Hiring General contractors per Bizpals

Category General Contractors

Hiring General Contractors

HIRING GENERAL CONTRACTORS

Are you overwhelmed at how complicated remodeling that fixer-upper you've just moved into is going to be? It doesn't have to be. Picking a general contractor you can depend on to do the job right is the most important thing to do. After all, having work done to your home is going to affect your family's comfort and convenience and possibly the future value of your home. But how do you find the right contractor? There are some unreliable individuals and firms you need to be wary of. You'd like to get a recommendation from someone who faced problems like the ones you may be having as you're starting your remodeling. A smart consumer will find the reviews in BizPals a great resource to make the right decision when selecting a contractor.

USING BIZPALS REVIEWS TO HIRE A GENERAL CONTRACTOR

The information in the BizPals reviews can help you to select the right contractor for your addition, repair job or remodeling. Your home is probably the largest investment you will ever make, and a contractor you can trust to do the job is the best way to protect that investment and make your renovation as painless as possible. Everyone's heard a horror story or two about contractors; this is a way to find the good guys out there. BizPals connects you with reviews written by customers like you and the peer endorsements for the service providers they review.

CHECKLIST FOR HIRING THE RIGHT GENERAL CONTRACTOR

1. The first thing you should check when hiring a contractor is whether they are licensed. Not all states require that contractors be licensed. If your state is one that does require that, you can check with the state licensing board if your contractor's license is current.
2. It's also a good idea when hiring a contractor to check them out with the Better Business Bureau and with both the state and county consumer protection agency, (under both the company's name and the contractor's name). You can see here if there are any unresolved complaints against the contractor.
3. Check if the contractor is in good standing with their trade association.
4. Even when all safety precautions have been taken, occasionally workers are injured on the job. It's crucial that you make sure that the contractor carries personal liability insurance, property damage insurance, and workmen's compensation insurance. Don't take the contractor's word for it; ask to see the certificates and check that they're up to date. Otherwise you may be liable for the injury incurred during your renovation.
5. Does your project require for a permit? If so, can your contractor help you with the permit?
6. When you're taking bids for your remodeling job, get at least three bids from different contractors in writing. Ask to see a portfolio of previous jobs done by the contractor and ask for references from previous customers that you can check. And if possible, inspect the job in person.
7. When you've decided on a contractor, then it's time to to get a contract signed, covering such things as the schedule for the job, materials, completion dates, warranties, liens, etc.
8. Ask if the contractor will carry away debris from the project and if there is an extra fee for this service.
9. Remember to include in the contract that change orders need to be approved by you in writing.
10. Ask what the contractor's policy is if the project is delayed by bad weather.
11. Don't get talked into paying for the entire job in cash.

CHECKLIST FOR THE JOB

• It's a disruption to your life having contractors in the house. But by having some guidelines in place, you can minimize the inconvenience and help the contractors to do their jobs as quickly as possible.
• Decide what hours the contractor will work. Normally, these hours coincide with the working week, e. g. Monday-Friday, 8 am- 5pm, so that your neighbors aren't disturbed by noise, etc. on evenings and weekends. If your house is far enough away from your neighbors, you may be able to schedule some extra hours.
• Discuss security while contractors are in the house, and whether alarm systems should be disabled, etc. There can be a lot of coming and going during a remodeling project; it's a good idea to put cash and valuables such as jewelry in a safe or deposit them in a bank.
• Pets will probably find the remodeling experience quite traumatic and contractors shouldn't be expected to have to deal with growling dogs or cats that keep trying to escape. If possible, arrange for pets to be boarded elsewhere during the renovation; if not, keep them in a secure area away from the work site.
• If the contractors will be working outside and you have no outdoor power source, let the contractors know in advance in case they want to bring a generator with them.
• Ask to be informed in advance if the water needs to be turned off so that you can fill some containers with water for drinking, washing, etc.
• Remodeling is a messy process. Establish whether clean-up will take place daily or at the end of the week. At the end of the project you should expect a through clean-up of all the areas the work took place in. The clean-up should include the yard and garden if these areas were part of the project.

CHECKLIST FOR EVALUATION

• Was the project completed on time? If any difficulties occurred during the roofing, was the contractor flexible in dealing with them?
• Was the project completed under budget? If not, was the cause of the cost overrun explained to your satisfaction?
• Were any change orders approved by you in advance?
• Did the contractors turn up at the agreed-upon time during the project?
• Was the clean-up during and after the project to your satisfaction?