Choosing Your Contractor
This is a subject that has been discussed over and over, but still homeowners often regret the choices they make!
I have had the pleasure of meeting hundreds of great folks in the 25 years I have been in business. They all want wonderful projects done with the highest quality workmanship and materials. The challenge in this mindset is cost, in the Washington/Maryland metro area there are hundreds of contractors eager to earn a client’s business. Being a licensed contractor does not automatically mean that a company does fabulous work. There are companies that sell projects with little or no mark up and work for wages. This presents well to a client since the promise of great results seems like a “great deal” when compared to professional companies. The sad truth is that the client is either inundated with add-ons almost immediately, or the contractor realizes he is losing money and does inferior work as fast as possible so he can move on.
The best advice I can offer is to do your due diligence. There are a couple of things I suggest to all of my clients when we are in the early stages of project development.
1. Meet at least 3 -4 different licensed companies. In these meetings ask questions about scheduling, communication and add-ons. Make a note, did they return your initial inquiry within 24 hrs.? Did they arrive on time for the initial visit? Did they deliver the pricing/quote in a timely fashion?
If any of these answers are no, consider this in your decisions. I see the 1st visit as a chance to begin to immediately make a professional impression and build the connection needed to see a project through successfully.
2. Is there a proposal that is really high or really low? If a project is priced comparatively, the pricing should not vary much. If you have two quotes around 20k and one is 28k or 14k please beware. This could be an indication of either price gouging or someone that is working for wages.
I will say that there are some companies that charge more as their business model, perhaps they have been around for 30+ yrs. and have a large office with multiple locations and many employees. There is nothing wrong with choosing this type of company if you check references and see a project they have completed.
3. Ask for 2-3 past clients contact info. Email or call the clients and ask about their experience with the company. Did they stick to the schedule? how was the communication? Did they keep the site clean and free of debris?
It is a big decision to remodel your home and choosing the right contractor is a big part of the process. Experience and knowledge play a big role from the very beginning of the process, find the person that understands the building process and is familiar with local building codes. Ask lots of questions. The bottom line is that you are entering a relationship and will sign a contract with this person, it is so important to have a good line of communication and trust in each other from the very beginning.
The last comment I will make is remodeling your home is not an HGTV episode. There is a ton of important work that has to go on to ensure a successful project, pricing varies all over the country, but I can assure you that the pricing presented on TV is not very accurate.
Find and experienced contractor that you can trust, and consider that the cost to have a professional project completed that makes you happy for years requires a company that offers competitive pricing, it is often not the one that offers the lowest price.
Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions!
Good Luck!