Whether you need a new roof or are doing a complete bathroom remodel, making sure you’re hiring the right contractor is of great importance. There are several considerations to factor in when making your final decision on who to hire, and it’s your decision that will ultimately impact your level of satisfaction with the finished results… You get what you pay for, just make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
How to Ensure you’ve Hired the Right Contractor For Your Home Improvement Project
Ask For Recommendations
When it comes to finding a contractor, the best place to start is with your friends/coworkers and family. Maybe your parents had plumbing issues a few years ago and hired a plumber that went above and beyond with their services… Then again, maybe your coworker is undergoing foundation repair at their home and are pleased with the work their contractor is doing… Nothing is better than word-of-mouth recommendations from people you know you can trust… Their word is definitely worth considering.
Research Companies and Call Around
If you received recommendations from friends and family, do your research on those companies and pick around 10 local contracting companies in your area to research as well. Once you have your 10, start searching their website and call them to get more information.
- Does their website show certifications or awards? Lots of good quality contracting companies and independent contractors show off their certifications and awards proudly on their website to let anyone who visits their site know their quality standards.
- Is the company licensed? There are so many unlicensed contractors out there… You definitely want to make sure you hire one that’s licensed to prevent taking on any liability fees in case an injury occurs. Look up your city and state laws for contractor licensing.
In fact, you can actually ask where the contractor received their contracting license from and then look it up to see if it’s credible. Companies like RocketCert allow contractors to obtain and renew their licensing, so you can breathe easy in knowing you’re dealing with a contractor that knows what they’re doing and is properly licensed and qualified for the job.
- How do they answer the phone? Does the company answer the phone stating the company name, or do they just say “hello?” This will tell you just how professional the company is.
- Do they have experience for the job you’re needing? For the work you’re needing done, you want to make sure they have plenty of experience in that type of work. There are contractors that “do it all,” but depending on the work you need done, you may want to look to a specialty contractor to ensure the work will be done right by qualified and experienced professionals.
- Can they provide you with a list of references from previous clients? Before hiring any contractor, make sure to ask for references from previous clients… If they can’t give that information or are hesitant to do so, it’s a major red flag that they could be a scam company.
Get estimates From Multiple Companies
Home maintenance costs are inevitable, so if there was ever a better time to compare prices of anything, hiring the right contractor is the perfect time to do so. You indeed do get what you pay for but one of the best ways to find out is to compare prices. It’s important to understand that just because a company’s price is extremely high, it doesn’t mean that they provide high-quality work. It’s also important to know that just because a company’s price is relatively low that doesn’t mean their work is of poor quality either.
The prices for certain projects should be around the same price range, typically, but depending on the time frame, materials a company uses, and staffing, it all plays a role in the varying prices. So just get quotes from the companies that you conducted your research on and liked, and find the one that you think you’ll like to work with best, and that has a fair price within your budget.
The Contractor Doesn’t Ask For the Money Upfront
One of the biggest ways to tell if a contractor is honest or not is if they ask for the money upfront before starting on any of the work… It’s actually one of the top five biggest contractor scams to look out for.
You never want to pay for the entire project before it’s completed. You also want to make sure you always make the check payable to the contracting company (not the individual) and never pay for any type of work in cash.
An honest and reputable contractor will draw up a contract that outlines every detail of the work to be performed and will set up a payment or financing plan.
These are a few of the essentials to keep in mind when hiring a contractor for any type of home reno project you may have. By taking these factors into consideration, you’ll save yourself from being cheated out of your time and money.