| 8 Important Steps to Selecting a Good Contractor... Step 1: Begin the process by selecting contractors referred by someone trusted. Also look for contractors consistently working in your neighborhood because their livelihood depends upon your referral. Step 2: Schedule an appointment with each contractor and plan to spend some time to interview them. Home improvements are long term investments, so the time spent up front can save hours of aggravation and thousands of dollars after the job is finished. Step 3: Use a candid approach to express your expectations. Point out problems and concerns to the contractor. Good contractors can often provide simple solutions to your problems. Step 4: Ask to see licenses. Impressive show rooms and slick sale presentations are no guarantee of good workmanship. Properly trained and supervised employees are the difference between a good contractor experience or on-going headaches. Step 5: Discuss scheduling to make sure the work can be started and finished in a reasonable time frame. Step 6: Request a detailed proposal that points out any extra charges. Contractors face many unknowns in their job. Therefore extra charges are very common. When a contractor discovers that additional work is needed to complete the project properly, it is important to have a good understanding of the extra costs. Step 7: Check the contractor's insurance. Reputable contractors carry two types of insurance; liability and workers compensation. Liability insurance protects you from property damage and bodily injury. Workers Compensation covers the workers in case of injury for medical expenses and loss of wages. Step 8: Check references and ask how complaints are handled. Reputable contractors have a proven track record and will be pleased to show a list of past customers. Even the best contractors have a few problems, so it is important to ask how they handle customer complaints. Although there are no guarantees that your renovation will be problem free, a planned approach can help avoid most problems. Spending a few hours to pick a good contractor before the project starts means your job is mostly done. |
