Whether you’re planning to do a full-scale renovation or just need some help with a few small projects, finding the right contractor for your project can make all the difference.
It’s important to find a contractor who fits your budget and personality. These 5 tips will help you choose the best contractor for your home renovation.
1. Get Referrals
One of the best ways to find the right contractor for your renovation is to ask for referrals. This is because referrals are the quickest and easiest way to get new business, and once you have a satisfied customer that trusts you enough to pass on your name to a friend, then your job of selling your service becomes much easier.
In the past, referrals were often made through word of mouth or over the phone. But these days, these referrals can be much faster thanks to social media and online review websites.
Another important reason to ask for referrals is that they can give you a clear picture of the kind of quality you’re likely to get from the contractor. In fact, 88 percent of consumers believe an online review is as trustworthy as a personal recommendation from a family member or friend.
Getting referrals is also an easy way to weed out the contractors that may not be as good as they claim to be. Whether you’re looking for a plumber or a general contractor, having referrals from other homeowners can help you determine who is the most reliable.
It’s important to remember that a lot of the people who are willing to refer your business do so without being asked for it. That’s why it’s important to ask for them and treat them with respect.
Once you have a list of customers who are willing to give you referrals, make sure to communicate regularly with them. This can be through email, postcards or even a simple phone call. Keeping in touch with them will ensure that they are aware of any changes or improvements you have made to your business. It can also help you find out if they have any friends or family members who are in need of a reliable home improvement professional.
2. Check Online Reviews
Online reviews are a great way to learn about a company’s performance and customer satisfaction. They can help you find a contractor who is right for you, but it’s important to remember that they don’t tell the whole story.
In addition to reviews, you should also check a contractor’s BBB profile and request a list of references. This will give you a better idea of their work ethic and how reliable they are.
You should also consider whether the contractor has experience with your specific renovation project. For example, if you are remodeling an entire home, you may want to choose a contractor with experience in wood-frame homes versus concrete-block homes.
Similarly, if you are only renovating one room, you may want to choose a contractor who has experience with interior design. A good remodeler will be able to help you find the best materials for your renovation.
Once you have a list of references, call them to ask about their experience with the contractor. You should get a sense of how long it took the contractor to complete the job, how the entire process went and if they would recommend them to others.
The last thing you want to do is hire a contractor that has a lot of negative or ambivalent reviews. These reviews can be a huge red flag, especially since they will be posted on the internet.
If you’re unsure about which website to check, consider Angi, an online service that provides customers with a place to search for professionals like plumbers, roofers and handymen. Angi vets all submitted reviews, publishes only reviews that the contractor actually hired and doesn’t publish reviews that are untruthful or misleading.
3. Get Bids
If you’re planning a renovation, it’s a good idea to get bids from several contractors. This will give you a better sense of the cost of your project and flag outliers that may seem high or low.
Getting bids isn’t always easy, however. Creating a bid requires estimating materials, labor and other costs. Luckily, many homeowners are using construction estimating software to reduce the guesswork involved in creating a bid.
To best compare bids, ask each contractor to provide a breakdown of their estimate on paper. Typically materials make up about 40% of the total cost, and another 40 percent covers labor and other expenses. The rest of the budget is usually used for profit margins.
You should also ask each contractor to provide a payment schedule for your project. This will tell you how financially stable they are and their work ethic. For large projects, a payment schedule usually starts with 10 percent at contract signing and then three payments of 25 percent over the course of the project.
It’s important to find a contractor with a solid track record. You should be able to look over their portfolio and check with former clients for feedback.
In addition, you should interview the contractor’s team and subcontractors. This will give you an idea of their management style and whether they take responsibility for subcontractors if problems arise during your project.
Choosing the right contractor for your renovation can be a stressful experience, but it’s an important one. By following these 5 tips, you can ensure that you choose the right contractor for your home remodeling project.
4. Interview Contractors
It’s important to find a contractor that’s the right fit for you. You’ll want someone who listens well, can communicate clearly and who is committed to finishing your project as you want it done.
To do that, you’ll need to interview several contractors. These interviews are a great way to determine which ones are compatible with your needs.
During these interviews, you’ll ask the contractor questions about their experience with remodeling and construction. You’ll also want to discuss the scope of the work you need. Zhoosh can handle an entire building renovation project if that’s what you’re looking for specifically.
Do they have the right equipment, tools and skills to complete your project? Have they completed previous similar projects?
You should ask the contractor to provide photos of past projects and references from satisfied customers. This will give you a better idea of their abilities and how well they work with others.
In addition to a background check, you should also check out a contractor’s business history and public records. This includes whether they’ve ever filed for bankruptcy or operated under a different name.
Finally, you should also check whether they have any lawsuits or mechanics liens on their records. If they have, you’ll need to do more research to understand what went wrong and how the contractor responded to it.
After evaluating all of this information, you should have a good idea of which contractors are the right fit for you and your renovation. This will help you make a decision about which one to hire and avoid potential problems during the renovation process.
5. Make the Right Decision
Choosing the right contractor for your renovation is one of the most important decisions you will make as a homeowner. Hiring the wrong person can lead to delays, subpar work and even legal issues. Fortunately, there are several tips that you can use to choose the best remodeling contractor for your project.
Before you make a decision, gather at least three estimates from reputable contractors to get an idea of what the project will cost. Be sure to ask each contractor what their experience is, how long they have been in business and whether they are licensed and insured.
Another important factor is whether the contractor has worked on projects similar to yours before. If the contractor hasn’t done a home renovation before, they may not know the ins and outs of your particular project, which could result in mistakes or poor quality.
The right contractor should be able to provide references from previous clients who were happy with their work. The clients should be able to provide details about how they were treated, whether they were satisfied with the overall design of their project and how the contractor completed the project on time.
Also, you should be able to get answers to questions about how they work and what their communication style is. During the course of a renovation, you’ll be working closely with your contractor, so it’s important that you feel comfortable talking to them about important details.
Once you have your list of prospective contractors, be sure to meet with them in person to ensure that they are a good fit for your project. This will help you determine which contractor is the best choice for you and your family’s needs.