How to Hire a Home Contractor

Planning a home improvement project is a big decision, and most often an amazing investment in your future. Because it’s much like starting a new chapter in your life, hiring the right contractor to take on your renovation is the first step in ensuring a successful outcome. While it may sound easier to hire Billy’s cousin’s nephew’s best friend to get the family discount, knowing how to hire a home contractor with knowledge and experience is a far wiser choice. So if you’re wondering how to find the right home contractor for your renovation projects, we can help!

Ask for Recommendations

Start with your local community or online listings. Have any of your neighbors, friends, or family gone through a major renovation? Who do they recommend? You can also ask a building instructor. They usually keep tabs on which contracting companies meet building codes and which ones don’t. Another great resource is your local lumberyard. They’ll be able to give recommendations based on which contractors they know buy and use high-quality materials.

Make a Phone Call

Conducting a phone interview with each of your potential contractors is a fast way to narrow down who has the availability to take on your renovation, who can handle a project of your size, and how much attention they can give your project. A few starter questions you can ask are:

• How many current projects are they working on at the time of your planned remodel?
• Have they been with their subcontractors long?
• Will they give you a reference list of previous clients?

Meet In Person 

After you’ve narrowed your contracting options to at least three to four candidates, it’s time to meet your home contractor options in person and get some estimates. You’ll not only want to make sure they are knowledgeable about their work, but that you can communicate well together. Experience and compatibility are what will produce the positive results you want to see in your home improvement project. It’s also wise to contact the Better Business Bureau and check if the contractor has any ongoing disputes with previous clients.

Start the Bidding

So, you’ve got roughly three to four general contractor prospects. They all seem knowledgeable and communicate well. How do you choose between them? By letting them bid for the project. Ask each company to draw up their plans for your remodel and give a price breakdown. This ensures your contractor understands what you want your end results to be, and that you’re getting the best quality for the best price.

Get It In Ink 

Before any work begins, you’ll want to draw up a contract that details a start and completion date, worker’s compensation insurance, payment schedule, and proof of contractor liability insurance. While the contract protects both you and your general contractor, try to keep in mind that almost every major home improvement project can have a setback. Some outdated electrical wiring may need replacing, your contractor could find mold or termites, or any other issue could arise. In some cases there may even be a delay in materials. After your contract is signed, try to go with the flow as much as you can in situations that you know are unpreventable.

Hire the Right Home Contractor with HFS Financial 

HFS Financial has the BEST platform to get you the funding options you need to hire the right home contractor for your project — giving you the perfect excuse NOT to hire Billy’s cousin’s nephew’s best friend. Whether it’s a new swimming pool, finishing your basement, or anything in between, HFS Financial can get you the funding options you need to hire a contractor that’s perfect for the job. Take 60 seconds and apply today with no effect on your credit score for inquiry. “You Dream It, We Finance It.”