7 Great Tips for Choosing A Contractor

7 Great Tips For Choosing A Contractor provided by Florida Roofing and Renovations. Regardless of the reason, many homeowners are opting to stay in their existing homes and renovate. And during the fall, or as the holidays approach, it is actually a good time to consider remodeling your home. Because many homeowners want to wait till after the year or during the summer months. However, the truth is that homeowners often choose to wait until the aforementioned time of year, so new work slows down for the contractor and suppliers during or leading up to the holidays.

And that is why those times can be better for choosing a remodel project, because contractors are slow and suppliers need to move materials, so both the contractor and the supplier lower their prices. An example would be roofing slowing down due to homeowners’ desire to put up Christmas lights on the front of their house or roof. In this post, 7 great tips for choosing a contractor are provided to help ensure you make the best choice in selecting the right contractor.

What You Will Learn in Looking For the Choosing the Right Contractor

I’d like you to please discover key questions to ask and what to look for when selecting a contractor, such as licensing, insurance, written estimates, cleanup plans, and safeguards against weather and property damage. These are essential questions to know.

7 Great Tips For Choosing A Contractor

1. Get Recommendations – Renovating your home is no small investment. Ask for recommendations from your friends, family, or neighbors. Check if they are members of the BBB or your local Chamber of Commerce. Check Google reviews to determine if they are legitimate, as buying and posting false reviews is both illegal and unethical. If the company is just starting out and has over 1000 reviews, that is a red flag. Many homeowners never leave reviews, even when the contractor has done an excellent job. A company that posts many reviews, as though every job they do results in a positive review, is another red flag.  
2. Check Their Insurances – Don’t just accept the statement “licensed and insured”. This phrase is outdated and lacks meaning. They might have minimal coverage or workers’ compensation for just one employee. Always ask for their proof of insurance. Reputable companies will have what is called ‘one million over two million’. Many contractors only carry the minimum, which can be 250 thousand. More than likely, your property is worth more than that. A contractor with good insurance to protect your property will proudly state it, rather than simply stating “licensed and insured”.
3. Are They Properly Licensed – You should also verify that the contractor has the proper licensing to replace a roof, build a structure, install windows, or install siding. It is surprising how many use someone else’s license and are not licensed to perform the work on your home. Never pull the permit for your project for a supposed contractor. To do so makes you liable, and you will have no recourse for their workmanship.
4. Ensure the contractor understands your wishes – When selecting a contractor for your project, ask exactly what they are going to do. Know that they understand what you want so they can accurately estimate the project. You do not want to come home from work and find something done that is entirely not what you envisioned. Clarify, clarify, clarify. It is better than redoing and wasting materials.
5. Ask Them About Their Procedure for the Project – When will they start? What comes first, and what comes after that, on the project? Will they communicate with you regularly? This is another major point of concern. Contractors can be gone for days and then suddenly appear without any notification, surprising you when you find employees on your roof banging or on your back porch with curtains open, and you are not fully dressed. It happens.
6. What Will They Do For Bad Weather – How will they protect your property if rain comes and they are replacing your roof? If you are enclosing a back porch to the living room, how will you secure your home if the doors are removed? Driving equipment like a Bobcat into the backyard, how do they protect the yard or shrubs? If remodeling inside, what steps do they take to protect flooring, walls, or furniture? Come up with questions that concern your project
7. Ask About Clean-up and Debris Removal – Confirm that your contractor will be responsible for removing all old materials and cleaning up your site after their work is finished. Also, ensure they leave the site clean, safe, and secure on a daily basis.

Well-written proposals that are detailed and broken into individual line items are a good sign that the contractor is thorough and has prepared an accurate estimate.

7 Great Tips For Choosing A Contractor Examples Would Be:

Roof manufacture?

What is the cost of extras?

Their warranty cover?

How long is their Warranty?

Payment procedures?

Work hours at my home?

These are just a few examples of questions to ask. Contractors can use and believe in manufacturers they believe to be the best. Some contractors have a personal preference for a product or manufacturer. Usually, they are good products made by quality companies. However, some contractors use the cheapest materials to maximize their profit on a job. Know the materials you want, or at least ask the contractor for options. And why those particular options?

We hope you found these tips helpful for your next project. After reviewing the proposals received, we may be considered for submission to your project. 

We are an A+ Accredited business with the BBB, and members of the Melbourne and Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce.