If you have construction work that needs to be done around your home, you may not know how to find the right company. Finding the right local construction contractor does not have to be as challenging as it may seem. These tips should help you find the right general contractors for your job.
- Talk to all of the people you know. If you know people who own their own home, you probably know someone who has hired a local construction contractor. Talk to your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. One of the best ways to find good quality services and products is to get a personal recommendation from someone you know and trust. In the best case scenario, two or more people will recommend the same local construction contractors independently from each other.
- Look online. Many cities and towns have Facebook groups and pages that are set up to promote local businesses. If there are no recommendations for local construction companies, you should write up a post asking about them. People will respond. Do a Google search for local construction contractors. If you see a lot of negative comments that are posted anonymously, you should take them with a grain of salt as people are more likely to complain than compliment.
- Narrow down your options with phone interviews. Once you have a list of local construction contractors, call them. There are a few questions you should ask. You will need to find out if they can take on a job like yours, when they would be able to start and how many projects they have going on at the same time as yours. You may find a great local construction company but if the timing is not right, you may need to go with a different company.
- Make appointments with three companies. Once you have talked to a few local construction contractors or companies, you should make appointments to talk to them in person. That is when you should start to get quotes. You need to get at least three detailed quotes in writing. You need more than just the price for the job but you need an itemized quote that lists how much you will be paying and what that will be for. Getting quotes in writing makes it easier to compare them but will also help you avoid any surprises with what you are charged for the job.
- Do not pick a local construction company based only on the price they quote you. The cheapest quote may end up costing you a lot more than a more expensive company. By the same measure, it is not advisable to go with the most expensive quote. Some companies will set their price for a job higher to make people believe that they are getting better quality work when that may not actually be the case. When you are making your decision, look at the scope of the work you are having done and the services that each company is offering. The price should be a factor but not the only factor in deciding what company you should hire to work on your home.
- Make sure the local construction contractor has the right license, permits and insurance. Before you start talking to any local construction contractors, spend some time looking into what rules and regulations govern construction projects in your town or city. The contractor normally handles the permits but you need to follow up and make sure they get what is needed to complete your project. At the end of the day, you will be held responsible if they do not get the right permits. By the same token, you need to make sure they have the right insurance or you can be held legally liable if someone is injured.
- Look at samples of their work. Going with a local company can have a lot of benefits. One of them is the chance to see some of the work the local construction contractor has done. Ask the contractors about work they have done that you can check out in person.
If you take your time, you will find the right contractor for your project.