A consumers guide to the process, risks and concerns involved in hiring a contractor.

Dear Reader,  In the 4 years it took to write this book, compiling the boxes of notes written on fast food receipts, cocktail napkins and the backs of business cards, I discovered that there is a veritable plethora of sources available in which one can get bits and pieces of information about the problems in the building industry, but somehow solutions were oddly nonexistent.  I felt it would be ineffectual to write yet another book about the problems in this industry without providing a solution. About two years into this process,  I decided that the only way to solve the problems was to empower the consumer with information and  resources not formerly available.  I also wanted to provide the legitimate contractor with a means to prove his or her professionalism. As a result, I created the Better Residential Independent Contractors Konsortium (B.R.I.C.K.) LLC and www.brick2brick.com  

My goal is to not only remind you of the problems, but also to provide you, the consumer, with the only available solution. I invite you to visit www.brick2brick.com and see for yourself.

About the Author
In his nearly 30 years in the construction industry Charles Marion has acquired a vast store of knowledge through the process of keeping logs of every mistake he has made as a laborer, supervisor, contractor and business owner and by his own admission has made every conceivable mistake a trades person could make. As the Founder, President and CEO of BRICK2BRICK.COM has compiled that knowledge to provide contractors with the resources to avoid the common pit falls of owning operating a contracting company. Brick2Brick is an online contractor certification and referral firm dedicated to helping contractors build a solid business by providing them with training and services necessary to provide consumers with the highest level of skill, professionalism and security. Assist state agencies by acting as a private probation department able to administer disciplinary actions levied on contractors. This prevents contractors with suspended or revoked licenses from slipping through the cracks and going underground. As the owner operator of Rizing Starz Plumbing and Construction he designed, planned, estimated and built Kitchen Bath remodeling and room addition projects, all trades. Personally taking full charge of all staffing, supervision, scheduling, and safety operations. Mr. Marion was appointed as the Project Lead for Black IPO team on the City of San Diego $12.8 Million Sewer Pipeline Rehabilitation Project for the repair and replacement of over 28 miles of municipal sewer pipeline, 700 manholes and the installation of 2600 lateral cleanouts and connections. As a contractor using multiple trades He has performed construction management reviews on the Compton Community College Project, Compton California, for Barnhart/Black IPO Partnership involving analysis of Constructability, Costs and Budgets, Subcontractor performance and evaluations, QA and safety operations. Charles Marion has designed and implemented Code compliance inspections for multi-family residential projects from 20 to 300+ units for developers and owners. His hands on experience in training of new employees, carpentry, plumbing, and electrical, from design, rough to trim out, has given him broad range of exposure to the inner workings of both distressed and successful contracting firms. Charles Marion was formerly the Quality Control Program Manager for the Lincoln High School Reconstruction Project in San Diego, California. At approximately $120 million dollars it is one of the largest California, Proposition MM projects to date.