If you are thinking about renovating your home or finally constructing your house on that piece of land you had bought years back, before anything else, you should consider hiring a good contractor for the project. For any construction activity, your contractor is not only your point of contact, but also the person who will help bring your vision to life. Before you hire someone right away, it is always a good idea to keep an open mind and go through the profiles of at least four to five people.
We have compiled a list of qualities you should look for in a contractor; this can significantly lessen your burden and help you make the right choice.
- Experience.
Needless to say, this is the first thing you should look for in a contractor. This does not necessarily mean that someone who has been working for more than a decade is definitely better than someone who has been in the market for only five years. When we say experience, we don’t just mean the number of years- but also the kind of projects associated with those years. This will also give you an idea about whether the candidate will be able to make your vision come true. Most general contractors actually hire subcontractors for various aspects of the job, so it is also a good idea to go through those profiles.
- Integrity.
This is the next thing you should look for in a general contractor. Always go through the feedback on their websites and social media pages, especially the negative feedbacks, to see how they have been responded to. Many contractors tend to overcharge customers, so you should also compare price quotations for similar projects. If you know someone who has recently renovated their place of moved in to a new house, you should ask them about their contractors. It is also a good idea to check with the local administrative offices about the contractor’s behaviour, since fraudulent people will never be on the right side of the law.
- Adaptability.
Your contractor should be flexible enough to adapt to any changes you ask him/her to incorporate. Of course, it is not always possible to make certain changes to a structure once it has been constructed already, but the enthusiasm and responsiveness of your contractor to your requests should be an essential quality.
- Communication skills.
You are hiring them for this project, so the final say on any matter should be with you. If you feel that someone is using passive-aggressive techniques to get things done in a different way, it is a big red flag. A good contractor should be open to new ideas and communicate his/her doubts properly and also keep you updated regularly on improvements.
- Financial stability.
Lastly, you should look at the contractor’s financial situation. Most general contractors usually provide their financial statements from banks to prove that they are legitimate. Financial stability is an important consideration since it shows whether the contractor has been paying the subcontractors timely, if there are outstanding debts or insurance claims to their name.
