DO NOT ASK A CONTRACTOR FOR REFERENCES!
What did he say? Do not ask a contractor for references? That's right! Since you are allowing the contractor to choose the references, no contractor is going to give you a bad one. Instead, ask the contractor for the last three projects that he has completed in chronological order. This accomplishes two things: first, you are choosing the references, not the contractor and second, you will be able to determine from these contacts, the quality and reliability of the contractor's work at the present time.
NAIL DOWN THE FACTS!
In the remodeling business there is no such thing as too much information. Make sure the contractor has provided a detailed floor plan of the project showing quantity and location of items such as light fixtures and phone jacks. This plan should be accompanied by a full set of construction specifications detailing all phases of the project including the specific products and construction techniques to be used to complete your project. In layman's terms, you want to be clear on exactly what the contractor is going to do and how he is going to do it.
COMPARE YOUR BIDS CAREFULLY!
Make sure that you are comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges. Again, this will be a function of how detailed the individual proposals are. Price will only be a determining factor if all the bids are similar. Most often you will find that you get what you pay for.
GET IT IN WRITING!
At the time you sign a contract, what you are buying is intangible, you can't see it or touch it. What you are buying is the contractor's understanding of the work to be performed. Most disagreements arise over miscommunication. So avoid this pitfall by making sure you have all the details in writing. |