Are you among the growing number of home owners looking to hire a Home Professional for a building or remodeling project? Building your new home or renovating your existing home can be overwhelming but with the help of a Professional Home builder or remodeler the process can be smooth and memorable. Here are five tips to help find the perfect Home Professional for your next project!
1) Always Go with a HBA Home Professional
By hiring an HBA Home Professional you are ensuring quality service as our Builders and Remodelers are required to carry workers compensation and general liability insurance and have a “B” or better with the Better Business Bureau. Our members take pride in their work and we hope that you feel confident hiring an HBA Home Professional.
2) Do Your Research
Look at the prospective Home Professional’s company website and social media accounts to see photos of their work. Visit review sites like HomeAdvisor and Houzz to see more pictures and to read reviews of companies. Take the good with the bad when reading online reviews and focus on the descriptions of experiences and qualities that are most important to you as a customer. Ask for references and call with questions. Two good questions to ask references are, “How did they handle call backs?” and “Would you have them do work for you again?”
3) Create Your Short List
Once you have a list of potential home professionals for your project, do a little more background research to verify that they are appropriately licensed and have a good business track record. Look them up with your local or state office of consumer protection. Verify that they have the appropriate licenses and registrations.
4) Start Taking Notes
When you begin meeting with home professionals, you want to find out information such as:
- How long they have been in business in your community? Can they provide references from customers and suppliers they work with?
- Verify that they carry the appropriate insurances that protect you from claims arising from property damage or job site injuries by asking for a certificate of insurance.
- What is their working knowledge of the many types and ages of homes in the area, and what sort of issues could arise?
- Do they arrange for the building permit? (The person who obtains the permit is the contractor of record and therefore liable for the work)
- Do they provide a written estimate before beginning the work, and a detailed contract that spells out the work that will and will not be performed, protects both of you, provides a fair payment schedule contract and complies with local, state, and federal laws?
5) Trust Your Instincts
Make sure you are compatible with the contractor you select. Beginning your project with mutual expectations will go a long way towards a smooth building project. You’ll spend a lot of time with your remodeler or builder so it’s important to have a good rapport and trust in him or her.
For more detailed checklists for finding, evaluating and working with a Home Professional, as well as other information about building or remodeling your home, go to hbaspringfield.com