Home improvements can be an exciting and worthwhile endeavor. It can also be challenging and frustrating if you choose the wrong contractor. This is why it is impotant to find a qualified contractor wether that be through the yellow pages, newspaper ads, the internet, or through friends or family.
It is important to get a few proposals from different contractors before selecting any one contractor. Do not pick the lowest bidder unless absolutely necessary due to a budget shortfall. If a bid is more than 20% lower than other bids, be concerned and ask why. In some instances, the low-bidding contractor may be desperate for your deposit in order to finish another job. Before hiring a contractor, call your local Better Business Bureau to check for any complaints filed against the contractor that you are considering hiring. Please take some time to read through the following questions and concerns to discuss with your future contractor.
What type of contractor? The first step to choosing the right contractor is determining what type of contractor you want. You have the choice of hiring a single contractor to so the complete job or hiring several sub-contractors who specialize in different aspects of the project. Ask the contractor what work will be performed by them, what part will their employees do, and jobs will be contracted out to others. It is best to hire a contractor whose employees will do most of the work and will only contract out the specialty work. If the contractor you interview is the one who will be doing 80% of the work, you will have less of a chance of miscommincation than if you work with a general contractor who hires others to do all of the work.
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How long have they been in business?
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How long have they been in the area?
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Ask for a list of their major suppliers. Be concerned about the contractors who do not have any ongoing supplier relationship.
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Be concernes about those contractors who only have a P.O. BOX as a place of business.
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Ask to see their contractor's license. To make sure they have a validated license, call your local city or county official's office.
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Ask the contractor for references and be sure to follow up with those references. Ask former clients what type of work was performed. Also ask if their job was completed in a timely manner and on budget. Ask the former clients if the contractor maintained a clean and safe work environment and if they would hire that same contractor again.
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Find out what type of insurance the contractor holds including worker's compensation, property damage, and personal liability insurance. These are required by law. If the contractor does not have the proper insurance, you could be liable for any injuries sustained on the jobsite as well as be sued by the injured party. Also, check with your insurance agent so you are aware of what your insurance policy covers and what it does not.
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Review all plans with the contractor. Expalin your project to the contractor. Review all drawings, sketches, and plans and ask for the contractor's opinion on the project. This is the best way to gauge the contractor's interests and capabilities. You want to choose a contractor who has experience with projects that are similiar to yours.
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Review the contract carefully. Before signing any document, including a bid, make sure you agree to all terms and conditions. Contracts should include everything that has been agreed to by both you and the contractor. Make certain that the contract includes the type and the brand name of all materials to be used for the project. This will help protect you from any substituting of materials for poor-quality ones. Once the contract is signed, keep a file on the job, including bids, contracts, changer orders, plans and specifications, bills and invoices, canceled checks, and any other correspondence between you and the contractor or sub-contractors. Before writing a check to the contractor, make certain that everthing in which you are paying for was listed in the contract that you signed. Before signing off on the job, walk through the finished site to make certain that everything was done to your specifications in the contract.
It is your money and your home, so it is important that you choose a contractor carefully and wisely. Devote extra time when researching a contractor. Following these guidelines will not only help you find a reputable contractor, but also could help save you from costly repairs down the line.