Find a Contracter You Trust

Find A Contractor You Trust

When making home repairs, if you are doing the repairs yourself then you need a contractor you can trust to get the job done right. Here are a few tips to find the right contractor for the job.

Ask for referrals- Nothing is more of an indicator of the contractors level of work than his past work. Ask the contractor if he or she has any referrals or ask family and friends for recommendations.

Get a quote- In fact get a few of them.  This may sound silly and obvious but some contractors will give a quote for a home improvement project over the phone - sight unseen! Although this is frequently done with electricians and plumbers for work that is done frequently, a home improvement project is a different story.

Contact The Contractors References- If they provide you with references then they are probably people who were happy with the finished product, but you can still learn a lot from them. Why were they happy with the work? Did they come in under budget? What was the schedule like? Many people have lower standards than you and you might not take so lightly what didn't bother them at all.

Verify Their Insurance- Contractors should carry liability insurance to cover problems with any job they perform. It doesn't hurt to double check that their policy is up to date.  

These are just a few tips to insure that you are happy with your contractor and that you get what you pay for and what you expect.