How to Find a Trustworthy Home Remodeling Contractor
- 1). Start making a list. Not every good home remodeling contractor is great at advertising, and not every great advertiser is a good home remodeling contractor. But if you're new to hiring a home remodeling contractor, seek those who have an established reputation and recommendations. Further down the road, perhaps you can help a new guy get his start with a smaller project, but until you feel more at home with working with these people, seek the experienced. One place to start is with a friend or acquaintance in the real estate business - either an agent or an investor. These people have to hire trustworthy home remodeling contractors in your area regularly. Another more obvious way to start looking is putting out the word to co-workers and friends who've had remodeling done, or ask people who frequent the recreational senior center who have had to hire a home remodeling contractor. These people are often targets for rip-off artists, and when they find a good one, they remember. Also check your Yellow Pages, local classifieds, local newspaper space ads, Craigslist, search "home remodeling contractor" or the specific work you need (such as "plumber) online and type in your city along with the search, and look for bulletin boards at home building supply and hardware stores.
- 2). Think twice before adding close friends and family to your list. While this can work out, if you already have a professional home remodeling contractor in your family, you're probably not reading this article. If you hear that a cousin is good with tile and really needs some extra cash now, or get approached by your sister who'd like to repaint the kitchen and she'll even give you a discount on labor charges, you'll have to live with the work for a very long time, if not the rest of your life, you'll have to pay for it whether the work was good or not. You can't fire this type of home remodeling contractor. It can ruin family relations permanently, as well as cost you a lot of money and time to fix or replace their work. It can be far better for family dynamics to get together for give-aways only (we'll all come over and help you paint your house - no charge -- and you can help us babysit) rather than trying to mix finances with a family member.
- 3). Check your list. Now that you have a list, start using other people and entities to check them out to see which one will end up being your chosen home remodeling contractor. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if anyone has complained. Check their references by asking not only was the final project done well, but did the home remodeling contractor show up on time and clean up afterwards. Some contractors will bounce from job to job (they have to in order to make ends meet), but don't bother to coordinate with you, suddenly letting you know they'll finish your half-way done bathroom after another job and after they take a Christmas vacation (and after all your holiday guests have already gone home). And, check with AngiesList.com for honest reports on home remodeling contractors in your area. This site refuses anonymous reports, making sure the home remodeling contractor's competition or mother aren't sending in false reports - good or bad. Then, check your state's government site to see if they have a way to check up on the contractor's license. You don't want someone with a fake license, no license, or just a business license. If a home remodeling contractor doesn't have a license, then leaves your project incomplete, sometimes no other licensed contractor will finish it for you, or must legally start over, charging you for work from the start.
- 4). Do your own detective work. Once you've narrowed down your list to a good possibility or two for your home remodeling contractor, complete your check-up by asking for their contractor's license yourself if you couldn't find it online, written proof that they have their own insurance up to date, then read over the contract to make sure the home remodeling contractor will properly get permits for remodeling, will clean up afterwards, and that payment will be in increments as portions of the job are completed. The only upfront payment should be for materials after the home remodeling contractor has been thoroughly checked out, with a possible 15% upfront payment when he/she first shows up for the job.
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