10 Tips to Hire a Quality Contractor
Midwest Basement Systems is helping the home owners of Des Moines, Waterloo, West Des Moines, Ames, Urbandale, Fort Dodge, Cedar Falls, Ankeny, Marshalltown and nearby in Iowa by pointing out a few helpful tips for hiring a contractor.
10 Tips to Keep in Mind When Hiring a Contractor
1  Have a plan. Know what you want to accomplish before you call anyone. Remember that you are in charge.
2  Get more than one opinion. Talk to more than just one contractor, and go with the one that you feel most comfortable entrusting your home to.
3  Have a budget in mind. Don’t be afraid to readjust your budget. If you are not familiar with the industry, you may not have a good basis for your budget. Your budget should not reflect what you can afford to spend; the last thing you want is to get a lesser job done because your budget is limited. You may be better off not doing anything. Research the kind of work you are interested in doing, and know your options.
4  Pick a good contractor. Don’t be afraid to change your mind after doing some research. Can you find your contractor? How much are you willing to pay someone you can’t even find? Check the BBB, get referrals, and check them out online. Will there be subcontractors being used, and will you get lien waivers? How long have they been around? Can you verify that the company has insurance, workers comp, and general liability?
5  Check out the products being used. Check out the materials being used. Remember you have to live with your decision, not your contractor.
6  Be very thorough on the contract. Remember if it is not on the contract it is not getting done. No work should be started without a contract. What happens if there are changes? You should have a clear understanding of payment, warranty, permit acquires, clean up and debris removal, and start and completion date before any work is done. Unforeseen things should be addressed too. Get a good diagram of what is being done. Don't make assumptions.
7  Be careful with deposits. You may never see that money again. Some industries require deposits, like special order windows. If there are no special order materials, then why give a deposit? Can that company afford to do the job? Beware of scams.
8  How many jobs does the company have going at one time?  There is nothing more frustrating than having a company start your job and then leave for a week while they use your deposit money to go finish someone else’s job. How long before they are going out of business? Don’t get caught up in struggling companies.
9  Get the work done. Review the work with a foreman; ask questions as work is getting done. If conflicts arise this would be the time to deal with them. Take photos as the job is being done. Keep your proof and good records, make sure to talk to the contractor if you have concerns.
10  Report on the results. If the experience was bad, try to resolve it with the company first. If you can’t do that, and you have given proper time, take action. If they did a great job, let them know and tell everyone; that company deserves an endorsement from you.