How to Hire a Contractor

Choosing the right contractor not only means your finished building will be everything you want it to be; it also means the process itself will go smoothly and in a timely fashion. It’s simply not worth it to hire a contractor who will not deliver what you want with a minimum of hassle. You want someone with whom you can really work and communicate. These guidelines will help you choose a professional contractor and ensure a good working relationship.

Assemble a list of contractors who either by word of mouth or the Internet, suit the project and make a quick call to each of your prospects and go through these questions to ask a contractor:

• Do they take on projects of your size?
• Are they willing to provide financial references, from suppliers or banks?
• Can they give you a list of previous clients?
• How many other projects would they have going at the same time?
• How long have they worked with their subcontractors?

The answers to these questions will reveal the company’s availability, reliability, how much attention they’ll be able to give your project and how smoothly the work will go.

Meet them in person

Based on phone interviews, pick three or four contractors to meet for estimates and further discussion. A contractor should be able to answer your questions satisfactorily and in a manner that puts you at ease. It’s crucial that you two communicate well because this person will be in your home for hours at a time. On the other hand, don’t let personality fool you. Check in with your consumer protection agency and your local Better Business Bureau before you hire a contractor to make sure they don’t have a history of disputes with clients or subcontractors.

Trust your gut feeling

A contractor could be in your home and around your family for days, weeks, or even months while changing the way your house looks and functions. So if you don’t like a contractor for any reason, don’t hire him or her.

The biggest thing is choosing the right contractor. If somebody says something that’s even an embellishment, it’s enough of a reason not to trust him and move on to the next contractor. You have to trust the contractor 100 percent, not 95 percent.

Ask for samples of their work and references

This lets you see a contractor’s handiwork and may spark ideas for your project. “Samples are more important than references,” Peterson says. “They allow you to see the quality of our work. You can see the designs we came up with and how creative we are.”

Looking at a contractor’s past projects also lets you see the variety of work the company has performed, such as contemporary, Craftsman, or historic designs.

Don’t forget to ask for references.

A top construction contractor should be able to provide a solid list of references, and yes, you should follow up with them.