How do you establish the quality of a home improvement contractor?

Similar Questions: establish quality home improvement contractor Recent Questions About: establish quality home improvement contractor.

A number of things My husband is a general contractor/builder. I help run the company. I can tell you there are some great contractors out there.

There are also some totally unqualified, nefarious scam artists. Be your own advocate and protect yourself as a consumer. There are a few things you MUST do to make sure you are getting a decent contractor.

1. For any bids, make sure you get the contractor's license number and classification. This should be lumped together and can be verified with the state.

Classification will indicate what size (dollar amount) job your contractor is licensed to take on. This is based upon qualification, insurance, assets, and financial stability. 2.

Ask all contractors providing bids to provide you with a list of references including jobs completed in the past year. Call them all and ask candid questions about how long the contractor took, did he come in on budget or hit people up with extra costs, etc. When doing this, bear in mind that a percentage of add ons should be anticipated and acceptable if people upgrade things like fixtures, tile, etc. 3. Call the Better Business Bureau and check to see if there have been any complaints registered about your bidding contractors.

4. Get at least 4 bids. Toss the lowest and the highest.

5. When you sign a contract, make sure there is a clear breakdown of when payments are expected and what amounts. For example, we do a large number at start to purchase materials, then percentages after framing, electrical and plumbing, mechanical, insulation and drywall, flooring, fixtures, paint, completion.

6. Make sure removal of debris is built into the contract and the cost. Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, let me know .

A person who can answer questions and give references you may contact, is a good place to start. Pictures aren't enough. My father was a contractor for 50 years.

Here is a simple plan he recommended people use: A lot of contractors advertise profusely, and offer pictures of their work. "Pretty" does not necessarily mean you have a quality job. This is also true as to the number of homes the person has done.

Example: I have a friend who bought a 700.000 dollar home. It has cherry woodwork, faux finishes, Marble floor/Hardwood floors, granite counters. Absolutely stunning to look at.

This home is now 3 years old. The windows in the garage have rotted, And other windows have been rendered useless. They also have a master bathroom shower that has leaked since it was installed.

Your best bet , is to ask lots of questions initially, of previous customers. Ask for a list of other jobs, and listen to the folks as to their level of satisfaction. A good contractor will NOT be offended.

Also ask if you do have a problem, what is their policy to remedy the situation. If you decide on that person, get it in writing. NEVER pay in full until the "punch list" is complete!

(Punch List: List of last minute fixes that need to be done by your contractor) If you do, even good contractors tend to be slow in taking care of those at times. I hope this helps.

Get referrals and interview at least 3 contractors. Here is a form you can use to evaluate contractors. Instructions: Use this form as a guide to gather information on 3 service providers for an upcoming project.

Compare their answers to help you select the best contractor for your job. Project Description: General Information Name of business Store number/location Name of representative Phone Fax Mobile Email Web site Address About the Firm Licensed? Types and license numbers?

Insured and bonded? How much, and what does insurance cover? Number of years in business?

Number of years at same address? Number of employees? Any registered complaints?

BBB Member? Full service firm or specialty firm? Services offered?

Do you use subcontractors? Guarantee or warranty on work? Accept credit cards?

My Project Has the firm done similar projects to mine in the past year? Most common problems with this type of project? Who will perform the work?

What is their experience? Who will be the supervisor or point of contact? What is their experience?

When can the firm start my project? How many hours should this project take? How many days or weeks should I expect my project to take?

Can the firm finish my project on schedule? Payment structure – Hourly rate plus materials, or project? Who pays for cost or time overruns?

Estimated cost or bid? Is it binding? References 1st Reference 2nd Reference 3rd Reference Comments Additional comments Before Making Your Decision: Get at least 3 bids Check the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) Visit each firms' show room and/or Web site Check the license status for each firm Check references—ask other homeowners about their experiences with this contractor Sources: (c) Homeminders 2007 .

Here's how to establish quality Ask for his licensure, bonding, and three references from recent projects. You can also check a service like "Angie's List" for reviews. Sources: opinion .

Ask for references. Ask them to give you contacts for some of their customers so you can get an idea of how they liked their work. Of course they are only going to give you their happy customers for a reference.

I would call local general contractors or other trades: plumbers, electricians etc. to see what they think of the home improvement contractors rep. Your local home builders can recommend the best and most trustworthy trades to help you with your remodel. If you live in Washington I might be able to help you.

Finding previous customers willing to refer the contractor is a great idea. Unfortunately, that can be quite limiting and cumbersome. Taking the place of "offline word of mouth," to a large extent today, is "online word of mouth.

"Websites like Angie's List and HomeStars contain real and detailed comments from other homeowners who may have used these specific contractors. They can help greatly in your research. Com.

" "Need recommendation for memory improvement exercises. " "What town did Tim live in the tv show home improvement" "Home improvement question - Circuit breaker boxes" "Home Improvement, Electrical Quesiton - I have 8 recessed can lights in my kitchen. " "home improvement loans or grants for low to moderate income families?

" "What tools are a must have for home improvement? " "Home improvement question 3: Should I get a metal roof installed? " "Is there a 'Home Improvement' topic on Askville?

" "Where can I buy aluminum studs...saw a home improvement show that used these as art rails to showcase art.

Need recommendation for memory improvement exercises.

What town did Tim live in the tv show home improvement.

Home improvement question - Circuit breaker boxes.

Home Improvement, Electrical Quesiton - I have 8 recessed can lights in my kitchen.

Where can I buy aluminum studs...saw a home improvement show that used these as art rails to showcase art.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.