Tips to Help Your Choose a Quality Home Remodeling Contractor

So, you are in the middle of searching for the perfect home improvement contractor to take on your renovation project.

With a variety of options, however, you are getting confused and feeling understandably overwhelmed. As you go through home model contractor reviews, they all appear to run together. That leaves you at a loss of who to choose for your renovation project. As you speak to individual contractors, there are some potential signs you may want to be on the lookout for that could signal a particular home remodeling contractor isn’t the correct one for your project.

Lack of References

Any reputable home improvement contractor should have a list of references. These should be readily available to offer you before you sign any type of construction agreement for your home project. You should be able to contact these homeowners and talk to other references who have hired the contractor for similar type of work in the past. This will provide you a better idea of what to expect when working with the contractor. So, a contractor who doesn’t have any references to provide you is probably a sign of somebody you want to avoid. They may not have any satisfactory or happy customers, or may not have enough experience.

Requesting Total Upfront Cost

Generally, you can expect to be asked to pay a portion of your remodeling project cost upfront. However, you should never have to pay in-full before your renovation project has even started. A home remodeling contractor who wants your project should allow you to put down a deposit. Then they will ask for the remaining payment over the course of the project or upon the successful completion of the project. In the construction agreement, make sure that the contractor has clearly outlined the payment schedule. That way, you are all on the same page regarding due payments and for how much.

Also, be careful of any contractor who asks you to make payments by cash only. You want to have a payment record and cash doesn’t allow for this. When paying via check or credit card, you will have a record of your payment. Only make checks on the behalf of a company name. A contractor who asks you to make a check out to him personally, may not be correctly set up as a legitimate business.

Inability to Obtain Permits

Any professional and reputable contractor will know the process of obtaining any vital building permits from your local municipality. If a home remodeling contractor asks you to get the permits for any reason, this should be seen as a red sign. Most likely, this contractor wants you to do the work because he or she isn’t licensed to get the permits as a contractor. This is the indication of a huge red flag. You shouldn’t get any permits, under any circumstances. You may require to sign the paperwork. However, that should be the extent of your involvement in the permit process.

Poor Overall Communication

Communication is very important when hiring a contractor, no matter what the size of the project. Your contractor should communicate with you through every single step of the process. Plus, they need to keep you well informed. Many times, you can easily get an idea of how effective communicator a home remodeling contractor is in your initial dealings with him or her. Just for example, does he or she respond quickly to calls or emails? Does he or she reply professionally to your inquiries? If not, then it might be time to look somewhere else.

An Impossibly Low Estimate

No homeowner wants to invest more than they require to when undergoing any home remodeling project. However, a contractor providing a significantly lower estimate than others is a potential red sign. He or she may cut corners, or may not include all the expenses involved in your project.

There is a lot to keep in mind when looking for the professional and perfect contractor for your home remodeling project. Take the stress and hassle out this process. You deserve to enjoy the improvement of your home. For a stress free and most rewarding home remodeling experience, ask us for a free no obligation quote today.