They Seemed Like the Right Contractor for the Job…

 

“We spent hours of research and asked around to find a reliable contractor for our home renovation,” homeowners will usually start off. “But after thousands of dollars spent we were let down yet again. Now, we’re stuck with a half finished remodeling project and in need of someone who can help us finish the job—the RIGHT way.” Ever heard that story before from someone we know or have you been through it?

Unfortunately, we’ve all heard stories or even been victims of bad contractors doing poor quality with unprofessional work ethic. Luckily for you, we’re going to show you five things you can look for to help find a reliable and honest contractor for your home renovation.

1. Find Personal Recommendations

The best place to start is by asking trusted someone you trust for personal recommendations. Find someone who has had first hand experience with the remodeling contractor. Furthermore, you can find personal recommendations by calling up friends, family or even neighbors arounf you who have recently had a renovation done in their home. Another way to find personal recommendations would be to find Facebook or Nextdoor groups in your neighborhood to find people who can share positive or negative experiences with contractors they’ve hired. Lastly, you can always ask your local hardware stores for any contractors they frequently come into contact with. The reason is because more than likely a busy remodeling contractor needs materials often and they may have lots of business due to their quality of work.

A bonus tip is contact contractor directly and ask for references that you can talk to. This is a great opportunity to see first had the kind of work the contractor is able to do.

2. Search online

Can’t find any referrals or already have some recommendations? Don’t stop there! Your going to want to do some research of your own online.

To start, you can simply search online for “kitchen remodeling contractor” or “roofing contractor” to find someone specific to the type of renovation you need. Look up each contractor online whether it be their website or social media profile. Other great websites include Yelp, Google Maps and the BBB for ratings and reviews. Look carefully; What do the pictures tell you of their quality of work? What do customers have to say? How professional does the remodeling contractor present themself?

Overall, compare the most critical and high ratings to get a good idea of who the contractor is. You want to know without a doubt that the contractor is the right person for the job.

3. Interview the Prospective Contractor by Asking the Right Questions

If you have a contractor you think you’d like to work with, find a phone number email and get in contact with them directly.

Doing this will give you a good “inner-view” of the contractor you want to work with. Note how fast they call you back or respond to your concerns. Do they listen to the details you have expressed that are important to you? Is the contractor punctual or do they often give excuses for not following through with commitments? All these things matter because it’s a reflection of contractors work ethic. These are indicators for you as a home owner as to how the contractor will treat the renovation project.

In addition, questions you should ask during this process are:

“How will the contractor address unplanned fixes or obstacles during the remodel?”

“What will happen if something breaks after normal use?”

“How does the contractor handle mistakes or poor quality jobs?”

“Do you have a contract and provide a bill of materials for the remodel?”

You as the home owner want to outline clear expectations between you and the contractor before beginning the project. That means making sure your contractor has everything in writing via a contract that details everything you have agreed to.

4. Does the Contractor Charge a Fair Price?

At this point, you should have a good idea of the contractors quality of work and way they will manage the remodeling project. When it comes to what the contractor charges, always consider the long term cost. Ask yourself, “Will this cost me more in the future to redo?” Keep in mind that lowest bid is not always the best. Go over the bill of the materials necessary for the job. If the bid is low, this may be due to poor quality of materials the contractor has decided to use. The more accurate bid is likely somewhere in the mid range of prices.

5. What Kind of Relationship Does the Contractor Have with Their Subcontractors?

Even though the remodeling contractor is the person you’d be in contact with the most, it’s the subcontractors who will actually be doing most of the work. That means the electricians, wood workers, painters, glass installers and plumbers who will come together to make your remodeling plans happen.

As you may realize, the relationship between the remodeling contractor and subcontractor is very important to consider. For that reason, it’s good to find out how long the contractor has worked with the subcontractors he hires for the job. Sometimes, you can find this on their websites “About” page. Otherwise, you can simply ask the contractor directly:

• What kind subcontractors does the general contractor work with? Plumbers, electricians, cabinet workers, tilers, etc.

• How many years of experience do their subcontractors have?

• How long have they worked with their subcontractors?

Conclusion

Following these steps can make finding a reliable and honest contractor for home renovation less daunting. By using these methods, you will have enough confidence to make an informed decision on choosing the right contractor for your remodeling project.