How to hire the right contractor? This is a question both home and business owners struggle with. It definitely can be a daunting task if you don’t go about hiring the right way, however over the years we’ve received feedback from our customers and wanted to share a few things we think you should consider before hiring a tradesperson.
What Is Their Online Reputation? This is not the end all be all, but it is always a good idea to do a quick google search to see what comes up when you type in a contractors name. Sometimes you are shocked to find that a contractor you found on Facebook or Kijiji has a ton of negative reviews. Then other times, you are pleasantly surprised to see a ton of great reviews and content. If a contractor is organized and diligent enough to be cognizant of their online reputation this is a plus. Reviews aren’t the only thing you should look at, but it can be a great indictor of a reputable company and help narrow down your list of potential hires.
Are They Insured? Many home owners don’t think to ask this question when comparing various contractors, however it’s important. If you receive a quote that is substantially lower than other contractors, it may be because they are not insured. Many times we ourselves are compared to other quotes, from contractors that are much less, only for us to find out and notify the customer that they do no have insurance. There are many companies out there that do great work without insurance, however if you are taking on a medium to large size project involving plumbing and/or electrical, we highly recommend paying a bit more for a company that is insured.
What Is Their Workmanship Warranty? Similar to online reviews, finding a company that will warranty their work can give you peace of mind. Any professional contractor worth their weight in gold, should warranty their work at least 6 months to a year. If they won’t, run away.
Do They Have a Strong Portfolio? Seeing images and/or videos of a companies work will give you a better sense of the quality of their workmanship? Portfolio samples don’t tell you everything about a company and sure, some companies can “steal” images from other contractors, but performing a quick reverse image search on Google can help you determine whether a portfolio image is legitimately owned by that company or is someone else’s. Sifting through an online gallery of a contractors work is just another piece of supporting documentation when building a case for who to hire.
Are They Willing To Provide References? Not all contractors want to bother previous customers by asking them to be a reference, but most good ones with nothing to hide should be able to give you the names and numbers of some customers they don’t mind you speaking with. If they can’t or won’t, it may be a red flag.
Overall, going through the above list will not guarantee the your project goes 100% according to plan, however it is a great way too create a shortlist of companies that will most likely do best job.