The most important decision you’ll make during the renovation or home-building process is which contractor you choose to hire.
This decision can be as difficult as it is important. Choose the wrong contractor, and your project could be delayed and poorly executed. The work may even have to be redone entirely. Choose the right contractor, and ideally the work will be finished on time and done right, the first time. But how are you supposed to know how good a contractor is before they’ve even started working for you?
The following tips will help you find a contractor who can do the job right.
- Don’t Stop After the First Interview
You might feel the urge to end your search immediately if your first interview goes well, but don’t give in to that temptation.
See multiple contractors and give yourself multiple bids to choose from. The first contractor might seem like a good option, but the second or third contractor that walks in the door might be just as skilled and even more affordable. There’s no way to know if you don’t look.
A good rule of thumb is to check out at least three contractors before you choose one.
- Go Local
If you’re choosing between a contractor who works for a local company and one who works for someplace like Home Depot and all other factors are equal, go for the one from the local company. Companies that are more involved with the local community are more likely to go above and beyond for their local customers (that’s you!).
- Make Sure They Are Licensed and Insured
Licenses confirm that a contractor can actually do what they say they can do (from both a practical and legal perspective), and proof of insurance gives you the peace of mind of knowing you won’t be financially responsible if some scaffolding falls on neighbor’s new Porsche.
- Get Everything in Writing
Before the contractor starts working, you want to get everything in writing first so that there are no misunderstandings in the middle of the project, and there is documented evidence of your agreement and expectations should a lawsuit become necessary.
- Pick A Contractor Experienced in What You Want to Do
Just because a contractor has a lot of experience doesn’t mean they have a lot of experience in the specific project that you’re working on. Make sure that they have that specific experience.
- Take a Look at Work Samples
Of course, contractors are biased. They want the job. If you ask them how skilled they are in the kind of project you need them to do, many of them will reply “very” even if that’s not an entirely true answer.
So get proof. Ask to see images of projects they’ve completed in the past and judge their work yourself. If they’re not able or willing to provide examples of previous projects they’ve worked on, that’s a huge red flag and you should move on to another option.
If you have any questions about choosing a contractor, or you are having issues with a contractor you’ve already hired, contact the Florida Construction Law Group today and let’s talk!
