5 Ways You Can Tell You Have A Quality Home Improvement Contractor

When improving your home, the most important thing you can do is find a quality home improvement contractor you can trust. After all, you are inviting someone you do not know into your home to make substantial, and then paying them money – often a decent amount – once the job is finished. You need to be sure this company’s work will be exactly what you expected and wanted, and that it was carried out to the highest standard possible. Yet there are countless home improvement contractors out there, all saying their work is the best and they are the right company for the job, which begs the question: how can you tell you have a quality home improvement contractor? Fear not – there are several ways, which we will outline in this article. 

Why Use a Quality Home Improvement Contractor? 

You might be wondering why you should use a quality home improvement contractor over doing it yourself. Yes, there are some home improvement projects that might be a possible DIY, but even those projects are generally best left to the professionals, and here is why.

Value Your Time

While you may be able to complete a project yourself, it would likely take you twice as long or even longer to get it done as it would take for a professional home improvement contractor. And, while you might start out thinking a job will not take you that long, it usually ends up taking much longer than expected. So, if you want the least amount of disruption to your family’s life, it is worthwhile hiring a quality professional home improvement contractor who knows what they are doing.

More Cost-Effective

Believe it or not, hiring a quality home improvement contractor is not only time-effective, but it is usually more cost-effective too. If you are not experienced in home improvement projects, it is likely you will end up spending more money trying to do it yourself than you would if you had just hired a professional to begin with. This is generally because of costly mistakes that are expensive to fix. Also, many home improvement contractors have industry contacts and are able to get discounts on building materials and tools that you would not be able to get yourself. 

A Better Outcome 

There is no denying a quality home improvement contractor will do a significantly better job than a DIY attempt. While a DIY home improvement project might sound like a fun idea, homeowners who choose this route are often not happy with the outcome, or do not receive the outcome they expected. Professional home improvement contractors know what they are doing – they understand the structure of a home and how different design options work together. This means they will be able to bring your ideas to life more efficiently, and in a more cost-effective and professional way.

5 Signs You Have Found a Quality Home Improvement Contractor 

1. They Are Local 

Going local is a simple way to find a quality home improvement contractor. Hiring someone from far away can make it much easier for them to dodge your phone calls or leave a project unfinished. Local contractors live in the community with their clients, so if their work or customer service is not up to par, word will quickly spread and this would not be good for their business or reputation.

2. They Have a Good Portfolio 

Quality home improvement contractors will have a good portfolio to show, and they will not be hesitant to do so. If a home improvement contractor cannot show samples of their work, this is a major red flag. You need to ensure the person you are hiring has performed good work in the past, and the best way to do this is through pictures. From an online portfolio or hard copies, they need to be able to show you the quality of their work. 

3. They Have Great References 

As with most things, great references go a long way in helping you find a quality home improvement contractor. You can read honest reviews from past clients on third party review sites such as; Angie’s List, Yelp! and Houzz. These sites also rate contractors  for consistent, outstanding service, so look for a home improvement contractor that consistently receives high ratings.

4. They Charge Fairly 

A quality home improvement contractor will also charge you a fair and honest price. However, cheapest does not mean the best. Sometimes you need to go beyond the price tag to ensure you are not settling for something inferior or ongoing financial headaches. In order to make sure you are getting an honest price, and will not be stung by unforeseen expenses, it is important to ask potential contractors the following: 

• Can you itemize your quote?
• Is it 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?
• Can you give me a timeline for how long this job will take? 

5. They Have Excellent Communication Skills 

Finally, a quality home improvement contractor is someone with excellent communication skills, which includes giving you an accurate quote, returning all of your phone calls, and sticking to their time estimates. If there are any issues, they are honest and discuss your options. If your contractor is hard to reach or gives vague answers to questions, this is a good sign they are not a quality contractor. 

We hope this has helped ensure you find a quality home improvement contractor for your next home improvement project.