When it comes to choosing a General Contractor, follow your instincts. It only takes a few episodes of home improvement shows to start to understand the vulnerabilities of homeowners during the remodeling and construction processes.
So what should a homeowner do to hire a professional general contractor?
-Talk to other people. Who did that awesome renovation project for your coworker? Who built the addition for Mike and Patty? Start talking with people about their projects and get names of who to talk to and who to avoid.
-Make a shortlist of contractors. Pick the top contenders from your recommendations and schedule a time meet with them face to face. This meeting will be critical to identify some key areas to a successful relationship:
- First Impression. Can you work with this general contractor? Do they inspire trust or concern in you?
- Scheduling. Does your timeline fit into their building schedule? Will there be a delayed start?
- Interest. Is this a project that the contractor has handled before? Is this something they want to work on?
- Cost. What is the average cost per sq ft for a project like this? Is that something in your budget?
After the meetings, sit down and compare the options. Try to narrow the list further and do your best to follow your gut reaction. Do not focus solely on the cost of the project. It does matter but using the cheapest or most expensive option may not give you the return you are looking for.
This contractor will be the person guiding you through the construction process. You want someone that you can trust and live with seeing every day of the project.
-Check the reputations. Do a final check on the contractors professional reputation. In construction, reputations are earned through proper construction, good management, and excellent communication. Ask the contractor for past clients to speak with including projects that did not go as well as expected. This is also a great time to check in with the Contractors State License Board about their standing.
If you take these steps before you enter into a contract, your project will be in good hands with a general contractor that you know and trust.