Don’t hire any remodeling contractors unless you have done these 4 steps
Hey, Dave here again! I recently came across this quote in the New York Times Home & Garden section from a veteran contractor:
“A contractor is like a cold: you’re not going to get rid of it.”
That is sage advice from someone who has spent their entire career in the remodeling industry. You don’t want to get stuck with a contractor you’re not happy with for the length of a major remodeling project.
Almost everyone has heard stories about contractors who did less than satisfactory jobs, left giant messes, or were generally frustrating to work with.
At worst, you may have heard of homeowners who were conned into giving large sums of money to a contractor only to have them disappear, or of contractors who started on a project, made a mess ripping things apart, but then never showed up to the job site again.
While these stories may scare you, instead of fearing the contractor hiring process, just make sure you know what you need to do to end up with a contractor you’ll love.
Essential parts of the contractor hiring process are:
1. Receive Multiple Estimates: Getting at least three to four estimates will enable you to compare prices from different contractors. Take the time to talk with each contractor and get a feel for which one you will be most comfortable working with and having in your home. A sign of a good contractor is one who is on time, communicates effectively with you, and presents himself professionally.
2. Get a Contract: Don’t do anything with a contractor unless you have it in writing. Any professional contractor will create a contract for both parties to agree to before starting work. This protects both homeowners, and the contractor, and ensures that the project is done to your exact specifications.
3. Check References: You should check the professional references of any contractor you are thinking of hiring. You can ask to see past work, as well as ask for prior client contact information. When talking to former clients, have a list of questions to ask them, such as “How close to the project timeline was your project completed?” and “Did the contractor clean up the job site after completion?” Former clients can give great insight into a contractor’s work.
4. Check License and Insurance Information: Make sure to check the remodeling contractor you choose is licensed, bonded, and insured. Proper licensing and insurance doesn’t guarantee a job will be completed to your satisfaction, but it does give you leverage with your local consumer affairs department who can investigate any problems on your behalf. To obtain a license, a remodeling contractor must undergo a background check, pass a written test and pay for the license. They should be able to provide copies of their licenses, and you can verify these licenses with the proper state agencies.
A Cumbersome Work
Taking the time to go through each of these steps, and simply using your instinct and common sense, will ensure that you get a contractor who does the job right.
The thing is all the steps above seem like a lot of work to do and sometime it looks complicated and probably more difficult from what you had thought of.
Can you imagine all the work involved when you have to go thru the local yellow pages to call all contractors one by one and scan them through the same process – get estimates, get a contract, get references and check licenses as well as insurance?
There is an easier way to do this…
You could avoid doing all these complicated work by getting the services of Renovation Expert.
Renovation Expert will do all the difficult legwork such as scanning the contractors for legal licensing and insurance information for you, way before you receive the call from the respective contractors!
Moreover, Renovation Expert also checks the work and experience of the contractors to see if they have done the same remodeling work before so that they are the right fit for your project.
It will make sure that the contractors matched to your project are qualified and only quality contractors are assigned to you.
Best of all, you will get up to 4 estimates for your project so that you are able compare prices before you decide on choosing the contractors.
Imagine all the time and money saved when some has already done all these tasks for you?
All you have to do is just sit at home and wait for the phone call!
[...] avoid the unnecessary concern, you can look for remodeling contractors hiring guide over the internet for tips and guidelines on contractors hiring. There are even some companies that [...]
[...] avoid the unnecessary concern, you can look for remodeling contractors hiring guide over the internet for tips and guidelines on contractors hiring. There are even some companies that [...]
[...] avoid the unnecessary concern, you can look for remodeling contractors hiring guide over the internet for tips and guidelines on contractors hiring. There are even some companies that [...]
[...] avoid the unnecessary concern, you can look for remodeling contractors hiring guide over the internet for tips and guidelines on contractors hiring. There are even some companies that [...]
[...] avoid the unnecessary concern, you can look for remodeling contractors hiring guide over the internet for tips and guidelines on contractors hiring. There are even some companies that [...]
[...] views out on contractors hiring tips through his blog – Chicago Remodeling Contractors. Other remodeling contractors hiring tips such as getting the cheapest quote and hiring the best contractors can also be found through his [...]
[...] views out on contractors hiring tips through his blog – Chicago Remodeling Contractors. Other remodeling contractors hiring tips such as getting the cheapest quote and hiring the best contractors can also be found through his [...]
[...] avoid the unnecessary concern, you can look for remodeling contractors hiring guide over the internet for tips and guidelines on contractors hiring. There are even some companies that [...]