The age old question, ”who should I get for this job?”, eventually works its way into every homeowners life. It doesn’t matter if it's just a small job that you just don’t have time to do yourself, or a bigger job you would never think of tackling. If you hire the wrong contractor, it can turn into a nightmare. If you're not happy with the results, all the time spent in getting your job off the ground, will be wasted. Anyone who has ever hired someone to work in their home knows, a lot goes on before any actual work gets done.
The process begins with a need or an idea you have decided is best for you and your family. Today’s economy has home owners not so quick to move, or build new. Many are deciding to make less expensive improvements to their homes to either give it a new look, or to keep up with their growing families. This turns into a budget you decide you can handle. Then interviews with contractors (I hope at least three). Some you might like, others you won't. If it’s a bigger job, different contractors can seem to have totally different ideas. But hopefully you find one you're comfortable with and feel as though you can trust.
There are still many details to work out. Product selection, schedules, start time, end time, permits, where is the dumpster going. Oh boy there are details, but that’s good. The more details you discuss with your contractor before work starts, the less surprises you will have. Like coming home from work and finding a dumpster in your favorite parking spot, when it could have been just as easily somewhere else. As the customer, you deserve this attention to detail, and your contractor should want to give it to you. It makes his life easier too.
If you choose the right contractor, the work process should be an enjoyable one. So here’s a few tips for picking the right one for you. Word of mouth rules all others. More then likely, someone you know has a contractor they have used, and are happy with. No matter what, get at least three bids. It sounds like a lot of work, but it's worth it. You may wind up using the first contractor you meet, but you may use some of the ideas you got from the third contractor. Give a call to local lumber yards and see if they know the contractor you're thinking of using. If all the prices are relatively close, don’t let that be the deciding factor. Go with who you feel most comfortable with. One last tip, be sure to ask the contractor who will actually be doing the work. Many times homeowners are shocked when the guy who sold them the work never shows up to actually do the work. The use of subs and company employees is fine, but make sure your job isn’t being sold. There are plenty of great contractors out there. Do a little extra homework, and you can find the right one for your project. If you live in the South Jersey area visit my web-site www.donhiester.com, to get your project started today.