Tips on Choosing Remodeling Contractors

A remodeling job, depending on what part of the home it is in and how big a job it is can be costly and time consuming. You will be spending a lot of time with your contractor so you will want to trust him do be on schedule and using the best material for your money. 

Locally Owned

Homeowners who sign with a locally owned contractor find they are more satisfied than if they sign with a national contractor. The main reason is because a locally owned business will have more to loose if something were to go wrong. A national company would go on and not care as much about a single job in a town they are not from or do that much business in to begin with. Contractors who live and work locally will be available more of the time and will want to please their customers because they will most likely see them out and about town.

Read the Fine Print

Many homeowners will sign a contract with the lowest bid to save money, but they may not realize that the lowest bid does not include everything they want or it is based on low-cost materials. The fine print could also say that the homeowner is responsible for things such as trash and debris removal or a restocking fee if something doesn't fit or work properly. Reading the fine print on a contract will help a homeowner receive the best price for what he wants on his remodeling job.

Insurance

It is not enough for a contractor to say he has insurance, ask to see the certificate of insurance as proof. All reputable contactors will carry insurance on their business and their employees. An insured contractor will be safeguarding himself, his employees and his customers against unforeseen accidents and any other problems that could arise.

References

Ask potential contractors for references from former jobs they have completed. Contractors who are honest and trustworthy will have a list of jobs they have completed and their homeowners that are willing to talk to new customers about their remodeling experiences. Ask the references if they were on time to the job everyday, if they were polite and if they are pleased with the overall job. You could also ask if there was anything the homeowner could change about the contractor, what it would be and why. This would give the homeowner who is considering hiring the contractor a pretty good idea of the skills and level of competence the contractor has.