When selecting a contractor to work with, it’s important to first talk with past clients to obtain feedback on their experience. Before agreeing to work with a contractor, it’s important to know what they did well and what their weaknesses are.
It is important to remember while listening to feedback, that no contractor can be all things to all people. Most contractors will have their strong points and they will most likely have some limitations as well. If you are looking for the “perfect” contractor, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no such thing. However, if you are looking for a contractor that is committed to excellence, operates with integrity and delivers a quality product, then such professionals do exist.
Consider things that matter for the project, such as experience, excellence, and integrity. We all have our strengths and limitations, however a good contractor won’t shy away from their shortcomings but will work through them and provide excellent service and ultimately an excellent product, though not a “perfect” one.
Experience, pursuit of excellence, and integrity are critical things to consider. I would shy away from any contractor that doesn’t check these three boxes. Some other things to consider/questions to ask are:
- Was the project finished on time? If not, why not? – Some delays are out of a contractor’s control and what is more important is how they tried to make up for the delays. What you don’t want to hear is that no work was being performed for stretches of time with no communication or explanation.
- Did the project come in on budget? – Barring truly unforeseen circumstances, change orders, and selections, there is very little reason for a project not to be completed on budget.
- Was there ever a time you felt your contractor was being untruthful? – This is a big red flag if the answer is yes.
- Did your contractor communicate to you clearly if there were any additional charges that you would incur? – Similar to the budget question, there should be no additional charges beyond truly unforeseen circumstances, change orders, and selections. Any of these should be addressed immediately and clearly.
- What are your contractor’s best qualities? – Hopefully they have at least one or two!
- What are your contractor’s weaknesses and limitations? – We all have them, the question becomes how important are those weaknesses and limitations to you and your project?
- Would you use your contractor again? – Ultimately, this is the most important question.
In summary, before entering a relationship with a contractor, do your research. We are more than happy to provide a list of past clients to contact if you think you may be interested in working with us. If so, just reach out to us and we’d love to get the process started.