If you want to find a contractor, your search can be as short or as long as you choose. For those homeowners who don’t want to spend a lot of time researching, they can pick someone at random from the phone book. Of course, this is not the best idea. The phone book carries no guarantees as to quality and completeness. You don’t have to find someone to remodel your kitchen as a full-time job, but you do have to be willing to put in the effort. After all, a home improvement project is only as good as its results. Here are three essential tips to help you make a good choice.
License and insurance
Before you find a contractor, you should make sure that, at a minimum, they are operating within the limits of local laws. Someone handy with a hammer can’t just call themselves a contracting company one day. There are strict local, state, and federal laws regarding what a company needs to be able to take on jobs of this size. These laws include obtaining the proper licenses, obtaining the necessary liability insurance, and posting a bond to cover them financially in the event of a damage dispute with a landlord. Make sure these basics are covered.
References and References
If you want to find a contractor you can trust, the best place to start is with personal recommendations and references. If you can’t find them from people you know, look for reviews online. This is a relatively new avenue for homeowners to find someone who can work on their home. Nothing speaks as loud or as truthfully as word of mouth advertising. That’s why it’s such a prized component of any company’s reputation. Just as important, you need to make sure that anyone you’re thinking of hiring can provide at least three references in the form of previous clients.
Longevity
At best, you want to find a contractor who has been doing business in your area for a long time. What is a long time? It depends. There is certainly some room for personal interpretation. Generally speaking though, you should prefer to hire someone who has been in the business for twenty years rather than someone who just opened a store a couple of years ago. All things being equal, longevity should certainly win. A new business isn’t automatically a red flag, but you’ll need to be even more thorough when it comes to researching its reputation.