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A contractor, who’s been plying his trade locally for 5 or 10 years, has an established network of subcontractors and suppliers in the area and a local reputation to uphold. That makes him a safer bet than a contractor who’s either new to the business or new to the area—or who’s planning to commute to your job from 50 miles away.
You want to see a nearby address (not a PO Box) on his business card—and should ask him to include one or two of his earliest clients on your list of references. This will help you verify that he hasn’t just recently hung his shingle—and will give you perspective from a homeowner who has lived with the contractor’s work for years. After all, the test of a quality job, whether it’s a bluestone patio or a family room addition, is how well it stands the test of time.
You’ve found a few potential contractors; you’ve talked to the happy former clients on each of their reference lists, now it’s time for one additional bit of homework: talking to their primary suppliers. There’s no better reference for a tile setter, for example, than his preferred tile shop; for a general contractor than his favorite lumberyard or home center pro desk; for a plumber than the kitchen and bath showroom where he’s on a first name basis.
The proprietors of these shops know a contractor’s professional reputation, whether he has left a trail of unhappy customers in his wake, if he’s reliable about paying his bills—and whether he’s someone you’ll want to hire. The contractor should have absolutely no qualms about telling you where he gets his materials, as long as he’s an upstanding customer.
Homeowners generally assume that the bid they’re seeing is a fixed price, but some contractors treat their proposals as estimates, meaning bills could wind up being higher in the end. If he calls it an estimate, request a fixed price bid instead. If he says he can’t offer a fixed price because there are too many unknowns about the job, then eliminate the unknowns.
“Have him open up a wall to check the structure he’s unsure about or go back to your architect and solidify the design plans,” says Tampa, Fla., attorney George Meyer, who is chair-elect of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Construction Industry. If you simply cannot resolve the unknowns he’s concerned about, have the project specs describe what he expects to do—and if he needs to do additional work later, you can do a change order (a written mini-bid for new work).
Many contractors don’t actually swing hammers. They spend their days bidding new work and managing their various jobs and workers. In some cases, the contractor you hire may not visit the jobsite every day—or may not even show himself again after you’ve signed the contract. So the job foreman—the one who’s working on your project every day—is actually the most important member of your team.
Meeting him in person and seeing a job that he’s running should give you a feel for whether he’s someone you want managing your project. If the contractor says he’ll be running the job himself, ask whether he’ll be there every day
Most cities and towns require permits for building projects. Failure to obtain the necessary permits or to arrange obligatory inspections can be illegal. The contractor should be conscious of the permit process, and ensure that all permits have been obtained before initiating any work. If a contractor says a permit is not needed this may be a sign they are willing to let other things slide as well.
It’s not only the answers to these questions that will help you judge potential contractors—it’s the way they answer them. Were they easy to talk to and forthcoming with details or did they hem and haw and make you ask more than once? Difficulty communicating now means difficulty communicating on the job later. But clear, timely and thoughtful responses—combined with terrific references, great completed work that you’ve seen, and a smart take on your project—may mean you’ve found the right pro for your job.
Most homeowners think that when they talk to contractors for a potential job that they’re the only ones doing the interviewing. But don’t be fooled — the contractor is interviewing you, too.
Good contractors are booked weeks, sometimes months, and in advance. If they’re going to reject other offers to work on your project, you better believe they’re going to be smart about how they invest their time. They want to be proud of their work and what they do. But more important, they want to make their clients happy.
A smart contractor will not accept any contract where the work breaks municipal bylaws or goes against code. If they do, they’re no good and you’re asking for trouble. We have building codes for a reason. Contractors who break them don’t have your best interest in mind.
Good contractors can’t start the next week. In most cases, the contractors that are readily available are usually the ones to avoid. In a good contractor-client relationship, both sides will accommodate each other’s schedules as best they can to facilitate the beginning and the completion of the project.
A few home renovation shows or tales of “horror stories” have made some homeowners edgy and mistrustful of contractors. It’s good to be cautious, but at the same time you have to be respectful. Remember, respect is a two-way street. You have to give it to get it.
Good work isn’t cheap or free. You’ve heard the saying: “You get what you pay for.” It’s one thing for a contractor to throw in better cabinet handles or not charge for an extra outlet or switch. But it’s just bad etiquette to ask your contractor to paint your living room and family room for free (especially when they have just installed a $5000.00 stove.
