You’ve got a lot of options when it comes to home renovation contractors, but how do you know whom to choose, with all the options out there and nothing but assurances? Well, here’s your chance to find out.
There’s a brief way to answer and a long way to answer. Briefly, for the absolute best results, you’ll want experienced contractors who’ve worked with an in-house interior designer. The longer answer includes that point, but the process includes a broader balancing act, as explained below, as well.
Look for Those Who Provide Quality Craftsmanship
Seek those with a demonstrable commitment to exceeding your expectations by providing quality craftsmanship and superior service. You’ll want renovation companies who can transform homes and bring dreams to life, allowing you to create, design, and execute home additions, kitchen and bathroom renovations, exterior living spaces, and basement developments. But if you have to deal with contractors yourself, that can leave you with questions on how to find the best ones.
If you look carefully, you’ll find contractors consistently surpassing the expectations of their clients while continuing to elevate the standards of the industry through hard work and dedication. They’re the kind that end up with the best renovation companies and most generous homeowners.
Goalsetting
The goal should be simple: to bring your dreams to life. Look for renovation companies or contractors who’ve been helping homeowners realize their vision of what their homes should be.
The key to designing and executing home additions, kitchen and bathroom renovations, exterior living spaces and basement developments is the right set of contractors. These individuals must show expert craftsmanship and work well as a team of professional contractors. If you want to take it even further, you’ll want them able to execute on in-house interior designers’ directions, as they help you realize your vision.
Things to Consider Before Hiring Your Renovation Team
Know Your Project Needs
It’s difficult to figure out the scope of your project without putting together a list of what you want to achieve. Remember, not all contractors have the same skill sets. Some specialize in kitchen renovations; others focus on bathrooms or basement development projects. Most importantly, they may not be able to help with home additions without the right set of skills, whether formal, ticketed, and insurable, or those of the softer skill sets which make them easier to work with. Take a look at magazines for inspiration or talk to an interior designer for popular ideas. Then ask yourself or your designer, “how should all this be broken down into jobs we can contract out?” That’s how you get the scope for each piece of the puzzle.
When you’re working with designers or contractors, you’ll want to check that they understand the scope of your project. Moreover, you should find proof that they can work within the scope you give them. And remember, you should look for contractors who have experience helping to realize an interior design team’s vision!
You’ll want to reach out to the best contractors available, so you can quickly assess if they’ll be a good fit for your needs. But how do you find out whether a contractor’s bid for a project is any good? Multiple stimates can go a long way in helping you with this part.
Get a Number of Estimates
Shop around and get a number of written estimates before awarding your project’s contracts. Compare the estimates you have received by reviewing each one closely. Make sure that all contractors bid on the same scope of work.
Some contractors may try to improve the appearance of their project bids by removing certain line items from the project or by using lower-quality materials than others to reduce their costs. Keep in mind that there is no point in comparing prices when looking at estimates that are not bidding on exactly the same scope of work.
Ask for References
To assist you in comparing the worth of the estimates, ask each contractor for references and vet them out thoroughly – so as to make an informed decision based on track record rather than sales pitches or pricing alone.
Contact references and ask questions about whether they were satisfied with the service provided by the contractor and if they would recommend hiring.
Make Sure You and the Contractor Are on the Same Page with Regards to Timing
Now that you’ve gone through the interview process and have a contractor (or several) in mind, you want to ensure you’re all on the same page about the timing of the project, especially as a project manager’s critical path forms in the contracting breakdowns.
If it’s a new build, talk about when work will start and when it should be complete. For renovations or remodelling, homeowners often want contractors to start as soon as possible. The first step is making sure your contractor can start when you need them to so that time isn’t wasted waiting for them to get caught up on prior commitments.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
Suppose the contractor has only provided you with a written contract but not a detailed cost breakdown. Just ask for one! You should also ask which materials they will be using on your project and why. This process will help you compare proposals from different contractors more effectively.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! You must feel comfortable with and fully understand each contractor’s proposal before moving forward. If any parts of the proposal don’t make sense or seem unclear, ask for clarification. This part of a renovation, custom home build, or remodel is part collaboration, part negotiation.
Once you’ve got your dream team assembled, the scope in place, and the timeframes agreed upon; your dream home can begin. Then you can just watch it all unfold, and enjoy.
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