The Importance of Choosing a Good Contractor :

As a homeowner, the desire to remodel your home starts with a vision--one of a cozier living space, or perhaps an updated look. Turning that vision into reality can be the tricky (and often frustrating) part. Remodeling your home should be an exciting, and perhaps even a pleasant, experience; sadly, it is all too easy for that experience to become one of anxiety and frustration, as a result of having chosen the wrong remodeling contractor. The very last thing anyone wants is to have their vision of remodeling go from one of excitement to one of disappointment and "remodeling gone wrong."

What's at Stake?

The value that a contractor provides goes well beyond the skill, experience and aptitude that they bring to their work. There are the obvious concerns--will the contractor's work be good? will they use top-quality materials, or will they cut corners? And then there are the not-so-obvious ones : the simple fact that you are hiring a group of people who will be trudging through your home (for several days) should be enough to provide you with some perspective on just how critical the choice of contractors is. It may be a "job site" to the contractor, but it is your home--a simple fact that your contractor and crew should be aware of and respect, as though the home (and the people in it) were their own.

So, what is at stake when you choose a contractor? First and foremost, your peace of mind. Hiring the right contractor not only means knowing that the work will be done right--knowing that the value of one of your primary investments (your home) will be enhanced--but that the work will be done by people you can trust in and around your home.

Tips (and a Questionnaire) for Choosing a Good Contractor :

There are several basic questions that ought to be asked when you are deciding on a contractor. The questions generally fall into three categories :

We've compiled several of the questions in the form of a questionnaire, and placed them in the file that you can download (it's a PDF file called "Contractor_Evaluation_Form.pdf"); you can then print it out and use it when evaluating a potential contractor. To view the contents of the file, simply click on the button below; to download the file, simply right-click on the button, and choose "Save As..."

As in most matters, communication is key when you are in the process of deciding on a contractor; you should never hesitate to discuss any matters of concern with a contractor--whether they be the more obvious concerns (ability, credentials, reputation) or something of particular concern to you (for example, what precautions they take to shield the rest of your home from the dust, etc., that might arise from the work).

Common Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Contractor :

Remember : Total Value = Quality + Price + Service

As much as many people would like to pretend that it isn't so, it is impossible for any company in any industry to offer the lowest price, while having the highest quality and providing the best service all at the same time.

You can get high quality and first-rate service, but you can't get both and still get the lowest price.

Just as in your own business, the best long-term results are obtained when you hire the best people and buy the highest-quality products--consequently, you will have to charge more for your services than others who do not have a long-term, maximum-value view.

Call Bob at (757) 872-2137 or (757)851-9618, and put his experience to work for you.