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| Seek referrals from your friends, family,
neighbors and co-workerswho have had remodeling work done. You might also ask at the lumberyards and local building
material supply outlets for a list of reliable contractors. Check with your local Remodelors Council or Homebuilders Association for the names of remodeler members. Membership in the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Remodelors Council indicates a remodeler's commitment to professionalism, customer service and quality construction. The NAHB also has certification programs such as the Certified Graduate Remodelor (CGR) and the CAPS (Certified Aging In Place Specialist) that can further help consumers to identify the top individuals and companies. Investigate the reputation and experience of the company by asking for references. Oftentimes companies will simply start over under a new name once they have complaints or law suits, so if they have only been in business a short period of time, find out what they did previously and check all references. Make sure that they have successfully completed projects similar to what you are requesting them to do. Just because they completed a beautiful bathroom remodel for someone doesn''t mean that they are capable of handling your second story addition. Check with the state licensing agency and local building inspectors to verify that they have the appropriate license (if required) and a clean record. Check with your local or state consumer protection agency or Better Business Bureau to find out if any complaints have been filed against the company or individual which are unresolved. Don't compare apples to oranges - when evaluating bids from contractors make sure they are based on identical project specifications. Request copies of insurance certificates to verify that he or she carries workers compensation and contractors liability insurance that protects you from claims arising from property damage or job site injuries. |
Be wary of a contractor who asks for
a full payment before the job has begun. A payment schedule should be part of your written agreement and may be
tied to benchmarks such as starting or completing various phases of the job. Make sure your contractor pulls all required permits and followsthrough with inspections. When this is done you will have the inspectors making sure things are done to code. Also some homeowner insurance policies require pulling a permit on any major remodeling to keep your home properly covered. Don't base your decision on price alone. The old axioms, "You get what you pay for" and "If it seems to good to be true, it probably is" both ring true. The lure of an incredibly low price will usually lead to disappointment. Consumers need to realize that professional quality work is not cheap. Many factors other than price need to be considered before a decision is made on who will be chosen to do your project. Don't be in a hurry and trust your intuition. You should never feel pressured into making a decision about which contractor you will use. If you ever feel that a contractor or salesperson is pressuring you, let them know you are not about to make a hasty decision and are not comfortable being pressured. High pressure usually leads to bad decisions. Avoid contractors who go door to door, saying they "just happened to be in your neighborhood" or who offers you a discounted price that is "good for today only" or who says your home will be used for a model or that you will receive an "advertising discount". These are almost always scams. If your gut feeling is that something is not right then trust those feelings. Ethical, professional remodeling contractors are as anxious to rid the home improvement industry of the bad apples as the consumers are. Educating the consumer on the remodeling process as well as educating the remodeling contractors on how best to serve the consumer are both important factors in improving the home improvement industry. Stricter regulations for remodeling contractors such as mandatory insurance, more stringent license testing and continuing educational requirements along with tougher laws to protect against home repair fraud will help rid the home improvement industry of the unethical and/or incompetent "bad apples" and make it a better world for both consumers and contractors. |
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