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A good contractor is worth every dollar bill you pay, a bad contractor will burn two or three times that many dollars and leave you with a bitter taste.
There are several reasons good contractors make good incomes. They work hard over many years to acquire a wide set of useful skills. Good contractors almost always start at the bottom and work their way up as they gain experience. Of course, it also takes a liberal dose of humanity. Skill and integrity are the two essential ingredients. Your job is to discover if both of those qualities exist in the person you want to hire. The way you do that is by contacting references (past customers) and by talking to the person. It helps if they were referred by someone you know or have confidence in. Get them to tell you about their own workmen. It is a legitimate question since these people will be in your home. How they refer to their own workers is a good way to measure their respect for others. Don't expect them to run their people down even if they have trouble with that person. It's a subtle thing. The kind of contractor you need is out there, in fact, most contractors are reputable and skilled. Your job is to identify the one's who might give you trouble. Take your time. Interview them by asking for estimates on you job. Ask for references. Hiring a contractor is an expensive proposition and this is no time to be shy. On the other hand, automatic, unfounded suspicion will poison any business relationship at the outset. Your attitude is just as important as that of the contractor. But good contractors aren't sensitive about providing names and phone numbers for satisfied former clients. They know that referrals are the lifeblood of their business. Once you have them, check them. Prepare a list of questions about the size and complexity of the previous project. Ask about the initial budget and schedule and whether they were met. It sounds intrusive, but most people will share that information gladly. Write the questions down and refer to your list, write notes from their answers, let them know you are serious about the information you are seeking. Those references are usually willing to share their experiences. They know that a good contractor is golden. They should know it's in their interest to see that contractor succeed. That way, the next time they need those services he (or she, many are female these days) will still be in business. You're perfectly free to take risks, just know what is at risk. You're not required (at least for some projects) to hire a licensed contractor. Some unlicensed contractors are skilled and reliable professionals who simply prefer to do business 'under the radar'. But the odds can be against you in that case. It is up to you to investigate the references in even more detail. Just do your duty in researching the person. Ask for the license number and use it, along with the business and contractor's names to check the Better Business Bureau and other local business groups. Check with city and state agencies to see if there are any complaints or actions pending. Most contractors are honest and some of those still find themselves subject to legal action. Clients, too, can be dishonest and ask for something they've no right to. Get any details you can. Many details in pending actions are kept confidential by law. Interview the contractor as you would any employee. But remember to treat them as the skilled professional they are. Ask about previous work. Get details about size of the job, length, budget, etc. Room remodeling is a much smaller job than a room addition. Deck additions are also simpler than an addition when it's an 8 ft x 10 ft, 10 inch high attached deck on the rear of the house. Eight foot high decks constructed in a backyard with a steep hill are an order of magnitude harder. Specifics determine the cost in every job. Above all, you have to judge a most difficult subject: character. Look for straight answers to straight questions. Look for someone who looks you in the eye. Watch for complaining or excuses about why the last job didn't go well or why his workers let him down. Honest, competent professionals accept responsibility for all phases of the job - and the outcome. Luckily for you, most contractors are like that. |