When it comes to property refurbishment, if there is one thing that most people dread, it is hiring a contractor. There are lots of contractor horror stories out there, about contractors who took years longer than estimated or did shoddy work. However, most consumers should be aware that the majority of licensed contractors are established, responsible professionals. Unfortunately, its only when someone does something really bad that they make the news. In order to find the best contractor for a property refurbishment project, individuals should be sure to check out their contractor.
Get references
This is the part that most people start at, but fail to dig any deeper. Contractors are often willing to give references, but they are highly unlikely to give a reference that they have had problems with. However, if they do have references that talk about their work positively, then at least the individual can be satisfied that they have some satisfied customers.
Go online
Contractors can be checked out on online reputation sites as well. Many will have yellow page listings that can be reviewed for ratings. Some are members of the BBB. Keep in mind that one or two complaints at the BBB are not uncommon for a large company. However, if the company has multiple BBB complaints that are unresolved, the individual might be better off looking elsewhere.
Check license status
Currently 36 states have licensing requirements for contractors. Get the contractors license information and check its status with the states office. If the contractors license is under review then chances are they are having some issues with former clients. Be sure that the license is current and in good standing before they get started.
Check insurance status
Insurance companies are pretty stringent about who they insure. While most sole proprietorship contractors, who only do small specialty jobs, wont have large insurance policies, they might have liability policies. If the contractor has employees, then they will need state regulated insurance like workers compensation. Make sure they have it.
Dont get swayed by low prices.
If a contractor is able to underbid every single other contractor, the individual will need to look at how. Are they skimping on materials? Are their workers properly insured? Do they have the manpower? An overly optimistic budget might seem great for those trying to save money on a project, but it might wind up costing them in the end.
Ask friends and family
If the individual has friends or family members who have had work done, they should ask about that contractors work. Friends and family are far more likely to be honest about their experience with a contractor than a stranger.
When hiring a contractor, it is important the thoroughly check the background of the potential contractor and not cut corners. A contractor who cuts corners on a property refurbishment projects could wind up costing the individual a lot more in the long run. People should be sure to check references, license and insurance status before signing any one individual on for the job.If you have a project in Kensington, you would find the following website very helpful:
Property Refurbishment Kensington This article is copyright free.