even by big city standards, should be more than enough to have someone look over the proposed contract and make sure you are entering into a fair deal. Inside that two hours, you might also get a phone call or two to finalize any little details between you and your contractors. You don’t want your attorney to be a pit bull about everything, but if your contractor isn’t willing to budge on things that irk you or your attorney, you are getting bad vibes on the first date that might suggest that you might want to interview other contractors. Despite the building boom right now, there are always other good contractors.