Evaluating a contractor’s qualifications, expertise, and experience is essential for making an informed decision about who to hire for a remodeling project.
A remodel can breathe new life into your house, giving spaces more functionality and a brand new look. But hiring the wrong contractor can turn home remodeling into a major headache and lead to a final result that fails to meet your expectations.
Given the importance of the decision about who to hire, it’s worth reflecting on these questions before signing a contract with a remodeler or general contractor.
#1: Are They Licensed, Bonded, and Insured?
Being licensed, bonded, and insured is table stakes. Any serious home remodeling company or remodeler should have no problem documenting that their business has these ducks in a row.
As a quick reminder, here’s what these mean and why they’re important:
- Licensed: A licensed contractor possesses the necessary credentials from a state or local government, giving them legal authority to perform remodeling work.
- Bonded: Being bonded means the contractor has a surety bond in place. This bond is a form of protection for the client that ensures completion of the job and payment for subcontractors and suppliers, mitigating financial risk for the homeowner.
- Insured: An insured contractor carries liability insurance and workers’ compensation, so a homeowner is not on the hook for potential costs from accidents, injuries, or property damage that may occur on the job site.
Asking to see documentation of this should be straightforward, not a cause for hemming and hawing.
#2: Can You See Examples of Similar Work?
The experience of a remodeling contractor is a crucial consideration when choosing who to work with. One of the best ways to gauge their experience is to see a portfolio of past work.
Their portfolio will give you an idea of their general design style and the types of projects they’ve worked on. Ideally, they can show you some project examples that overlap with what you’re planning for your home.
Beyond just seeing the portfolio, it often helps to ask for references from past clients. You can supplement this by asking in your network if anyone has worked with them before. Although online reviews aren’t perfect, they can also help you get a sense of whether a remodeler achieves high levels of customer satisfaction.
How Do They Communicate and Manage Projects?
You want your remodeler to be a consummate professional, and this should be evident in how they communicate and how they organize and manage projects.
- Communication: To assess their communication, pay close attention when doing initial consultations or walk-throughs. See whether they really listen and take the time to explain things in a way that’s respectful and that you can understand. See how well they follow up and keep their commitments about sending deliverables (such as a proposal or formal contract).
- Project management: As a homeowner, you can benefit from having a dedicated project manager who helps guide you through the budget and the plan for the remodeling schedule. Look for signs of clear organization, and don’t be afraid to ask who your contact person will be and how often you should expect to be in touch with them at different stages of the project.
Who Will Actually Be Working in Your Home?
Before signing a contract, you should ask the remodeling contractor about how they manage and supervise the work site and who will actually be working in your home.
A lot of craftsmanship goes into a major remodel. The home renovation process requires engaging with multiple vendors for materials and services, including separate contractors or subcontractors. Depending on the project, you may need contractors or subcontractors who specialize in things like plumbing, electrical work, tile, roof work, flooring, or painting.
The remodeler or general contractor should be able to tell you about the people they work with, regardless of whether they are in-house or subcontractors. You can also ask how they schedule subcontractors and how they oversee their work to ensure that it meets their quality standards.
How Do They Handle Permits and Inspections?
No one loves dealing with construction permits and inspections, but it’s far easier for an experienced remodeler than for their customers. For that reason, most high-quality remodelers include pulling permits in the scope of their work. They should also take the lead on arranging inspections and handling any issues that come up during those inspections.
What Happens if Something Changes Mid-Project?
Change orders and mid-project pivots can be a source of stress and cost overruns in home remodeling projects. While it’s natural to hope that everything goes smoothly, the reality is that you need to be informed and prepared in case something doesn’t go according to plan.
Unfortunately, homeowners may incur additional costs if they do not carefully consider quotes and project plans before starting work. This includes any details about change orders and who is responsible for the cost of unanticipated work.
As a general rule, homeowners are better protected by fixed-price contracts. With these contracts, the risk of unexpected costs is borne by the remodeler (not the homeowner). In contrast, with time-and-materials contracts, unanticipated extra labor just gets added to the line items, which is a frequent reason why home remodels overshoot their budget.
Custom Home Remodeling Services in Chester County and West Chester, PA
Hazley Builders has a long history in Chester County. Our family is rooted here, and we’ve spent decades building and remodeling homes for our friends and neighbors with the highest-quality design, construction, and service.
As a design-build firm, we offer complete, end-to-end service that includes all the design work, permitting, construction, and project management. Our experienced team includes a certified architect for even the most complex projects, and we have a trusted network of subcontractors who excel in their own areas of expertise.
Whether you’re thinking about a home addition, whole home upgrade, or a basement, kitchen, or bathroom remodel, we’d welcome the opportunity to learn more about your vision and discuss how our process can help achieve it.
You can see examples of our work in our portfolio, and we invite you to contact us today to schedule a consultation.
