Finding Good Home Remodeling Contractors

Finding good home remodeling contractors can be difficult. First, it is important to understand the role of the general contractors. They are responsible for organizing the job into a smooth-running schedule. They hire subcontractors, and have the direct contractual link to them.

This means they are responsible to pay these subcontractors for their work. Home remodeling contractors oversee the work and insure that it is done properly. If anything is wrong, the general contractors are ultimately responsible.

Some folks feel they should be their own general contractor and save some money. I strongly recommend against it. Especially if you have a day job. Good general contractors earn their money.

If your project consists of updating a room, it might be a good idea because you will only have 3 trades or less to hire and coordinate. Again, if you’re renovating your kitchen, you can handle everything through a kitchen designer (who is effectively acting as the general contractor). Other than that, forget it – it’s a bad idea (unless you work in the construction industry).

Let’s take as an example, a bathroom renovation that you want to do on your own. There are at least 5 trades involved (carpenter – who hopefully will also handle the removals and disposing of debris; plumber; electrician; tile man; and painter).

Do you have the time to get competitive bids from 2 or 3 companies in each of those trades? Do you know which subs are likely to do a good job and which aren’t? Can you then evaluate the bids?

When the work is being done, can you tell if they are using the right materials and doing the work properly? Do you know the proper sequence of work? Should you look for home remodeling contractors?

“Professional” home remodeling contractors will have an established track record as well as a client list. They are capable of any type of remodeling project, regardless of size.

They will act as the project manager, creating the work as it is shown on the plans and specifications you provide through your architect. Typically, they do not have a design background, and will not make recommendations relative to the “look” of the job.

There is such a thing as a “design-build” contractor. This is not very common, but if you find one you like, having both functions under one roof can save you time and money. They will manage the job from start to finish. What you give up is the aspect of “checks and balances” which comes from having the architect check the contractor’s work.

Here are 2 DON’Ts you should take seriously. DON’T use a friend; and DON’T have the work done on a T & M (time and material) basis. Here’s a story that helps to make both points.

The best way to find competent home remodeling contractors is by word of mouth. Friends, family, neighbors, anyone you know who has had a good construction company that they will recommend to you. Don’t consider this as a referral unless it was made with exceptional enthusiasm.

When you make contact with prospects, let the prospective home remodeling contractors give you three names of satisfied customers. If you still need more names in order to have 3, go to www.angie’slist.com or www.servicemagic.com, and get other qualified contractors in your area.

I know. There are dozens of websites that find contractor’s for you. I like these guys the best because they are serious about the pre-qualification of contractors, and because they are available (with live people) if you have questions.

Okay, you have a list. You sit by the phone with a pad and pencil (or pen) ready to jot down answers to your questions. Pay attention to how the phone is answered – by a person or a machine; promptly or not; if you left a message, did someone call you back within 24 hours? You want to deal with people that are easy to reach.

Here are two easy steps to finding good home remodeling contractors.

PRE-QUALIFY YOUR HOME REMODELING CONTRACTORS

Once you’re actually talking to someone, you should ask for the person who does the estimating. This is usually an owner or decision maker, and someone who can answer your questions. Always speak explicityly and honestly about your expectations.

Introduce yourself and let him or her know that your job involves…(describe the work). Ask if they’re interested in receiving drawings and submitting a price. If the answer is no, it’s “thank you very much” and hang up.

If it’s yes, say “do you mind answering a few questions about your company?”

How long have you been in business?

Can you give me three references I can call?

Do you choose your subcontractors strictly based on price, or do you like to use the same people as often as possible? (The latter is better).

Is there a job you’re doing now that I can drive by to look at without disturbing anyone?

Have you heard of my architect – give name? If so, how do you like working with him?

Are you licensed? Are you insured? (These answers can be checked in the public record or your town.

Do you include getting permits, inspections and sign-offs? (They should)

How long are you booked? Can you start my job within the next month?

Will you give a firm work schedule as part of your proposal?

How do you like to get paid, and when?

Will you issue lien waivers with your requests for payments?

Make columns for each contractor next to the questions and write the answers below the names of the contractors. When you’re all done, you’ll have a good basis for comparison in order to determine your short list.

There are certain things that are definite no-no’s. You should stay away from any home remodeling contractors who say:

We only take cash.

Their first up-front payment is more than 20%.

They expect you to get permits.

Start and finish dates are not firm.

They don’t use formal contracts or agreements.

They are not insured, or not licensed in your area?

CHECK THE REFERRALS

Now it’s time to check the references. MAKE THE CALLS. “Hi, my name is______________ and I’m considering hiring___________________ for an upcoming renovation. He gave us your name as a reference. Would you mind spending a minute to tell us about your experience with him?”

(Same deal – pad – columns – ready to write answers next to the questions).

Was the supervisor in the field an owner or employee?

Was he there all the time, or part time?

What was his name? (Get first and last – there might be 2 Johns working there).

Did he have occasion to make any problem-solving suggestions? Tell me about them.

Did they protect the unaffected parts of the house from dust?

Did the home remodeling contractors clean up after themselves daily? (Piled up construction debris is not only unsightly, it’s a safety hazard.).

Did they store materials out of the way?

Did you ever see beer bottles or any sign of alcoholic beverages on the job?

Did they start and finish when they said they would?

You’ve been extremely helpful. Thank you very much for your time.

If the person answering seemed excited and overly complimentary of the supervisor or the company, note it. The person handling the job in the field is very important. It’s worth waiting for the right guy. This might be a negotiating issue later.

When you’re finished with those calls you should be developing a pretty good idea about who you can trust and who you prefer to work with. Hopefully, you still have a minimum of 3 names on your list.

Another step you can take to qualify contractors is to see if they are affiliated with the Better Business Bureau, and your local office of Consumer Affairs. This will add (hopefully) to the credibility of a contractor and let you know if he’s involved in any law suits.

The next step is to get proposals from your competing home remodeling contractors. Make sure they all bid on the exact same scope of work - as shown on the architect's drawings.

Now it’s time to award the job. Remember the call you made where you identified a really great field supervisor? Ask for that person. He’ll probably be on another job. Ask how long before he’s free. If it will be less than a month, I would wait for him.

He’s a VERY important guy. In the event that he is unavailable, tell the owner that you want him (the owner) to ensure that the job will be run as well as if “Joe” was here every day. Stipulate what you expect.

Good luck with your project. It should go well when you get good home remodeling contractors. Any questions or comments, contact me about home remodeling contractors here.

If you're planning a large renovation, or building a new home, think about getting your hands on HOW TO CONTROL YOUR REMODELING PROJECT. It will save you time, money, and aggravation. You can learn more about it by clicking here.

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