A remodel, renovation or brand-new home construction is exciting to experience for any homeowner but, it can be a headache if you don’t choose the right contractor. Home building projects can be expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. You need someone who is skillful and reliable. Choosing and hiring contractors can either make or break your project.
Carefully choosing and hiring contractors not only ensures your desired building; it also means that the process itself will go smoothly. You cannot hire a contractor who will not deliver what you want with a minimum of hassle. You want someone with whom you can really work and communicate comfortably. ProRealty Property Management will handle the bidding process for any repair projects at your building.
Hiring and Choosing Contractors Qualifications:
The license and registration requirements of contractors will be different depending on where you live. Check with your state, county and/or city to know about the requirements. Then, make sure that your contractor has the necessary documents and skills to get the job done:
- Adequate relevant experience
- Permits, according to the requirement
- Best reviews
- Personal liability insurance
- Worker’s compensation
- Coverage of property damage
Services that a Contractor Offers:
Some general contractors have specialization in specific projects, like roofing or painting houses, while others are multifaceted. For any project they are hired for, contractors are responsible to provide the labor, equipment and materials necessary.
General contractors can perform the following services:
- New construction
- Renovation
- Remodel
- Painting
- Electric
- Plumbing
- Woodworking
- Flooring
- Roofing
- Siding
The following steps can be helpful when choosing and hiring contractors for a project
1. Get recommendations from people you know:
Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find quality services, and when it’s matter of choosing and hiring contractors, the same holds true. Ask the people you know who have experience working with contractors and who work alongside them, i.e building inspectors.
2. Phone Interviews:
Once you’ve prepared a list, make a quick call to each of your prospects and go through these questions to ask a contractor:
- Do they take projects of your size?
- Are they able to provide financial references, from suppliers or banks?
- Can they provide you a detailed list of previous clients?
- How many other projects would they be catering at the same time?
- How much working experience with their subcontractors, they have?
The answers to these questions will decide the company’s availability, reliability and how smoothly the work will go.
3. Face to Face Meeting
Based on the phone interviews, pick three to four contractors to meet for estimation and further discussion. A contractor should be able to answer your questions satisfactorily and in a manner that puts you at comfort. It’s crucial that you two communicate well because this person will be in your home for hours. On the other hand, check in with your state’s consumer protection agency and your local Better Business Bureau before hiring a contractor to make sure they don’t have a history of disputes with clients or subcontractors.
4.Don’t rush the process and talk to several contractors:
Being in a hurry can be troublesome and it can cost you money as well. Look for a top contractor as early as possible, so you can make an informed decision based on facts. Start making frequent phone calls. Ask them questions and get a feel for how they work? Are they accessible, available, and willing to answer your questions? Do they pressure you into choosing them, and tell you all about how suitable they are.
5. Investigate for the Facts:
Now that you’ve narrowed your list, it’s time to research. Call up former clients to find how was their experience, how their project went and ask to see the finished product. But you shouldn’t rely on results alone. Even more important is, visit a current job site and check how the contractor works. Is the job site neat? Are all the workers courteous and careful with the homeowner’s property?
The process of choosing and hiring contractors takes a little time and some research, but you’ll be glad you went the extra mile and chose the best for you. By the extra effort you make, you will get the contractor that’s a good fit for your project.
6. Make plans and get bids
Now you have short list of contractors whose track records seem clean and whose work ethic looks responsible. Now it’s time to stop looking at past work and start looking forward to your new project. A conscientious contractor would like to have not only a complete set of blueprints but also a sense of what homeowners want out of a project and what they plan to spend on. To compare the bids, ask all of them to break down the cost of materials, labor, profit margins and other expenses. Usually materials account for 40 percent of the total cost; the rest covers overhead and the normal profit margin, which is 15 to 20 percent.
7. Payment Schedule
Another valuable tip for hiring a contractor is to work out a payment schedule before time. Payment schedules depend on a contractor’s financial status and work ethic. If they want half the bid up front, they may have financial issues or be worried that you will not pay the rest after you’ve seen the work. For larger projects, a schedule normally starts with 10 percent at contract signing, three payments of 25 percent evenly spaced over the duration of the project and a check for the final 15 percent when you feel every item on to do list has been completed.
8. Don’t compromise your comfort:
While hiring a contractor, go for deep analysis of every aspect. Beyond technical competence, comfort should play an equal role in your decision. The most important factor in choosing a contractor is how well you both communicate. Therefore, it’s better to spend more and get someone you’re comfortable to work with.
9. Go for a written contract:
Draw up a contract having detail of every step of the project: payment schedule; proof of liability insurance and worker’s compensation payments; a start date as well as completion date; and specific materials and products to be used. To insist on a clear contract is not about mistrust. It’s about ensuring a successful renovation.
Pro Realty manages every homeowner association with these three property management approaches to modernize, enrich, and protect each property. Pro Realty can handle day-to-day operations, perform ongoing maintenance duties, and interrelate with the residents. We offer our clients financial openness, comprehensive management, dynamic maintenance, and, most importantly, peace of mind.
If you would like to receive a House Rules Template which includes typical house rules, send us an email with the request “House Rules” as the subject to support@prorealtymanager.com
