Hiring a fencing and decking contractor is a decision you should put some serious thought into. You want to make sure you hire a contractor who operates his business well, so you may need to work through a few duds before you find the right fencing and decking contractor for you.
Luckily, there are some great ways to make sure you’re doing all you can to find the best contractor. We’ll break down some things to look for and some things you should avoid. Here’s the consumer’s guide to hiring a fencing and decking contractor.
Do Research Before Hiring a Fencing and Decking Contractor
Before hiring a fencing and decking contractor, we recommend that you do your due diligence and research the available options in your area. Now, depending on where you live, there might only be two fencing and decking contractors, or there could be 200. Either way, it’s a worthy investment of your time to take a look at more than one.
One of the best ways you can vet potential candidates before hiring a fencing and decking contractor is by checking their reviews and references. In the modern era of internet convenience, you can find almost all of the information you need to know with a few clicks on the keyboard.
There are online review sites like Yelp and HomeAdvisor that are great places to look for customer reviews of any potential fencing and decking contractors you may want to hire. You’ll likely be able to see several different reviews, and you’ll be able to see how the contractor responds to these reviews, including the good and the bad.
You should be cautious with online reviews, as there is always the potential that someone is just disgruntled. But, for the most part, you can get a good idea of the customer satisfaction levels for a contractor before hiring them.
It’s also important to note that online review sites aren’t the only place to actually find online reviews. Facebook and Google both have features that allow customers to leave reviews for businesses including fencing and decking contractors. So, look there too.
Know What You Want from Your Contractor
Another wise move would be to have a good idea of what you want for your home improvement project before hiring a fencing and decking contractor. If you have a good idea of what you want, you’ll be able to better communicate with any potential contractors. And they’ll be able to have a better understanding of whether they should take on the job or not.
For example, if you’re looking for a fencing and decking contractor who specializes in luxury materials, then you may need to look a little harder. It’s not that other contractors can’t build with less-familiar materials, but you’ll likely be more satisfied with the work of the fencing and decking contractor who uses luxury materials in every build.
Along the same lines, if you’re looking for a simple build, you may not need to seek out the luxury builders.
Decide on the scope of your project before hiring a fencing and decking contractor. That’s a contractor’s way of knowing exactly what you want to be done at the end of your project and whose responsibility it is to make it happen. With a good idea in mind of what you want, you’ll be able to narrow the field a little further when you’re looking at hiring a fencing and decking contractor.
Be Picky About Your Fencing and Decking Contractor
Any home improvement building project or renovation is risky. A relative stranger is coming to use power tools to add on to your house or remove part of it and rebuild it. It’s wise to be picky about the person and to feel confident in their ability to do what they say they will. Your home is one of your largest investments, and you should protect it as such.
That’s why you should ask for certain information up front from anyone you’re seriously considering when hiring a fencing or decking contractor. For one thing, you should never hire a fencing or decking contractor who isn’t licensed, bonded, and insured. These are the legal agreements that protect every person involved on the job as well as the property itself.
When we talk about risk, licenses, insurance, and bonds help to mitigate some of those. You can’t live life afraid of what might happen, but you also shouldn’t hire a fencing and decking contractor who operates without any protection from those potential risks.
These aren’t the only documents you should be looking for from your fencing and decking contractor. There are more. The good thing is that most contractors won’t bat an eye when you ask for these papers. It’s just part of hiring a fencing and decking contractor. And if for some reason you do have a contractor who refuses to provide evidence of any of these, that’s all the reason you need to move on to the next candidate in line.
Find Evidence of Good Work
As we move on, when you’re looking at hiring a fencing and decking contractor, you should look for evidence of their good work. There are several ways you can look for evidence that a fencing or decking contractor is a pro at what they do.
The photos of their finished projects are an excellent place to start. Any fencing or decking contractor who’s worth their weight will have a portfolio of finished projects to show off. It’s difficult to take a tour of all the fences or decks they’ve built throughout any given town, but it’s not unreasonable to want to see photos.
Spend some time researching the style of the builder and find one you really like before hiring a fencing and decking contractor. You won’t regret taking the time to do your research before hiring a fencing and decking contractor, but you might regret not taking the time after you hire one.
Contractor Financing Makes a Good Contractor
And finally, you should consider hiring a fencing and decking contractor who offers contractor financing from HFS Financial. With direct-to-consumer loan options to make your dream deck or fence a complete reality, finding the financing you need couldn’t be easier. You can apply online now or give our team a call to learn more or to find an excellent contractor who offers financing. With HFS Financial, “You Dream It, We Finance It.”