Picking a remodeler can be a scary process. Depending on the project, this person could be in your home for weeks or months, a part of your everyday life. You don’t want to make the wrong choice and end up being one of those horror stories of a remodel-gone-wrong on the local news.
Don’t get me wrong – I’ve met plenty of great remodelers over the years, but here are some tips to help you make sure you don’t pick the wrong one.
1. Make sure the contractor is properly insured and licensed. Ask your contractor about liability and workers’ compensation insurance. If someone is injured at your home while an uninsured remodeler is working on it, you could potentially be liable. Most (but not all) states also now require licenses for any professional remodeler. If that applies in your area, be sure to work with a properly licensed one. Otherwise, you’ll find they have trouble getting the necessary permits and insurance.
2. Check out references. Tell a contractor you want to speak with their past five clients. This ensures that you’re not just getting their hand-picked best customers. Also ask for financial references, especially if you’re undertaking a larger project like an addition or other major remodel. More than ever in this economic climate, you want your remodeler to be financially sound. There’s nothing worse than a remodeler who goes out of business in the middle of a big project.
3. Avoid anyone who offers you a “today-only” deal. Some remodelers don’t want you to hear this because it’s a big part of their selling strategy, but don’t fall for it. It’s just a hard-sell tactic to get you to sign right away without considering all of your options.
4. Ask about warranty. A remodeler should guarantee his work for a year at the very least. Most good remodelers offer an even longer warranty and will stand by their work for years beyond that expiration. Home products are very resilient. If a contractor won’t offer you at least a one-year warranty for most types of projects, you probably want to avoid them.
5. Low price isn’t always best. We all want to save money, but there’s usually a reason the low bidder is the low bidder. A common trick is to leave certain things off of the estimate, such as disposal or clean-up charges, then tack them on later as change orders. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples. That said, sometimes they really can deliver the same thing at a lower price. In that case, go for it!
Jonathan Sweet is Senior Editor of Professional Remodeler magazine and HousingZone.com. He’s covered the construction industry for the last decade and writes regularly on The Sweet Spot Remodeling Blog and on Twitter @SweetEdit.
