5 Tips for Finding a Good Contractor
March 1, 2021
Find a good contractor who gets the quality work on time is never an easy task. As you search for a contractor to work on your property, here are some tips and tactics you can leverage to filter out the bad apples and find the right fit for your project.
1. Get Referrals From People You Trust
You want to avoid picking contractors out of the blue. Even starting your search online can be a bit messy. The best approach is to ask for referrals.
When asking for referrals, tap people in your own network. This may include neighbors, friends, family, or coworkers. But also make sure you’re asking people whose opinions you trust. Anybody can give out a referral – do you trust the person giving it?
2. Do a Quick Phone Interview
You can save yourself (and the contractor) a lot of time by doing a quick phone interview before calling them out to give you an estimate in person.
Ask the following questions to understand their skills and experience:
- Do they take on projects of your size?
- Are they willing to provide financial references, from suppliers or banks?
- Can they give you a list of previous clients?
- How many other projects would they have going at the same time?
- How long have they worked with their subcontractors?
This last question is especially important. You can hire a contractor you love, but will he actually be doing the work? There’s not anything wrong with subcontracting, but you want to know if this is the path he’ll be taking. And if so, are the subcontractors qualified and reliable?
3. Speak to Past Clients
The next step is to speak to past clients. The contractor should be able to provide some contacts or show you some of his work. If he’s unwilling to provide names, this is a sign that he might not have satisfied clients with good work.
4. Get Quotes
Generally speaking, it’s a smart idea to get at least three quotes from different contractors. This will help you get a feel for different approaches, prices, and styles. And don’t be surprised if their rates are all over the place. (If the rates are all pretty consistent, you can feel pretty good about the fact that you’re getting an honest “going rate.”)
5. Check Licenses
Make sure any contractor you work with is licensed and insured. They should be able to provide you with their numbers to show that they are who they say they are. A failure to provide documentation when asked is a good enough reason to work with someone else.
If you are looking to hire a Property Management company to manage your property then consider hiring ACCL Property Management. For free consultation, please email us at info@acclpropertymanagement.com or call us at 905-432-8961
