If you're considering a remodeling project for your home, chances are you're going to need a contractor. Here are six things to keep in mind before hiring a professional to help.
1. Know what you want Before you make any phone calls, make sure you have a clear picture of what you want to remodel and what you'd like the outcome to be. Even if it's not crystal clear, a vision or sample images you can show a contractor will help immensely in getting an accurate estimate. A contractor who can bring ideas to the table are great, but make sure you get an estimate on what you're looking for so you can make 'apples to apples' comparisons. 2. Ask your friends and family Good remodeling contractors typically generate a lot of positive recommendations. Ask your friends, family, neighbors and other people you trust if they have ever worked with a contractor that they liked. Asking not only helps you narrow down your list for who to contact but also who to avoid. Knowing who does, and doesn’t, do a good job is a key part of how to choose a contractor for your home remodel. 3. Look for online reviews Online reviews can be very helpful. If you seek these out, you'll get a broad range of experiences customers have had with the contractors you're researching. Keep in mind every contractor will have good reviews and bad reviews. Treat these like a bell curve, throwing out the best and the worst. But, look for the average and look for any themes... Is customer service a persistent concern? Did the contractor regularly go over budget? Were timelines an issue? Also, look at how complaints were handled. Did the contractor work to resolve the issues at hand? 4. Speak with multiple contractors Always get multiple bids on your project. Even if you love the first plan you get, stopping there means you’ll never know if the estimate you received offers good value. Home remodeling contractors may charge different rates because they may have different specialties, so getting multiple bids is a good idea. Be sure to ask if they work on projects of your size, and what their availability is for your desired timeline. 5. Check references References, such as current customers and subcontractors, can help you learn about the quality of the work. Current customers can share personal experiences and subcontractors can provide red flags, such as not paying on time or cutting corners by using less than stellar materials. You can also check to see if any complaints are registered with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board. 6. Seek well-defined bids To best compare estimates, ask each contractor to provide details about the costs for labor, materials and any other related expenses. Once you have an estimate you like, start the negotiation process. Make sure the contract is detailed and that you’re comfortable with it before the project starts. Once work begins, communication is the key to a happy and successful remodel. At Fort Rock Construction, we take great pride in our honest, straightforward approach to contract bids. We may not always be the lowest bid, but you can trust that we've included everything from start to finish so you're not hit with surprises later on. Give us a call today to schedule a consult, and we'll prepare a no-obligation quote. 541-767-1611
7 Comments
12/6/2018 07:42:12 am
I appreciate how you said that it's important to check references supplied by the contractor because they will be honest with the kind of work that they do. My husband and I are thinking of remodeling our home, adding on two extra bedrooms, but we want to make sure that the new design is synonymous with the structure of our current home. We'll have to find a remodeling contractor that can provide references of their work so we can be sure we'll get quality service and be satisfied with the final product of our home.
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3/21/2019 03:39:11 pm
I like how you said to know what you want before you hire a remodeling contractor. My father has been wanting to renovate his house to raise its value. It would be good for him to know what he wants and hire a professional.
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4/10/2019 10:37:44 am
I like how you said that talking to references about contractors can help you learn about the quality of their work, and talking to subcontractors can help identify any red flags. My husband and I want to find a good commercial contractor because we just bought an old office building that will need quite a bit of work. I'm glad I read your article because it gave me new ideas about how to verify the quality of the contractor we choose.
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I like the tip that you gave to choose a remodeling contractor who has positive online reviews. My wife and I have been talking about finding a contractor to help us remodel our bathroom, and it would be important for us to know that we could find one who we would be able to trust in. If we choose to find a contractor, I will be sure to look for one who has positive reviews.
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4/30/2019 08:48:50 am
My husband and I want to remodel our kitchen, and your article had some great tips for choosing someone like this. I liked how you said to get multiple bids from different contractors before committing to one so we get the best deal we can fine. Thanks; we'll keep this in mind when choosing a remodeling contractor.
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4/30/2019 11:59:54 am
Thanks for explaining that checking online reviews will provide us with a broad range of experiences from past customers. My husband and I just bought an old fixer-upper home and want to find a renovation contractor to help with the remodeling. I'm glad I read your article because now I can see how using online resources will yield valuable insight into potential contractors.
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5/14/2019 08:38:27 am
In my opinion, I think knowing what I want would help me find the best remodeling contractor for my vision. Thanks for suggesting that I should ask friends and family about who I should hire as well. I'll still take a look at online reviews so that I can have a good idea of how they are as workers for different projects.
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