When choosing a renovation contractor, a lot of care needs to be taken to ensure that the renovation contractor you have chosen does not give you sleepless nights but confidence. The following simple tips will come in handy for you.

Ask for Referrals

The best way to find someone you can trust with remodeling job is by asking around. It is possible that your neighbor, friend or a relative had a renovation project in the past. Ask them to refer you to the contractor who did their remodeling. This is the first and the easiest step to get a good contractor.

Check out the contractor’s credentials

You are not just going to take your neighbor, friend or a relative’s word. To be absolutely sure about the person you hire, it is important that you do your own research of the person or company. Part of this research includes checking out if the contractor has the necessary licensure and certification requirements to operate in a certain jurisdiction. Also, check if the contractor is a member of a professional body. Belonging in a professional body means that the contractor abides by the tenets of that affiliate body.

Interview the prospective candidates

After checking out the credentials, you must interview the prospective candidate. You should have at least three contractors from which to choose from. Having many of them can confuse you. Ask lots of questions regarding experience and qualification and pay attention to how each contactor answers the questions.

Check References

There is no better way to evaluate a contractor better than to have a look of their past projects. Ask him or her to show you some of his/her projects that resemble what you want done and look at how they were done. Talk to former clients and get to see how they think of this contractor. While meeting with past clients, ask them how the contractor executed the job. Did he finish the work in time? Was the client pleased with the work of this contractor? These questions are going to help you to know whom you are contracting for the job.

Other questions to ask

• Does your prospective renovator have a permanent personal phone number, email address, mailing address or fax number?

• Is the contractor insured? This is important because you do not want to risk your property. Insist on the remodeler to show you a copy of insurance certificate as a proof of insurance.

• Does the contractor command respect in the community? Find out how long the contractor has been in business. What about the remodeler’s relationship with other contractors like electricians and plumbers?

Sign between the dotted lines

Having chosen a contractor, you still need to see the documents which they have prepared. The way these documents are prepared will indicate the professionalism (or lack of it) of the renovation contractor. Check the legal section of the contract and ensure it has:

• Bid price as well as payment schedule
• The site plan
• Specific details about work scope
• Dispute resolution clause

Conclusion

If everything ticks, then you can freely sign the contract. Having followed this due diligence, you can never get it wrong with choosing the right renovation contractor. You can rest assured that your remodeling project will proceed like clockwork and that there won’t be major pitfalls.