Questions to ask a contractor for home repairs

[dvcfamily41801]

I have to call someone to come out and give us an estimate on our backroom and possibly a kitchen remodel. I am scared to death having seen so many TV shows and reading articles on contractors starting jobs and not finishing. My DH and I are very trusting and have been burned in the past. What kind of questions should I ask when the contractor comes out for the estimate. I know:

Insurance
References
Warranty

I did check the BBB and did not find anything on the company (they were listed, but I didn't see any complaints) should I check out anything else?

Thank you

 

[ladydancer]

We are in the drywall business and have been for 30+ years. With that being said....we have been called out to finish jobs others have started and didn't finish. The problem is once someone else starts a job most contractors don't want to touch it.

Every time this has happened it is usually, someone just starting out in business. There is alot of reasons I can come up with as to why this is. I'm not saying everyone who is just starting out is a crook.

So my advice would be try to get someone who has been in business at least 5 years. Usually company's if they don't take care of there customers don't stay in business long. You can only get away with cheating people for so long.

It's not uncommon to give a deposit but it should just be a couple hundred to let the contractor know you are serious with the contract. It is not uncommon to be asked for some more money when the material is delivered. To cover the material cost. Remember you don't know them but they don't know if they can trust you either.

Call your local building supply company. I don't mean Home Depot. I mean a company that sells to contractors. Home Depot is for homeowners. They know who they sell there materials too and can recommend someone. Tell them you want someone they have been selling materials to for years.

Hope this helps.

 

[jimmytammy]

I am a contractor and a partner in my fathers business. I have been doing this for 20+years and he has been in this business since 1955.

The BBB is an OK for reliability but they have so many businesses to follow up on it is easy for some to slip through the cracks. I would go to local banks also and mention 2 or 3 contractors. You probably wont hear anything bad about any but when one gets a very good encouraging yes, that is a good sign.

Also agree with above poster on checking with local building suppliers. They too will be careful on answers. Word of mouth by others is most encouraging. It is what has kept our business strong.

If they want half up front, dont mess with them. As for insurance, have them fax from their insurance co. latest info. If they are legit they will have no problem in doing this. Dont just take their word for it.

Good luck

 

[auntpolly]

Ask your friends and neighbors. Ask people who have painted for you or repaired your roof and done a good job. I never use anyone that I don't have at least of couple of references from people I know personally. When we painted our house, for example, I talked to all the people in our neighborhood who had recently had it done. They told me plenty! And I made a good choice!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We built an inlaw addition and thankfully had an excellent experience. We got several estimates (all pretty high, and higher than what the architect estimated). I then had a workman come out as a subcontractor for my local floor store when I was putting a new floor in my own home. He did such a nice job - cleaned up his mess impeccibly and was very polite - that I asked him for his # for future reference (small projects I thought). Turned out he did a lot of buildings and additions but in the slow "offseason" (this was in the 90's, I don't think there is an offseason anymore) he did small jobs. So I got an estimate from him for our addition and his price was better than all the others (and more in line with the architect's estimate). I was a little nervous (because of the price and the fact he hadn't been recommended to me) so I went to several homes he'd either renovated or built onto (he lives in my town). The people he'd worked for couldn't say enough good things about him so we went ahead and he did a wonderful job for us, too. Turns out the reason his price was low was that he only had one other workman with him (I made sure he would be using the same high quality building materials called for in the plans so "cheap materials" didn't factor into the price). I think this caused the project to take longer than it otherwise would have, but both of them were perfectionists and it didn't really impact our lives in a major way so we didn't mind.

My research yielded the following tips:
1) Make sure the contractor has insurance but also any subcontracors, too - ask to see all policies or call their companies to verify their policies.
2) Call your own insurance company and make sure your own policy reflects the value your new addition will have on your home even before you start work so you don't forget.
3) I believe in the value an architect provides if your project is at all complex. Ours was as we had to get a permit for the apartment and all requirements had to be met from the town. We were within inches in some spots but thanks to our architect there were no problems. It also helps, as in our case, to know if you're getting a fair price.
4) Customary, I think, is to pay in three installments: 1/3 for deposit; 1/3 halfway through; 1/3 when completed to your satisfaction.

Find a good website on how to hire a contractor and do your research beforehand. One of the estimates we got was from a "friend" but we chose not to use him and am glad we did not. One, his price was too high but also if there had been a problem it might have cost us the friendship.

Good luck with your project.