You have heard the home remodeling contractor horror stories, and now you are facing a home renovation and want to ensure that your story won’t be added to the pile. But, where do you start? Who can you trust? We have come up with our top 5 tips to help you choose a reliable and dependable contractor for your next home renovation project.
1. Check for a License
When looking for a contractor, you should make sure they are licensed. This means that the contractor has met state mandated qualifications and will be properly insured to work on your home. If you’re planning on selling in the future, unlicensed contractors won’t show up as having worked at your house when buyers do their due diligence because of this license requirement.
2. Ask for References
If you ask for a list of references and a contractor doesn’t have any or is unwilling to share, run! You want your remodeling contractor to have successfully completed previous projects and have a list of previous clients ready to share their *positive* experience. Why? Because past performance is a great display or future performance. You should also be prepared to ask any references questions as well, such as how well the contractor communicated and if the job stayed on schedule.
3. Ask about Deposit and Payment Schedule
Knowing what you will pay and when you will pay at the outset of the project is helpful to knowing they won’t just take your money and run. A reliable contractor will never ask you to pay the entire amount upfront. Instead, you can ask for a payment schedule to pay at certain milestones in the process. Also, while a down payment is a reasonable expectation from a contractor but asking the project to be paid in full before it’s done comes off suspicious. One might think that a deposit is just for the contractor, but it’s really more of an investment in their business. Not only does it ensure them you’re committed to going through with your order and committing time on our schedule, they’ll also be able to provide materials without having any out-of-pocket costs.
4. Is the Work Guaranteed?
If you’re looking for a contractor, it’s important to find someone reputable who will stand by their work. A standard warranty lasts one year from substantial completion of the project and the materials may have a longer warranty as well. Houston Services provides a 1-year warranty on the workmanship and after 1 year, they can help the customer file a warranty claim on the materials if needed, but the manufacturer then takes over from there.
5. Do they have a cancellation policy?
Cancelling a contract can be tricky, especially if you are unsure of what the fine print says. Be sure to look for any fees that might incur on either party and how they will handle your deposit in case things go south.
Bonus Tip: When getting quotes for services from various contractors, you don’t need to get more than 2 or 3 bids. It is rare that the prices will change much from company to company as good contractors will be using similar products and their price points stay pretty much in the same ball park.
Contact Houston for Your Next Home Remodel Project
Finding the right contractor is no easy task. You will need to find someone you can trust, who has experience in your industry and needs for your project. They should also be able to provide references from previous customers before they sign on with you or do any work that could affect both of our futures as equal partners.
With our experience, attention to detail, and dedication to delivering exceptional services, we guarantee our customers are satisfied. If you’re interested in getting a free estimate from Houston Remodel Service on your next home remodel or repair, then call us at (402) 507-0092 or send us an email.