3 Steps To Find The Right Contractor

Posted on Monday, January 23rd, 2012

If you are shopping around for a contractor and comparing bids, take note. A common tactic contractors employ for getting work is to bid low and charge later. If you don’t want to get caught up in a scheme, you can look take the following steps:

1) Eliminate the lowest bid.

Comparison shopping is a great way to find the right contractor for your needs. The problem is that people become tempted to go with the lowest bidder since it matches their budget. Home renovations can be more expensive than homeowners expect. Online calculators and rough estimates aren’t complex enough to take in all of the factors that go into completing a job. If you have an idea of what you want to spend and three contractors are above that amount, raise your expectations. You should consider what you might lose by going with the cheapest job.

2) Never buy with only one estimate.

Sometimes, people get pressured into signing on the spot. They think, “These estimates take a good amount of time and are kind of a pain. Maybe it would be easier to just sign the paper and be done with it.” If you don’t care about how much you spend or a job well done, than go right ahead. But if you want to find the highest value contractor, you need to take the time. Call up different contractors and ask for free estimates.

Estimates shouldn’t cost you anything and they should never come over the phone. For an accurate estimate, contractors need to come and inspect the job so they can assess the materials and time that will be required.

3) Read the fine print.

The fine print is where contractors can tip the scales in their favor. There are some things that homeowners are responsible for doing before contractors show up. Cleaning, moving furniture, and other preparations are normally the responsibility of the homeowner. If these tasks aren’t done, the contractor will do it for you and charge for the service. If you change your mind in the middle of a job, you should expect to pay an increased amount.

Before you sign anything you need to understand what your responsibilities are and what the consequences will be if you don’t follow through. The same applies for the contractor. You need to understand their obligations and consequences. If you don’t know these details, you can be signing away your whole house and you wouldn’t even know it.

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