5 Important Things to Look for in a Siding Contractor

When improving your home, you want to ensure you can trust the  home improvement contractor  you have hired for the job. Essentially, you are inviting a stranger into your home, asking them to make some significant changes, and paying them for their time when the job is finished. All in all, you need to trust the price for the work is fair, but you also need to trust the work will turn out how you envisioned it. So, how do you know what to look for when hiring a home improvement contractor? There are a few key factors, which we will be discussing in this article. In particular, we will be looking at the 5 important things to look for in a siding contractor. 

1. Look for Someone Who is Local 

When searching for a siding contractor, we recommend you find someone who is local to your area. Why? Mostly because finding and hiring someone who does not work in your area can make it much easier for them to dodge your phone calls, or leave a project unfinished. The benefit of local contractors is they live in the same community as their clients, meaning if their work or customer service is poor, word will quickly get around - and if the project ever requires a warranty claim in the future, the contractor will be geographically close to service the call. 

2. Look at their Portfolio 

The next important thing to look for in a siding contractor is their portfolio. If a siding contractor cannot show you samples of their previous siding installations, take this as a big red flag. You want to make absolutely certain the siding contractor you are hiring has performed excellent work in the past, and the best way to do this is through pictures. Whether it be an online portfolio or copies they can show you, it is vital you take a look at their past work before hiring them for the job. 

3. Look for Excellent References 

References are another important thing to look out for. Great references are an easy way to instil confidence that the siding contractor performs high-level work for all of their clients.  One way you can see what sort of references the contractor has received is via online third party review sites such as: Angie’s List, Yelp!, Customer Lobby  and Houzz. These sites also rate contractors for consistent, outstanding service, so it is also a good idea to look for a siding contractor who consistently receives high ratings, awards, and references. 

4. Look Out for Pricing

Another important factor when choosing a siding contractor is looking at their pricing model. Thinking only about the cost of installing new siding ignores the value this project will add to your home. When choosing a good siding contractor, oftentimes you should look beyond the cost to make sure you are not settling for something inferior or cause future financial headaches. When it comes to costs, be wary of the low, almost too good to be true prices. Some contractors will not include everything in their initial price, and then rely on multiple change orders to add dollars to the final tally. This can leave you with hefty out of pocket and unforeseen expenses. So, when asking for estimates, make sure you ask the following: 

• Can you itemize your quote?
• Is your quote an estimate or a fixed price?
• What other projects have you delivered and have you worked in this area before?
• Who are your main suppliers?
• What is the timeline for this job? 

5. Look for a Contractor who can Communicate 

Finally, a siding contractor who is trustworthy is also someone who can communicate easily. This includes giving you a fair and accurate quote, returning all of your phone calls, and sticking to their time estimates. And, if something does not go according to plan, they are honest and upfront with you and provide you with all of your options. A siding contractor who is vague or hard to contact is a good sign you should find someone else.