Choosing a building contractor can be hard, confusing work. Especially if you have got budget constraints and stringy deadlines. With all these hurdles, it would make sense to narrow down and consider factors for a contractor checklist that can help you in hiring a contractor.
To make this process easier for you, we have constructed a list of 7 important factors for you to consider when hiring a contractor for your building projects.
Table of Contents
Prompt Delivery
Expenses might quickly add up due to delays. As a result, one cannot extend the timeframe to meet your needs. When you consider hiring a contractor, the contractor gives you an estimated start and finish date, they better be able to stick to it. Examine their policies and assurances thoroughly.
Ask them about their previous successes and failures. Have any of their other clients expressed frustration over late deliveries or other delays? Do they guarantee that they will arrive on time? In that case, it’s likely that they’re used to working under pressure and can complete tasks on time.
Most people can work under pressure, but a prompt delivery while also working under pressure is a major factor when hiring a contractor.
Recommendation
The trust of clients is crucial to the success of any contractor. You may have faith in your contractor’s honesty and dependability if they have built that reputation on the backs of high-caliber results and satisfied clients. Google and Angie’s List reviews are two more useful online resources to look for reputations of contractors under scrutiny for your next building project.
Be sure to check their references before hiring a contractor. A trustworthy contractor will be eager to provide you with references.
Communication
Throughout the course of construction, decisions must be taken and details must be confirmed, all while adhering to a strict schedule. It is crucial that the contractor and the client keep an open line of communication during the whole project.
When hiring a contractor, choose one who can be reached easily and is ready to address any of your issues. And once you have chosen them, the communication should remain the same.
To ensure transparent communication during the hiring process and after choosing them, you can record calls to avoid miscommunication.
You can research and download phone call recorder app and install one like a Call Recorder for iPhone for this very purpose. This is a handy tool that can assist you greatly in keeping track of minute details and going back for them in case of miscommunication etc.
Verify Their Credentials
Verify the contractor’s credentials by looking into their insurance and bonding. Get a certificate of insurance (COI) from the contractor, which should detail the insurer, policy number, and coverage limitations of the contractor’s insurance.
If you have questions about your policy’s coverage or whether or not it is still active, you can call your insurance provider for answers. Call Recorder for iPhone can come handy here as well for you to keep a solid track of important details.
Do not hire a contractor if you discover they lack the necessary insurance. You could be held responsible for any injuries that occur on your property if the contractor is not insured.
Work Quality
In construction, perfectionists are a plus, especially when hiring a contractor. Look at some of the company’s previous work, chat to some of their previous clients, and read up on their website. Reviewing finished products is the most accurate method of gauging performance.
Do the extra legwork of research to solidify your chosen contractor to avoid issues down the line. If contractors have low quality work under their name in the past, then it will show up somewhere with the right dedicated research.
Customer Service
The success of the project depends on how happy you are with the way it was handled and the result. When hiring a contractor, the right one will be the one that values its clients more than anything else.
Make sure they pay attention, take your concerns seriously, and follow through on their assurances. Their eagerness towards their job will reflect in how good and secure of a customer service they have.
Don’t Rush Your Decision
The best way to make a decision is to weigh various offers. Don’t feel like you have to make a decision right away, especially when it comes to signing a contract.
Be wary of transactions that need a sizable advance payment. All contracts and estimates should be reviewed thoroughly, including the fine print. If you need emergency repairs but don’t have time to do extensive research, ask around to see if anyone you know has used a reputable emergency services contractor in the past.
You should also find out if your contractor uses a client satisfaction rating service. All in all, pre-work when hiring a contractor is an important task. But when done rightly, it will save you from headaches down the line.
