Planning a home improvement project? Read our tips for hiring contractors!

Owning an older home is often a great investment opportunity – they’re often more affordable than newer homes and you can remodel them to achieve the home you want and add considerable value. These projects are usually too big to take on as a DIY job, so homeowners have to call in contractors, which can feel pretty intimidating. After all, there are plenty of horror stories to be found! Here’s some great advice to help you find a contractor that’s reliable, trustworthy and offers good value for money.

Do interviews with different companies

It’s a good rule of thumb to speak to at least three different contractors before you make your choice. Most of us have limited experience with these services and it’s a good way to get familiar with the offerings from different companies, how they cost out their estimates, and their particular approach to your project. In addition to looking for local companies in your area, get word-of-mouth recommendations and speak to local friends and neighbors who have personally worked with contractors they had a good experience with. It’s worth it to ask to see the work in person, so you can also judge for yourself.

Face-to-face meetings with the contractors you are considering are essential – this is your home that they are working on, you have to feel comfortable with the person you choose and be able to build a good working relationship with them.

Check their credentials

When interviewing contractors, ask about their credentials and take the time to research what they mean. Some contractors belong to national trade organizations that hold their members to a strict code of professional conduct – for example, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the Building Industry Association (BIA) or Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR). While these aren’t an outright guarantee of quality, they are an indicator that a contractor has met certain requirements. You can also contact the organization to make further enquiries.

Always choose a contractor who is licensed, bonded and insured

This is one piece of advice that can’t be emphasized enough. A contractor needs to be licensed in your state to ensure that the contractor has the legal right to perform this work on your home. Being bonded is often a requirement for this license, but not always. When a contractor is bonded, it means that you as a property owner are protected in the event that the contractor fails to finish the job as required. The contractor should also have the appropriate insurance in place to cover any injuries on the worksite, damage to property or legal expenses in the event of low-quality work. A licensed, bonded and insured contractor demonstrates that they operate legally, are dependable, financially stable and that their clients are properly protected.

Look at value, not just cost

As homeowners, it’s easy to look only at the bottom line when it comes to evaluating quotes, but the fact is that the cheapest contractor isn’t always best. Always get detailed quotes that break down the different costs properly so you know how much you’re paying for materials, labor and so forth so you can see where your money is being spent. There can be troubling reasons for a low-cost quote – the contractor may be using low-quality materials, mis-quoting on the labor needed, or may be operating without a license or insurance. While cost is an important factor, be sure to evaluate the contractor as a whole to ensure that they are up to the task. Sometimes paying a little more is more than worth it, as a botched home improvement project can cost much, much more to fix.

Get it all down in writing

Once you’ve chosen a contractor that you’re happy with, get the terms of the quote written down into a legally binding contract. Remember, your quote is just a quote and unscrupulous contractors often create a low-cost quote to get the job and then the costs skyrocket after the work begins. A signed contract should include all the details of the project – from the payment schedule and the process required for making changes to the project terms, to timeframes and materials. The contract gives you legal recourse in the event of anything going wrong and should be signed by both you and the contractor. This document protects the contractor as much as it does you, so they should be happy to have a professional contract drawn up.

Be flexible within reason

Very few construction projects go exactly to plan, so build a little flexibility into your expectations. Poor weather conditions or a delay on a supplier’s side can quickly slow down progress, and these are understandable delays. Your contractor should keep you informed of any bumps in the road as well as their plan to deal with them. However, there are some delays that you should not accept, especially if your contractor keeps delaying your project to work on other jobs (without prior consent by you), adding charges that you don’t expect or look suspicious, or unprofessional behavior. When it comes to working with contractors, trust is essential.

Insurance

One last tip, before you start your home improvement project, reevaluate your home insurance needs, both during and after the renovations. This is very important since most home insurance policies require you to insure your home for at least 80 percent of its replacement value and one in four remodeling projects increases the value of a home by more than 25 percent. Therefore, it’s always important to review your policy to make sure you have enough coverage.

When it comes to home improvement projects, you want a contractor who offers quality that will last years to come and a result that adds real value to your home, so take your time through this important process and find a great local contractor. We wish you all the best with your search and enjoying your newly remodeled home!