8 Top Things to Look For In a Home Addition Contractor: A guide for finding reliable home addition contractor
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Depending on a variety of unique tasks, you may find subtle differences in the hiring process. Here are 8 top services to look for when selecting the best home addition contractor for your project.
Check for the company’s Previous Project Experience
One of the easiest, yet best ways to find a qualified, home addition contractor is to ask a few questions about past work history. If a remodeling company successfully completed a project with several identical elements to your own, chances are high that they will handle it perfectly.
The contractor will have learned all areas related to your project, including the types of issues that could potentially arise. To evaluate which home addition contractor best fit your project, ask the following questions:
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• How many similar projects have the contractor completed in the past? |
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• How long has the contractor been in the home remodeling business? |
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• What experience does the contractor have with your project? |
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• Do you have the necessary permits or licenses? |
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• Do you have references? |
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• What are the cost estimates and timeline for the project? |
The right home addition contractor for your project will answer these questions, and most prospective companies will appreciate working with a homeowner who takes such an active interest in finding good service. On the other hand, if a contractor hardly answers these questions correctly, this may be a red flag and therefore, you better look for someone else.
ProTip Takeaway: While a contractor's work history may not need to be identical to be relevant, it’s always beneficial to ensure the selected remodeler successfully incorporates similar elements in your project.
Look For the Contractor’s Qualifications
Hiring a qualified contractor is a great way to ensure that your project runs efficiently and the outcome is functional. Getting the job done right the first time will not only save you money and time but also alleviate the hassles of future repairs.
While it may be a good idea to hire a general contractor with experience, and expertise in a range of remodeling projects, if you are doing solely home addition, a specialist in the room, a second story, sunroom, roof, or kitchen addition may prove best for your project.
Check Their Service Area
Of course, you’d not want to hire a contractor whose services are limited to your state. If the selected home addition contractor is qualified to work on your project but doesn’t work in your area, it’s important to look for another professional.
Nevertheless, you would not want to hire someone who can’t commute to your home or charges extra fees to travel to your neighborhood. At Smart Remodeling, we work with experts in building and remodeling who are ready to help you start your dream home remodeling project in Houston Texas, and the surrounding areas.
ProTip Takeaway: Hiring an established local remodeler will help make your project a success by ensuring all the required permits and building codes in your State are met.
Look in For Reviews, Testimonials, and References
Another best way to find a reputable home addition contractor is through testimonials, reviews, and good ol’ word-of-mouth referrals.
You can start evaluating your options by reviewing testimonials and reviews to see what other businesses and past clients are saying about your potential contractor. Look in for mention of
Most contractors will often have customer reviews on business sites such as the Better Business Bureau, Facebook, and Google, and project sites like Houzz and Yelp.
ProTip Takeaway: When reviewing contractors’ testimonials, always check for mentions of the quality of their workmanship, their willingness, and collaborative their approach to handling projects.
Investigate a contractor's License and Insurance
Working with a contractor who’s insured, bonded, and fully licensed will make you protected in the event that the company unsuccessfully completes the project.
Before you get to work with the selected contractor, it’s a good idea to verify that the contractor’s insurance policy is still valid with the insurance agency. Additionally, take your time to understand what the contractor’s insurance covers and its limitations.
ProTip Takeaway: Look for a reputable home addition contractor who has an adequate amount of worker’s compensation, personal liability, as well as property damage insurance.
Work Within Your Budget
After you’ve gathered and evaluated 3 bids from various contractors, always pick a professional who can work within your budget while delivering the best project.
While it’s a good idea to pick a contractor whose bid is significantly lower than others, you should conduct thorough research to find out why. Did the contractor miss out on some aspects while placing their bids? Or are they offering bargain rates and marginal work?
ProTip Takeaway: Sometimes a higher bid could indicate quality and vice versa.
Safety
You can’t have a successful project if the construction team isn’t working in a safe environment. Therefore, before picking a contractor, you need to get a clear picture of their commitment to safety.
So how do you know a contractor’s commitment to safety? You can check these using Experience Modifier Rate (EMR)OSHA 300, as well as 300a logs.
For starters, a company’s EMR of 1 indicates that they are likely to have cases of accidents. On the other hand, an EMR below 1.0 means they’re less likely to have an accident.
Check the frequency of accidents on the company’s safety reports. If you see the same types of accidents happening frequently, then it could be an indication that your potential contractor lacks professionalism.
Additionally, your home addition contractor should have a full-time safety officer. This is often a good indication that the construction company takes safe work practices seriously.
A Good Contractor is Always Overbooked
An experienced contractor is likely to have a tight schedule, which implies you have to wait a couple of weeks to get on their schedule. When you consider that you’re making a significant investment in your home, however, isn’t it worth waiting for a contractor you trust to do an exceptional job?
ProTip Takeaway: A reputable home addition contractor will be too busy to start your project right away.
Conclusion
The selection of a reputable home addition contractor should never be taken lightly. The goal is to hire a quality general contractor who can correctly meet all the needs of your home remodel.
By following these tips on how to find the right contractor, you can rest assured that your home remodeling project will stay firmly out of nightmare territory.
So, you’ve checked for the company’s past projects, interviewed several construction companies, compared 3 bids, and narrowed down your search. Now it’s time to pick a reputable home addition contractor for your project.
Are you ready to select the right home addition contractor?
Are you in need of an experienced and reputable home remodeling contractor that has been helping homeowners fall in love with their homes again for years? Then look no further than Smart Remodeling LLC!
We specialize in home remodeling and customization. Our team of qualified contractors has the appropriate experience and is committed to providing you with the highest quality work possible. Contact us now to learn what we can do for your home.