Tips For Choosing A Building Contractor
People find it more convenient to remodel their houses instead of shifting to a new house. And if you’re thinking of redoing your house, one of the first things you need to ensure is that you hire a contractor with utmost attention and care. What we usually tend to do is not pay too much attention to checking the details of the contractor and hire the one that charges you the least. This is the biggest mistake we do; we need to remember that the cheapest ones usually end up costing you the more. Here is your guide for choosing a building contractor that is both good and experienced:
- Know it yourself first: What you need to do before anything else is to know your needs well. If you’re vague, you leave room for the contractor’s discretion. And at the end the final product might not be of your satisfaction. Tell the contractor your exact needs and expectations to avoid any confusion.
- Check contractor’s past experience: Check if your contractor has a license first and check with people he/she has worked for before. Check your contractor’s reputation in the vicinity. If he’s reputed and reliable, he will give you the contact details of his past clients.
- Contact: You need to make sure that he/she gives you a mobile number you can contact him/her on and if possible. Having an office contact number in addition to cell phone number is also important. Try to hire a contractor through a company rather than a solo rider. In this case, there is company who can help you in case the contractor dupes you.
- Money matters: If he’s insisting on more than 50% as initial payment, then find another contractor. Make at least 2 bids with your contractor and settle on a price that is reasonable. Do not hire a contractor that asks for hard cash, he may be evading taxes and hence is not a reliable contractor.
- Quality: A contractor who is reliable will usually give you a list of the material required, with specifications instead of buying it himself/herself. Be warned of contractors who buy the material on their own, as they might compromise on quality but still charge you with a lot of money.
- Keep a track: If you’ve chosen the right building contractor, then you can be sure that he/she will stick to the scheduled payment as mentioned in the contract and not ask for money every now and then, erratically. And ask your contractor to provide you with an invoice for every payment you’ve made.
- Comfort: Hire a contractor you feel comfortable around because you are letting this person into your house. They will be in the house for more than a month, and thus they ought to be friendly and adjusting.
Investing time in choosing a building contractor is not the waste of time, it is one of the biggest investments that you can venture in for the good of your dream home.
