Home Improvement: Eight Tips for Finding a Contractor

Have you been contemplating a serious home improvement project lately? Then you may be hearing the words of Voltaire resonating in your head: “God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.” With mortgage interest rates at record lows, living well may mean giving yourself the gift of home renovation.

Unless you’re among the 14 percent of Americans who are do-it-yourselfers, you’ll need the help of a general contractor. Get referrals from friends and acquaintances, or local building supply shops. Then, call them in for interviews and estimates. Here are eight tips for finding the right professional:

1. A license not to kill your project. Check a contractor’s license, which should be written on his business card.  But that’s not enough. Go here to find proof positive in your state. Otherwise, if things go wrong, you’ll have no recourse.

2.  Insure that they’re insured. Ask the contractor to provide his insurance company information and policy number. Then, call the company and verify that he’s paid up and has coverage throughout the entire renovation period. Also, check that he has adequate worker’s compensation coverage.

3.  Phone a friend. Get references from people who he’s worked with over the past few years on projects that are similar to yours. Then call them! Ask about the contractor’s promptness, cleanliness, and any other factors that are important to you.

4.  Ask questions.  Probe the contractor by asking questions. Inquire about any problems he encountered on his recent jobs, and what he did to solve them. Ask about his relationships to suppliers and subcontractors. How long has he been working with them? Will he be running the job, or delegating it to a foreman?

5.  Can you hear me now? How does the contractor respond to your questions?  Is he really listening? You want the home improvement done to your specifications, not his. If he doesn’t hear what you want, he’s not the man for you.

6.  Get formal bids. Get at least three written bids for your home improvement project that are based on identical plans and specifications. Ask each contractor when the project can start, and how long it will take. (Add some time to the end of whatever they tell you. Renovations have a habit of taking longer than planned.)

7.  Feel the love. Make sure you choose someone who you’re comfortable with. After all, he’ll be in your living space for the duration of the home improvement project. Use your intuition – this is someone who you’ll be communicating with frequently. If you don’t feel that he understands your needs, he’s not the right contractor for you.

8. Spread the wealth. Don’t put more than 10 percent down. Negotiate a payment schedule, and don’t forget to write into the contract that the final payment won’t be delivered until after the job is 100 percent complete. Don’t budge on that requirement, no matter what.

These tips should minimize the grief of your renovation. The whole point of your home improvement project it to improve the quality of your life … and that would make Voltaire proud.