Trying to find a home improvement contractor that’s great is not such a difficult task as some would expect. You might have heard some frightening stories about contractors ripping people off, or leaving their home in the right state, but these incidents are quite rare. To ensure that nothing like this happens to you, you should just follow a few common-sense steps, like the ones we’ll be detailing in this article.
Contractor Contract
Don’t allow a contractor to lift a single hammer on your project until you have a written and signed contract in place. This is one factor you can’t skip out on – especially with major renovations or improvement projects. Your contract will be your primary protection if problems or disagreements start taking place later in the process of completing the project. The contract should cover everything from the specific work to be done, the schedule for completing the work, the cost of the work, the materials that will be used, and even the schedule of payment for the project. Any information as far as warranties on labor or parts should be included in the contract as well. It’s really important that you have the name of your contractor as well as his or her physical address so make sure they are both included on the contract before you sign. Don’t sign a contract without having your attorney check it out for you.
Checking Records
Before you hire a contractor for any project, it’s a good idea to check to see if there are any complaints on record against him. One of the two most renowned spots to check someone out would be the Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau. A contractor’s history is important, but records provided by other people could be based on personal differences rather than professional quality. Just because someone has made a complaint does not mean that the issue was solely the fault of the contractor; decide for yourself. One case, perhaps, would be a homeowner who hires the contractor to perform certain functions, adds to the list, and then complains that the bill is more than was originally posed. So you have to look over any complaints and use your best judgment.
House Inspector
If you have an inspector come to your home and give an inspection, you will be ahead of the game by the time you hire a contractor. Although the inspection is usually done as you are having the house assessed for purchase; it will give you a much broader view of different things that might be of interest. The other reason it is a good idea that the inspector comes out is to possibly advise you on the most qualified builder for the job. There are many pluses for having the inspector visit; they will find all of the imperfections, may be caused by rot or even bugs.
There are numerous issues to think on when you are getting ready to start a home remodel job, particularly when you need to decide on a builder to take on the task. Choosing a competent contractor will be your responsibility. At that point, the contractor will take over and start making the improvements you want. This is the reason you need to be positive you find just the right individual for the job.
