10 Jul How to Find the Best Custom Home Remodeler in Your Area
Whether you are sprucing up your bathroom or constructing a new addition, renovating your home is a huge task that should be taken seriously. The good news is that with the right support team, anything is possible–even surviving a complicated home remodeling project.
The key is finding a reliable and skilled contractor, which can be challenging when everyone promises you your dream remodel for less than the others. So here are tips to finding expert home remodelers near you:
Get Recommendations
Ask for referrals from people you know–friends, family, co-workers, or neighbors. Chances are, you already know someone who has done work to their home recently and can share you their experience.
Asking about the home remodeler’s job as a whole is important, but try to dig deeper, with construction and design in particular. Was there a reasonable explanation for any delay? Was everyone involved in the project courteous and professional? Would they hire the home remodeler again in the future?
Do Your Research
A company’s website is the best place to find information when you’re doing research. Scroll through each page to get a sense of what they are all about and see if you like the designs in their portfolio.
It also helps to check for testimonials and see how satisfied their clients are after every project. Does everyone rave about the design but say nothing about the installers? Inquire why that’s the common feedback to know if they’re the best fit for your project.
Interview the Contractor
Remember that the home remodeler you choose will be a big part of your and your family’s lives for the duration of the project. So you need to be able to build a mutually respectful and trusting relationship. Your personality and that of the contractor need to be cohesive, as well, and you won’t be able to get a sense of this unless you interview them.
Check References
Once you’ve made a short list of contractors, it’s time to check references. Because it’s a common practice, a trustworthy home remodeler expects you to ask for a reference list. The usual contractor reference list includes at least 10 jobs with the name, address, and contact number of each client.
Call each reference if you can and politely ask for information about the home remodeler. Make detailed notes during your conversation, as you will likely need to ask some references if you can visit their home to see the project personally.
Review Previous Projects
After you have contacted the references of your contractor, cross out any professionals who received poor customer feedback. Then you can decide which of the remaining references to visit in person to see the completed project by the home remodeler. Remember to select people who seem open and helpful, whose projects are similar to what you’re planning, and ideally, whose residence is near yours.
Find Out About Project Management
In today’s world, online project management software like CoConstruct and Builder Trend helps contractors and clients communicate much more easily. Aside from the software, try and find out whether or not the contractor posts a schedule and if you can see it.
Other helpful information that’ll help you decide whom to work with includes how the company is structured and who will be working on your home for the project.
Conclusion
A quick search online is enough to scare you off from hiring a remodeling contractor. The internet is filled with real horror stories about home remodelers who:
- Did the work so poorly that the project had to be redone
- Ran off with the client’s money without doing any work at all
- Spent months or even years to finish an outrageously expensive project
It shouldn’t be that way when it comes to home remodeling. With a little legwork, you can find the best home remodeler who can make the project of your dreams come true.