Practical Tips To Find A Home Improvement Contractor You Can Trust

Whether you want to make your home more comfortable, stylish or increase its value prior to sale, any improvement you make to your home should be considered an investment.

However, with horror stories emerging from around the country about dodgy operators and home improvement scams ripping off unsuspecting homeowners, now is the time to be vigilant about selecting home improvement contractors you can trust.

Trustworthy and reputable contractors operating with the correct licensing, bonding and insurances can be the difference between a financial catastrophe and a magnificent home improvement project.

Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take before selecting your home improvement contractor that will protect you and your home from shady contractors.

Stay Local

When shopping around for quotes, the temptation can be to look far and wide for the cheapest price. But it’s a process that can invite untried contractors to your area where they may not have worked before and have no references. 

Sandra Parker from MoneyCrashers says that when it comes to finding a reputable contractor, staying local is best.

“Choosing a local contractor means that the company has a permanent place of business in your hometown,” she advises. “It also means that he or she has a business license, a telephone number, and local references you can verify. Most importantly, it means someone will be nearby if there is an issue with the work performed.”

Check Their Certifications and Insurances

A certified, bonded and insured contractor is an essential pre-requisite for any contractor. Choosing otherwise leaves you exposed to liability and with no course of action should anything go wrong. A contractor that cannot produce the proper paperwork should be a red flag for any homeowner, according to Hannah Sassi from the Better Business Bureau.

“The contractors that are bonded and insured and are able to provide evidence are the ones you should hire. It means they have invested money and time to make sure they are operating in a legal and ethical way.”

Get Everything In Writing

Any reputable contractor will be able to provide everything in writing, from an itemized quote, to its schedule of work, products they use and labor costs.

“Written quotes are essential in protecting yourself from unexpected changes or hidden costs,” says Parker.

“Be sure to request a written quote for both labor and material costs, as well as a final total. Obtaining multiple quotes can help you save money when hiring a contractor,” she says.

“Also, be certain to request a provision on your quote that states that you must be notified of any changes or additions to what has been agreed upon. This will protect you from unexpected charges when it’s time to settle the balance.”

Ask For A List Of References

If you follow our earlier advice and use a local contractor, they should be able to provide a list of references for other work they have completed in the area. It gives you the opportunity to see their work for yourself before signing on the dotted line. When it comes to choosing a home improvement contractor, customer review sites such as Angie’s List, Yelp! and Houzz are also a helpful guide when choosing reputable businesses.

The Federal Trade Commission agrees, stating that: “A contractor should be able to give you names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three clients with projects like yours. Ask each client how long ago the project was and whether it was completed on time. Was the client satisfied? Were there any unexpected costs? Did workers show up on time and clean up after finishing the job? You also could tell the contractor that you’d like to visit jobs in progress.”

At WoW, we take our reputation seriously and are dedicated to providing a first class experience to customers across Virginia and Maryland. You can find out more about our impeccable reviews, read testimonies from happy customers and find details about our certifications and insurances. If you’d like to know more about how WoW has become one of the state’s most trusted names in home improvement, watch this video.