5 Things You Should Look for When Choosing A Contractor

Unfortunately, over the years I’ve heard too many horror stories from customers to remember them all. Some of the worst ones involved the customer paying everything up front and the contractor showing up for 30 minutes and then leaving to never be heard from again. I’ve also heard of contractors continually asking for money during a project yet dragging the project on for months and months because he didn’t pay his workers. Another familiar story is guys that quote one price to get the job, knowingly not including everything, then jack up the price once they start working. It was hearing these stories that became one of the deciding factors to drive me to start my own company. I’m one of those people that saw a problem and wanted to provide a real solution, I knew that I could do better. The reality is, #1.) I can’t help everybody, and #2.) Not everyone can be helped! Some people can have all the information, all the resources, and yet still refuse to learn. So, I’m writing this in an attempt, to arm you with the information you need to make a good choice. This doesn’t 100% guarantee a good experience, but it should hopefully weed out the truly bad contractors that are out there. These 5 Things You Should Look for When Choosing A Contractor will break the contractors that are visiting your house for quotes, into one of two groups. I call group 1 – the Average Joe’s (no offense to Joe) and group 2 – a professional remodeling company.

The Average Joe VS a Professional Remodeling Company

Don’t trust just any Average Joe with your most valuable asset!  Finding a quality contractor to remodel your dream kitchen or dream bathroom isn’t like going grocery shopping.  You can’t just pick up the equivalent Target brand and truly expect that everything will be fine. There’s way more to it than that and way more at stake. Here’s how to know if you’re just dealing with an Average Joe or a real professional.

The Introduction – Most of the time, an Average Joe won’t even show up on time to the quoting appointment! Time = Respect. If they don’t respect your time how can you trust them to respect your home? Sometimes your gut tells you all you need to know. Are they knowledgeable? Or do their statements seem more like questions? Do they ask questions and listen to what you are saying? Do they articulate details of the project to help you understand what is required to accomplish your goals? Or do they just say, “Yep, I can do that.” A professional will answer most of your questions before you even have to ask them. An Average Joe will try to avoid questions, and leave you wondering what exactly was included in the quote he had given. 

Proper Licensing and Insurance – The Average Joe most likely doesn’t have proper licensing and insurance; this leaves the homeowner liable for any damage to the home along with being legally responsible for any workers or even nosy neighbors injured on the property. Be sure to check license and insurance before hiring anyone to do work on your home! In Texas, electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians are all required to be licensed by the state.

Contract – Any legitimate contractor knows that a contract is important for both himself and the homeowner alike. A professional company will put it in writing; an Average Joe will just tell you. Contracts should include a detailed description of work to be done, permits, a payment plan, and estimated start date. If the Average Joe isn’t willing to put the work in writing he isn’t the best choice for your home improvement project! There’s usually a reason the Average Joe likes to keep things verbal, and it is never for your benefit.  If a contractor will cut corners during the quoting process, what makes you think they won’t cut corners when the project begins?

Pricing – “You pay peanuts, you get MONKEYS!” 

Sayings become sayings for a reason, and it’s because, more often than not, they hold true. Here are a couple of my favorites. I’ll start the saying and let you finish. 

“If it sounds too good to be true…”, 

“You GET what you…”,

“Good work ain’t cheap and cheap work ain’t…”,

“If you think its expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire…” 

The bottom line is, your home is your biggest investment. Don’t waste your hard-earned money devaluing it by having unskilled and unqualified amateurs work on it. If you can’t afford a professional at the moment, then save yourself a potential headache and wait until you can. In the long run you will be glad you did. Just because you can get a cheaper bid doesn’t mean you should go with it.

Proven Track Record – Finally, check their website, Facebook or other social media. Look for reviews, background information, and ask for referrals! If they can’t give you a few referrals, there could be a reason!