Rensselaer Remodeling Contractors
As
anyone who has any experience working with
Rensselaer remodeling contractors
will tell you, finding the RIGHT contractor for your project entails much more
than just finding the lowest price. Less tangible items like your ability to
communicate and feel comfortable working with your contractor will inevitably
prove to be much more important in determining your eventual satisfaction with
the job – particularly if it’s a large project.
Here are a couple of tips on finding the right contractor for your home
improvement project:
Ask for references
Talk to homeowners this contractor has done work for in the past. Were they
satisfied with the work? Was the work finished? Did the contractor keep to the
agreed-upon schedule? Did the contractor return phone calls?
Get two or three specific written bids
Different remodeling contractors in New York can vary widely on
pricing and level of detail even when bidding for the same job. Make sure and
get several estimates on your home remodeling project, especially if it’s a
large project. As much as possible, make sure that you explain the job fully to
each of the contractors to ensure each one bids on the same exact job so that
you can compare the estimates ‘apple-to-apple’.
Don’t automatically accept the lowest bid
The old saying “you get what you pay for” applies here. A higher bid may be
worth the price in better materials, workmanship and reliability. A large number
of complaints filed against contractors are the result of homeowner taking the
lowest bid and then being unhappy with the low quality of work. Even when the
contractor promises to do the same job, be careful – often contractors will bid
a job extremely aggressively in order to get it. When the work takes longer than
originally planned, the contractor can feel ‘squeezed’ by the budget and try and
cut corners.
Make sure your contractor is properly licensed
A license is not an endorsement of the quality of work. It provides some
financial protection for you, the customer.
Make sure your contractor is properly insured
Ask your contractor for a copy of his proof of liability insurance and bonding
or the name and number of his/her insurance agent to call and verify proof of
coverage.
Most importantly…Do you trust this person to work on your home?
When it comes down to it, the most important thing to check is your own gut
feeling. How do you feel about this contractor working on what is probably your
single largest investment – your home? Do you trust this person inside your
home? Around your children? Can you communicate well with this person about the
project? Are they ‘in tune’ to your needs? If you are looking for a Rensselaer remodeling contractor, please call us today at 518-432-9298 or complete our online request form.
|