When making the choice for a company to carry out renovations, these simple steps can make all the difference between complete assurance of a good job being done and sleepless nights.
Ask for References
Word of mouth is usually one of the best ways to find an experienced professional to perform the job. Ask relatives, friends and neighbours whom they’ve had good experiences with or if they know somebody who has. Also, find out what made it a positive experience, how the contractor took on any problems, and whether they would use the same contractor once again. If living in Western Australia and in need of a renovation company, do oneself a favour and select a reputable one.
Check Credentials
With recommendations in hand, do some preliminary research, whether by phone or a visiting a contractor’s website. Do the homework and find out the legal and professional requirements necessary. Find out if they hold all of the required licenses and certificates and if the renovator is a member of any trade organisations.
Interview Candidates
Shorten the list of contenders and organise meetings. Try keeping it to about three contractors, because things may get somewhat confusing, if dealing with any more. How a contractor answers the questions is vitally important, but let communication go both ways. Candidates should also ask plenty of questions. Also, make sure to give the precise job details to each contractor, make a check list.
Check References
Ask to see some of the contractors’ past projects. If approving of them, ask for references and contact contractors’ former customers to check out how they performed. Ask how the contractors did in carrying out the projects. Were they on time and on budget? Were the customers pleased with the outcome? If not, why? Was there something that should have been done another way? If there were complaints about the job, or the contractor was unable to give any references, definitely consider somebody else, instead.
Service
Remember that when hiring a renovator, one is paying for a service and not a product. The quality of that service will resolve the quality of the finished job. Choosing one that has no record of complaints, or one where the complaint was resolved to the consumer’s satisfaction, can make all the difference.
Plus
Does the contractor have an established and good name locally? How long has the company been in business under its present name? Does the renovator maintain strong relationships with other teams of contractors, such as plumbers and electricians and works with them? Check that the company maintains a permanent mailing address, e-mail address, personal phone number, fax number, cell phone and voicemail. Does the company carry any kind of insurance that protects customers from liability? Ask for a copy of the insurance certificates just to be totally sure. Also, why not ask the renovator how much the project will add to the home’s value, and attain additional insurance from them. Happy house hunting!
