Being a homeowner reaps its rewards but there are many responsibilities a homeowner must face, which happens to be the maintenance and repairs of a home. Keep in mind being a homeowner is very much different than renting. Even owning a condo/townhome is very much different than owning your own home. A homeowner has all the responsibilities to ensure the property stays updated which includes anything from your roof to maintaining your lawn. Since all the responsibilities are on your shoulders as a home owner, you may want to keep a list of professional contractors nearby.
Of course finding the perfect person to assist with keeping your home updated takes time and if not done correctly can be a nightmare. You must always want to work with professionals that will have your hard earned money well spent. Informational websites such as Angie’s List reports over 3 million households searching for a reputable contractor. So whether you’re searching online or getting assistance for websites like Home Advisor, researching is the key to selecting the perfect home service professional! Therefore you don’t want to just invest in home improvement but invest your time before hand to select the appropriate person/company for the job. We at Top Producers of Mercer County have created a few tips that can assist with you to avoid any nightmares.
5 Tips Selecting Professional Home Service Contractor
- Lower Does Not Mean Better: Of course cost plays a huge factor when selecting for any service. But beware as lower does not mean better. Receiving bids that are lower can result in major disappointments, not to mention time and money. Of course there could be a reason of the lower cost. Perhaps the company will be providing a lower level of service or you can be working with a contractor that takes more than enough time to complete the job. On the same note, paying for a higher contractor does not always mean better.
- Check Credentials: Ask, ask, and ask. Asking for credentials is a major step in selecting your home improvement company. You should be asking for copies of license, insurance and bonding capacity, and references. You want to make sure the company is in fact licensed and meets the necessary requirements to perform the job in your town. Not only do you want to see the references, but you may want to contact the references. Go the extra mile and research online what is being said of such service professional. Your due diligence will take time although will be the best step you have taken.
- Communication & Relationship Building: Because you trust a professional with your home repairs and/or improvement you may want to have that gut feeling of trust. You want to feel comfortable and know your working with someone reputable. Communicating the start and end dates, pricing, materials, etc. is questions you have to ask but the important is ensuring the company provides with answers in a timely fashion. Communication is the key in any aspect of our lives which also includes with dealing with home improvement professionals.
- Have A Contract: You don’t want to make a mistake and take verbal agreement as your contract. A good contract will be provided and pertinent information will be referenced such as: contract written on company letterhead containing company name, address and telephone number. The company license number should be referenced on contract as well as your name and address of where the job is to be performed. A detailed description of the job along with the cost associated with job. A start and end date estimation will be nice along with payment schedule. Please make sure you completely read contract especially any clauses written out by the company.
- Payment Method: The best way in our opinion is to not pay for the project cost upfront. Beware for any home improvement professional to ask for payments upfront. You will find most reputable home improvement companies to ask for some payment to cover materials which is perfectly okay. Although you should not be paying for service until the job is completed and of course you’re satisfied with end results.