Good contractors are getting more difficult to find all the time. Unfortunately, this industry has been infiltrated by many dishonest people who make money by ripping off their customers. However, there are still many honest contractors out there. You just need to put in the time to find them. There are a few things that you will need to know in order to make your search go better. Educating yourself prior to your search will improve your odds of finding a contractor who will do an outstanding job for you. Here are the critical details that you need to keep in mind.
1. Make sure the contractor has an actual office as his base of operations.
You need to become familiar with some of the scams that are run by dishonest contractors in order to avoid becoming a victim yourself. It is common for contractors to drive to different cities and even different states looking for work. They get hired and do a very poor job. The homeowner pays them for their work. It might be a few days until the homeowner realizes that the contractor did a bad job. By that time, the contractor is long gone. The homeowner has no way to get a hold of him to take legal action against him. In most cases, the contractors who are involved in this type of scam are unlicensed. This is why you need to make sure that the contractor you hire has an office in your area. This will ensure that he will not be skipping town after he renovates your home. You can find some contractor leads by looking online.
2. Ask to see the contractor’s proof of insurance before he or she begins to work on your home.
Even the best contractors have accidents. There is no way to predict when an accident will happen during a home renovation project. Therefore, you need to make sure that the contractor is adequately insured. This will protect you and cover the cost of any damage the contractor or his employees cause while they are on your property. Do not take the contractor’s word that he or she has insurance. Ask to see their proof of insurance and make sure their policy is current.
3. Check with the Better Business Bureau to find the contractor’s rating.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) does a great job when it comes to letting people know which contractors that people should stay away from. It would be in your best interests to check the BBB ratings of any contractor who you are seriously thinking about hiring. This will allow you to avoid dealing with people who have a questionable history.
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