There are specific questions you should ask your home remodeler before they begin a project. Asking these questions may save you from disaster in the long run.
It’s time to make some improvements to your home, or even rebuild it altogether. Whatever you have in mind, you’re going to need a home remodeler to come in and plan the job out for you.
Picking your remodeler is crucial to the success of the project. You want someone who has experience, has the right contacts, and can get the job done well.
Here’s some of the most important questions you should be asking your home remodeler before you sign on the dotted line.
1. How Long Have You Been a Home Remodeler?
First things first, you want someone that has experience.
The quickest way to find out if they’re experienced is to ask how long they’ve been working. If they’ve been doing this for years, then you know that they should be a well oiled machine at this point.
They’ll have worked through all the kinks that come from being a brand new business, and they’ll be able to handle whatever you have for them.
As well as this, being an older company, they should have plenty of examples of their work. Ask about what they’ve worked on before. They’ll be able to show you photos and plans of previous projects.
If they’ve worked on local projects, you may even be able to go and see them in person.
2. How Far Are You Willing To Travel?
That remodeler may look great, but you need to know where they’re located first, before you hire them. Will they be able to get to the site every day, and be easily reachable? The best way to get someone like this is to hire someone from the local area. Take a look at their website, and see where they’re located before you get in touch.
If you want to work with a home remodeler who lives further away, but who does excellent work, you can negotiate with them.
Ask them how far they’re willing to travel to work with you. You may be surprised at how far they’re willing to go.
They may be excited about your project, and want to include it their portfolio. It’s never a bad idea to ask!
3. Is My Project Something You Do Regularly?
You’ll need to ask whether they can take on your project. Say you’re looking to remodel your bathroom. You’ll want a home remodeler who has experience in doing these kinds of jobs.
A good remodeler will be able to tell you if they can carry out the project to the best of their ability. If they can’t, they may be able to refer you to someone else who has the skills and provides the remodeling services that you need.
Also take a look at their other works in their portfolio. If you see examples that look like what you’re looking for, you’re in luck. If you don’t, you may want to keep looking.
4. Can You Work To My Timeline?
You’ll have a timeline in mind as you’re calling around to find a home remodeler.
Before you call though, ensure that your timeline is reasonable, and that anyone you work with will have time to get started. As you talk to remodelers, you may find that your timeline isn’t feasible. If several turn you down, you may need to rethink how much time you’ll need.
5. What Services Do You Offer?
There’s several things a home remodeler can handle for you, and you may need a mix of different services. For example, they may be able to help plan your construction project, as well as source all the parts needed. This will be on top of actually putting the project together in your home.
It’s always a good idea to ask what they can do for you.
They may not be able to do everything you need, so you may need to bring in someone else to handle the last part of the job. Before you start ringing around, you’ll want to have a good idea of what actually needs to be done.
6. Do You Have A Contracting License?
Whoever you go with, you want to know that they’re licensed to work on your home.
Whatever license they have should pertain to the service they’re offering, too. Someone with a license in carpentry shouldn’t be working on your roof.
Ask them for proof of their license before you sign anything, or hand over any money.
7. Are You Insured?
This is related to point 6, in that you shouldn’t hand over any money without seeing proof of insurance. You want to ensure that your home is safe before you let anyone work on it.
A good home remodeler will have insurance that covers you both, in case anything untoward happens during the project.
8. What Is The Payment Schedule?
It’s worth knowing that you shouldn’t hand over the entire cost of the project before your remodeling contractor gets to work.
This is a step that the Better Business Bureau recommends for homeowners, to protect them against less than reputable contractors.
Any remodeler who gives you a sensible payment plan will be someone that it’s safe to work with. If they demand payment upfront, decline their services and keep looking.
9. What’s The Best Way To Reach You?
Every remodeler will have their own preferred form of contact. Some prefer phone calls, while others would much rather text. Then there’s instant messaging and email, two methods that can be helpful for sending across plans and other documents that you may need to share.
Find a home remodeler who prefers to connect in the same way you do. It’ll help you both manage expectations on how quickly you’ll get replies once the project is underway.
Conclusion
These are nine questions that will help you find a contractor that will be the right fit for your job.
Make sure that you’re asking them as you’re making calls, and looking for the right person. It pays to spend your time here, as the right remodeler can be a godsend when you’re completing a project on your home.