From, Realtor Terry Black
Following up on the other articles for this topic here is a list of things you can do when selecting and hiring a contractor for your property.
A/ Get recommendations of trusted contactors from people you trust. The recommendation of friends and family Is usually a good idea.
B/ Meet with the contractor onsite to show the property and ask them for several specific questions. This allows you the opportunity to meet them in person as well as get a sense of their experience. You may need to wait for awhile to have them come by in person but it is worth it. Meanwhile you could talk by phone or meet virtually but meeting in person is best in my opinion.
Here is what I’d recommend to ask them:
• Are most of your projects renovations of this size?
• Can you provide a list of names of past customers for whom you have worked?
• Can you provide $2 million in insurance coverage in event of accident, injury, death or property damage?
• How long have you worked with your sub-contractors?
• Do they work only for you or for other contractors too?
• Can you describe what the worksite will look like at the end of any given day?
• What problems or challenges do you anticipate if you take on this job and how do you think that they can be best managed?
• What warranty for your labour and materials?
C/ Provide professional quality plans for your project (with precise measurements) and other details and have the Contractor attach them to a written quotation. If the contractor is having you pay for the materials and they provide only labour be sure to have at least 2 quotes.
D/ Remember that price is important but not the most important criteria. Be careful in selecting your Contractor and it will cost less money and potential other problems in the future.
Photo by Mikael Blomkvist: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-people-checking-on-a-construction-project-8961300/
