If you are looking to remodel your home to add more space, enhance its aesthetic appeal or make it more comfortable, you will need to hire the services of a reputable contractor. With the right contractor, you can be sure that the job is in the right hands, and expect that it will be completed according to plan and with the least hassle.
An incomplete project can render your home uninhabitable at the worst, or make it an eyesore at the least; leaving you to shoulder the additional cost of completing the project or correcting any mistakes. This is exactly why you need to hire a home improvement contractor that can deliver upon their promise with regard to quality results in time and within the quoted budget.
Here’s a list of tips you can follow to ensure that you have all the information you need to hire a reputable professional.
Ascertain The Business’s Location And Period Of Existence
A reputable home improvement contractor must have a fixed office location, period. Otherwise, they can take off midway through the project, or after doing a shoddy job. This leaves you in a position where you have nowhere to turn when it comes to making a complaint or claim for a refund of the money paid to them.
Before hiring a contractor, take the time to ascertain the location of their office, and visit them to make sure that it actually exists. Furthermore, find out whether the contractor has been in business for a reasonable period, with established roots in the local community. This indicates that they are here to stay.
Contact The Local Builder’s Associations
While at the contractor’s offices find out whether they are properly licensed or bonded, as per the laws in the state you are in. To find out if your state requires licensing, contact the local builder’s association. If you can get a visual confirmation of the license, the better, so that you can confirm that it’s still current.
Furthermore, be sure to find out whether the contractor under consideration carries the necessary liability and worker’s compensation insurance. Check these documents to ascertain the scope of cover provided as well as their validity.
Reach Out To The Local Consumer Protection Office
The local consumer protection office is the best place for home owners to find out whether any official complaints have been lodged against a given home improvement contractor in the area. You can also check for complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
Remember that every business may have one or two complaints against them; however, a huge number of complaints should act as a red flag.
Ask For References And Contact Them
Ask the businesses under consideration to provide you with some references of some of their past clients; the projects involved should be similar to your current project. Take the time to contact, and where possible visit, these references and ask them about the contractor’s conduct.
Ask Close Friends Or Family Members
If you have a close friend, or family member who has had recent dealings with the contractor you are looking to hire, you can find out more about their reputation from them.
Check Online Reviews
When researching the reputation of a home improvement contractor, consider checking third party online review websites in addition to the contractors’ websites.
With the above tips in mind, you will be in a better position to make the right hire as you can find out everything you need to ascertain their reputation.
