I remember my family’s first remodel. My parents purchased an older home and there were 5 of us (mom, dad, 2 sisters and myself) living in a 3-bedroom 1 bathroom house with a semi-finished basement. My youngest sister was getting older, and my parents decided that rather than move, they’ll finish the basement to have another 2 bedrooms and full bathroom. Through a recommendation from a family friend, they met with a contractor and discussed their vision (very simple, in their mind) and a price that they could afford. Note, this was prior to internet and researching contractors would have been very laborious.
In a couple weeks work started in the basement. The work crew came into our house everyday for 4 weeks. They were very nice and friendly to our family. They completed the job on time and my parents were happy with the product. My older sister and I moved downstairs and shared the new bathroom. There were no more fights about someone always in the bathroom. We now had 2 options and we were able to fully utilize the space in our home.
My parents were lucky because the referral from a family friend worked out for all parties involved.
Not everyone has a friend who knows and trusts a contractor. For those of you in the early stages of choosing the right contractor, these simple steps can mean the difference between complete confidence and sleepless nights.
- Ask for Referrals
Similar to my parents, word of mouth-hands down, is the best way to find a qualified professional to tackle the job. You should ask relatives, co-workers, friends and neighbors if they ever used a contractor and would be willing to recommend anyone for your project. Follow up that question with what made it a positive experience, how the contractor handled problems and whether he or she would use the same contractor again.
- Look at Credentials
We are very fortunate to live in a era were the internet makes it easier to find out more information about the contractors you have short listed. Do some research, whether it’s with a phone call or a visit to the contractor’s website. Find out if they are licensed, bonded and insured.
- Interview Candidates
Nest step is set up meetings. Try to keep it to three contractors, you don’t want to waste anyone’s time. Get a feel how the contractor answers questions, and if you are both on the same page when it comes down to communication. Always have good questions on hand. Ask the same questions to each of the contractors and compare their answers after the meetings.
- Check References
Look at the contractors’ projects, then ask for references and call contractors’ former customers. Politely ask how the contractors did at executing the projects. Were they on time and on budget? Were the customers pleased with the outcome? Was there anything that could have been done differently?
Remember that when you’re hiring a remodeler, you are buying a service and not a product. Quality of service will determine the quality of the finished project.
- Get It in Writing
After you have selected a contractor, look at the prepared documents. Make sure the legal agreement includes the following:
- a bid price and payment schedule
- specifics about the scope of work
- the site plan
- a sequential schedule of primary construction tasks
- a change-order clause
- a written procedural list for close-out
- an express limited warranty
- a clause about dispute resolution
- a waiver of lien, which would prevent subcontractors and suppliers from putting a lien on a house should their invoices go unpaid by the contractor
If everything checks out, you can sign on the dotted line with confidence.