Notes on Hiring a Contractor

When you are selling your house and there are outstanding repairs or renovations that need to happen, you have two options. You can complete the tasks yourself if you have the know-how, the equipment and the drive to do so, or you can hire a professional contractor to get the job done. Here are some tips on how to find a decent, trustworthy contractor.

Tips on Hiring a Contractor -- Ask Around

The best way to find a reliable contractor is through referrals. Ask your friends and family if they can recommend a good contractor. If any of your neighbors have recently modified their homes, ask them if they were happy with the company they contracted to do the job. When you locate a contractor through personal referrals, you can take advantage of all the shopping around that's been done by your friends, family members and neighbors. This will make the contractor search process go by much faster. What's more, when you find a contractor through a personal referral, you have the opportunity to review the contractor's work in order to make sure that the contractor's efforts are up to snuff. When you're asking questions about the contractor's work, make sure to factor in the type of work that was completed, how that work compares to the tasks that you need to get done and what the budget was for the renovation project.

Tips on Hiring a Contractor -- Get Multiple Bids

Once you've identified a contractor, don't stop your search and go with the first guy you find. Shop around and get multiple quotes. Compare the estimates and weigh the pros and cons of each contractor. Ask questions about the quality of the materials that will be used during the project. When you're comparing different estimates, don't immediately choose the contractor who gave you the lowest quote. Find out what's behind the low bid. Is there a limited window on the time it will take to complete the task? Will there be construction shortcuts taken to keep costs down? Where will the materials come from? When you take a closer look at what's behind each bid, you'll get a more complete picture of what the contractor can offer. This will allow you to make a more informed decision on which contractor to go with.