8 Important Steps in Selecting a Good Contractor
Assessing the value of a home improvement project and your satisfaction level involve these factors:
- Scope of the work included
- Quality of materials
- Quality of installation
- Hassle-free experience
- Project meets client’s expectations
- Performed on time
- Performed properly the first time
- Clean-up
- Honouring warranties
Selecting the right contractor is the critical step toward achieving a high satisfaction rating, as a professional contractor will consistently meet or exceed all of the above requirements. The following steps will assist you in accepting or rejecting potential contractors for any home improvement project.
Step 1
Begin the process by selecting contractors referred by someone you trust. Also look for contractors consistently working in your neighbourhood because their livelihood depends upon your referral.
Step 2
Schedule an appointment with each contractor and plan to spend one hour to interview them. Home improvements are long term investments, so the time spent up front can save hours of aggravation and thousands of dollars in additional costs 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 certifications, licenses and employee training documents. Impressive show rooms and slick sale presentations are no guarantee of good workmanship. Systematic training, installation and supervision are the difference between a good contractor experience and on-going headaches.
Step 5
Discuss scheduling to make sure the work can be started and finished in a reasonable time frame. Many contractors sign up more work than they can manage, causing the quality to suffer.
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. Five million dollars is recommended. Workers Compensation covers the workers in case of injury for medical expenses and loss of wages. Insurance is expensive and many contractors let their policies lapse, so phone the insurance agencies to verify the contractor's policies. Also, many contractors sub-contract their labour. Therefore it is important to verify the sub-contractor's workers compensation policy. Without proper insurance the financial responsibility falls on the homeowner.
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.