Choosing a Home Improvement Contractor

When choosing a contractor for your home improvement project, following a few steps can help give you confidence knowing you made the right choice.

Start with Recommendations Social media and word of mouth is a great way to find a qualified professionals. Ask relatives, friends and neighbors who they have used. Find out what made the services a good experience and if they would use the same company for their next project.

Look at Credentials Ensure you visit the contractor's website. Make sure they are state licensed and carry liability insurance.

Ask the Contractor Questions

Narrow down your list to no more than three contractors and setup a meeting with them. Ask your questions and see how they respond. How a contractor answers your questions is extremely important. Make sure to pay attention to the type of questions they ask as well. This will let you know if they are really listening to your needs and desires. See if they

maintain an office, website, e-mail address, office phone number, cell phone and voicemail.

Check References References are very important. They will really let you know what it’s like to work with the contractor. The company website should show some of the contractors' projects and testimonials. Request references from the contractor and see if you can contact previous customers. Ask how the contractor performed. See if they were they on time and on budget. Was the customers pleased with the outcome? Would they hire the contractor again?

Get It in Writing Make sure you get a signed contract that list the scope of work and what you expect from the contractor.

Following these few steps will help you make sure you enjoy your home improvement process.