Renovating your home is both extremely exciting and daunting, especially if you’ve never done it before. From minor kitchen renovations to a full house renovation, it’s important to find residential renovation contractors who you can trust will take care of your home.
We’ve all heard horror stories about renovations gone wrong due to poor communication or contractors’ lack of attention to detail. It’s not uncommon for projects like kitchen renovations to run way over budget or time because the contractor didn’t tell their client the whole story in order to close the deal and get your business. Whether you have experience with renovations and are looking for a new contractor or are trying to find one for the first time, there are a few things you can do to make sure you find the best residential renovation contractors for you.
Ask Around
Even though a quick search on the internet has become the go-to method for finding anything these days, one of the best ways to find a reliable residential contractor is still to ask people you know about their experience working with contractors. Take the time to ask friends, family, coworkers or anyone you trust about the contractors they’ve hired in the past. Here is a list of a few questions that you can ask to get the conversation flowing:
- Did your project go way over budget? If so, was it the contractors’ fault??
- Did your project take way longer than expected? If so, was it the contractors’ fault?
- Did they complete the job to your satisfaction?
- Did they leave a mess when they packed up and left?
- Were they easy to contact and have honest communication?
Of course, this isn’t a foolproof method of pinning down the perfect contractor, but it’s a good way to get preliminary information about the contractors who work in your area. And remember, the more people you ask, the better information you will have to make your decision.
Read Online Reviews and Testimonials
If you don’t have the opportunity to ask the people in your life about their experience with contractors, a good alternative is to read customer testimonials and reviews online. Reading online reviews essentially serves the same purpose as asking around. Still, you can cast a wider net because of the sheer numbers of testimonials and reviews compared to how many people you can ask in person.
You will be able to find most residential renovations contractors’ reviews with a simple Google search of the company name. However, some contractors like Calgary Home Renovations by Aspire have a dedicated page on their website for testimonials.
Interview More Than One Contractor
If you ask your sister about the contractors who worked on her kitchen renovations last summer and she gives you rave reviews, it can be tempting to stop your search early and get started as soon as possible. But it’s extremely important to interview multiple candidates before making a final decision. Maybe everything your sister said is 100% true, and the contractors were honest, met all deadlines, and did great work. But perhaps another contractor out there has all the same qualities who charges 10% less. Do yourself a favour, and don’t cut your search short for expediency.
Verify Their License
Once you’ve narrowed down your search and you are almost ready to make a deal, check out their license. Depending on your municipality and province, the licenses and certifications residential contractors need will vary. Still, they will need to have some form of official documentation that proves they are qualified to work on your home. If you ask a contractor to show you proof of certifications or licenses, and they either refuse you or dance around the topic, hoping you won’t be persistent in asking, that’s a major red flag. (Depending on where on the globe you are located, licensing and registration may NOT be required. Check with your local municipality or building department)
There is no foolproof way to find the perfect contractor, but there are ways to increase your chances of finding one that works best for you. If you take the time to ask friends and family about their personal experiences with local contractors, read online reviews and testimonials, interview multiple contractors, and verify their licenses, there’s no reason you can’t find a great residential renovation contractor.
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