When you decide to go forward with a major home improvement project like a room addition, kitchen renovation or bathroom makeover, you're making a decision to invest your hard earned resources into improving your family's quality of life and hopefully, increasing the value of your home. In terms of dollars the project could fall somewhere between getting braces for a kid and buying a new car.
If you've purchased braces or a new car, take a moment and think about the research you did and the questions you asked before you made a final decision. Think about the questions you wished you had asked.
Now think about your decision to invite a general contractor into your home where he or she will be working for several days tearing up your house and perhaps exposing it to the elements before they turn your new space into a thing of beauty. This contractor will be living with your family for eight hours a day. Do you think before you selected one you might have at least as many questions as you had for the car dealer?
Surprisingly most consumers don't.
We ran across a survey conducted by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) that asked its member contractors what the most common questions asked by potential clients were. You might be surprised with the results.
Most frequently asked questions of a home renovator.
- When can you start?
- When will you finish?
- What time will you knock on my door each morning?
- What time will you leave each day?
- Are you going to work every day?
- Can you finish before (insert holiday or personal event here)?
- How much will it cost per square foot?
Summed up, the most frequently asked questions are “How fast?†and “How much?â€
Is that all you asked your orthodontist or car dealer?
Questions professional home renovators want you to ask.
Fortunately, regardless where you live there are plenty of qualified, professional general contractors to choose from. Unfortunately, there are also a large number of wannabes and outright scammers whose pitch will revolve around 'fast and cheap.' If you limit your questions to those listed above you'll have no information that separates the two.
Time and money are important issues but they are secondary when you are in the first stages of qualifying a home renovator. What you really want to do is find a contractor that you can trust, has a reputation of excellence, is financially stable and is easy to communicate with. Once you've found that contractor then you can start asking about what time they're going to show up in the morning.
Here's a short list of recommended questions to ask contractors in a qualifying interview:
- How long have you been in business? The longer a contractor has been around the greater the odds that he or she knows what they are doing and how to run a business.
- How many projects like mine have you completed in the past 12 months and can I get the contact information of those clients as references? Getting a firsthand account of how the contractor works on the job can be invaluable.
- Can you provide me with a certificate of insurance? When you get it, call the issuing insurance agency to confirm that the coverage is actually in effect.
- Are you licensed? This can be tricky. Many jurisdictions have no license requirement for general contractors or home renovators. Virtually all jurisdictions require a city business license. Check with your local Department of Buildings to see what licenses are required in your area.
- Who will supervise the work and will the workers be employees or contractors. The supervisor will be your primary point of contact and you want someone who knows what he's doing and who is easy to communicate with.
- Have your employees received advanced training and certification such as earning a Certified Remodeler (CR), Certified Remodeler Specialist (CRS), Certified Kitchen & Bath Remodeler or other recognized certifications? Continuing education is a sure sign that the contractor wants to remain competitive.
- What percentage of your business comes from repeat customers or referrals?
This obviously isn't an all-inclusive list but it's a great place to start. The objective is to find a home renovator that you can have confidence in and who you have a reasonable amount of trust in. In large part your decision is going to be based on your gut. Pay attention to what is not said in the answers to the questions you ask. Trust your intuition and keep in mind that professional contractors WANT you to ask these questions to distinguish themselves from the rest of the crowd.
Once you've found that home renovator, you can get down to the nitty gritty of cost, terms and work schedule and if they can get the job done before your kids' birthday party.
Posted by: TrustedProsSuggested Reading For You
14 Great Holiday Gifts for any Handyman or Handywoman
It’s difficult to find the perfect gift for someone whom you care about—especially when you have little knowle...
Good or Bad, Online Consumer Reviews aren't Always Created Equal
There are mixed feelings about negative reviews in the goods and services industries. Many business owners bel...
