- Top 5 things to consider when hiring a contractor
Choosing a contractor to perform work on your home sometimes is a daunting task there several things to choose from with several different pros and cons to each one but which one is right for you? These are some things you should consider when choosing your next contractor.
-Number one is he state licensed. Some people for trade themselves as contractors because there able to perform the job necessary. But that’s not The only thing it takes to make you a contractor. Many States require state licensing which may include lengthy study of building trade information business in law guidelines and they require you to pass a test. They also require you to register your business with the local state and many States require you to pull permits on the jobs year to be performing which will be later inspected by the city’s building inspector to ensure the job was done properly Hiring a contractor without this state license could mean a disaster for you if legal requirements are required later to rectify any mistakes the contractor may have made. If you are hiring a unlicensed contractor you may not have any legal rights and you will be left holding the bag for any repairs that are necessary.
– Are they insured most contractors carry a workman’s comp policy for their hired help as well as a general liability policy to cover damage to your property. Hiring a contractor with these insurance documents Is absolutely necessary. If the contractor is uninsured and He causes damage to your property in the act of performing his construction services and he is not ensured you may be left footing the bill for the damages caused. Even worse if one of his employees gets hurt on your property. Your properties home homeowner insurance may be left paying his hospital bills!
– Hiring a contractor that does not have a lengthy job history. Most contractors go out of business within 5 years most problems to the work they performed doesn’t show up until after 5 years. Construction is a dog-eat-dog cutthroat business a lot of contractors go at their job bidding process as cheapest price wins I am sure your very well aware good things are cheap and cheap things are rarely good Same holds true for construction any contractors will cut corners use inferior products hire inferior labor and cut their profit margins just the win the job, then by the time they pay their taxes, insurance, truck payments, etc. there is little to no money left over and they end up going out of business. You actually want your contractor to make a profit if they’re not making a profit they’re not gonna be there in the future to service your job if that case arises make sure your contractor has been in business at least 5 years.
– Hiring a specialty contractor A general contractors license means just that you know a general idea of everything there is to know about the construction process but if your wanting a specialty trade done such as roofing, siding, windows, floors, kitchens, and bathrooms you want to hire a contractor that specializes in those areas just because the contractor’s license doesn’t mean he can install the specialty items you want installed. Its best to hire someone who installs those items every day. Make sure that contractor you hire has plenty of experience installing the products you want install Roofers don’t make good kitchen and bathroom installers and vice versa.
– Hiring a contractor that is certified through the manufacturer. When contractors take the manufacturer’s installation course they receive a certification from the manufacturer stating they will install per manufacturer’s specifications. Which will allow the contractor to give you extended warranties through the manufacturer. A trained and certified installer will make sure all the proper materials and installation instructions are being used. By using all the proper material and installation instructions will ensures the general warranty provided by the manufacturer will be up held because the product was installed per their instructions.
These are some of the most important thing to consider when choosing a contractor.
