6 Tips to Help You Hire A Great General Contractor
How Do You Hire a General Contractor?
Do you need something fixed in your home, or are you looking to make some improvements? Then it is time to hire a general contractor! However, you don't just want to trust your home to anyone, especially when shoddy work can leave you with a serious headache and a hole in your wallet. To help you find a reliable general contractor, follow our tips below!
1. Ask Your Friends or Neighbors
Unless you are in the building industry yourself, it can be very difficult to differentiate between a good and bad general contractor until it is too late. A great way to save you the bad experience of working with poor general contractors is to reach out to your friends and neighbors who have done recent work on their property and ask them for their general contractor’s contact details.
Before blindly trusting your friends' recommendations, ask them about the type of work the general contractor performed, the cost, and their experience working with the contractor, and go and physically inspect the work.
Unfortunately, this method is not foolproof as some people can have amazing experiences with a certain general contractor while others have a shocking time with the same contractor. That is why we advise you to get a list of recommendations from your friends and family, compile a contractor directory and then do some extra research.
2. Try Your Luck on Google
If you don’t have recommended general contractors to contact, don’t despair! A quick Google search should help you find a list of numerous options in your local area. Make sure you check out their websites to see examples of their work and see the types of services they offer. The last thing you want to do is hire a general contractor who doesn't have sufficient experience to get the job done!
Nowadays, many general contractors have professional websites that show their previous work, and the exact services they offer, and may even have a price list. This makes it easy to find relevant general contractors who can perform the work you need. Once you have a list of 10 or so contractors who fit your criteria, you can then start calling them! Keep reading to find out the types of questions you need to ask potential general contractors before you hire them.
3. Ask For References
A great way to determine if a general contractor is legitimate is to ask them to provide references. Ideally, you want the references to be recent clients who have hired the contractor to do the same work you want to be done. For example, if you want the exterior of your house painted, ask for references from clients who have just had their house painted.
You should request at least 2 or 3 references and call them. Prior to ringing them, prepare some questions such as how much did you pay, how long did the work take, are you satisfied with the work, were there any problems. If possible, go over to the former client's home and see the work in person; if not, ask the client to send pictures of the contractor's work.
While references are great, you do need to be aware that you are dealing with a biased sample. The general contractor will have carefully selected particular clients who they had a positive experience with, so you may not get the whole truth. However, the more information you gather about a contractor, the easier it is to make an informed decision.
4. Make Sure the Contractor is Licensed & Insured
It is illegal for contractors to provide services without a license. Unlicensed contractors can be arrested for misdemeanors and even felonies if they are repeat offenders; they are not only criminals, but the chances of them providing safe and high-quality work is extremely low. That is not the only reason to avoid uncertified contractors. In many states, it is also illegal for homeowners to hire unlicensed contractors.
When hiring a general contractor, make sure you request to see their license. General contractors need to have a valid license in the state in which they are working. To learn more about particular certification requirements, which can differ significantly between states, visit your local government building regulations and licensing website.
You also need to ensure that your general contractor has insurance. The last thing you want is a contractor causing damage to your home and just running away from the job. Insurance guarantees that you will be covered if the contractor is at fault. All licensed contractors are required by law to have both general and workers' compensation insurance.
5. Don’t Forget To Get a Quote
It can be very difficult to determine the cost of building work. To ensure you don’t get ripped off, make sure you get an accurate quote. You should contact at least 3 or 4 contractors in your local area and get price lists from all of them. This will help you figure out the true cost of the work you want to be done.
Don't just settle for a general quote; get the contractors to commit to completing the job within 10% of the price estimate. The last thing you want is a contractor to make up some price and then have to keep altering the quote halfway through the job.
Once you have a number of quotes, it is time to negotiate! Your job is to get the price as close to your budget as possible; if you are lucky, you might even get the job done under your budget. You should be able to get some sort of price reduction, especially if there are lots of contractors in your local area.
6. Determine the Length of the Project
To ensure there is no confusion between you and your contractor, you need to come up with an accurate timeline for when the work will be done. Ask the contractor the hours per week they can commit to the project and the estimated completion date.
You can add some monetary incentives to get the contractor to finish early if you are in a rush. Ideally, you can also negotiate penalty rates if your contractor is late.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it; the best way to find a general contractor is to get recommendations from your friends and family. However, don’t just blindly hire the first general contractor they recommend. Make sure you do some extra research by checking the contractor’s references, ensuring they're licensed, negotiating a price, and working out the project duration!
Do you need something fixed in your home, or are you looking to make some improvements? Then it is time to hire a general contractor! However, you don't just want to trust your home to anyone, especially when shoddy work can leave you with a serious headache and a hole in your wallet. To help you find a reliable general contractor, follow our tips below!
1. Ask Your Friends or Neighbors
Unless you are in the building industry yourself, it can be very difficult to differentiate between a good and bad general contractor until it is too late. A great way to save you the bad experience of working with poor general contractors is to reach out to your friends and neighbors who have done recent work on their property and ask them for their general contractor’s contact details.
Before blindly trusting your friends' recommendations, ask them about the type of work the general contractor performed, the cost, and their experience working with the contractor, and go and physically inspect the work.
Unfortunately, this method is not foolproof as some people can have amazing experiences with a certain general contractor while others have a shocking time with the same contractor. That is why we advise you to get a list of recommendations from your friends and family, compile a contractor directory and then do some extra research.
2. Try Your Luck on Google
If you don’t have recommended general contractors to contact, don’t despair! A quick Google search should help you find a list of numerous options in your local area. Make sure you check out their websites to see examples of their work and see the types of services they offer. The last thing you want to do is hire a general contractor who doesn't have sufficient experience to get the job done!
Nowadays, many general contractors have professional websites that show their previous work, and the exact services they offer, and may even have a price list. This makes it easy to find relevant general contractors who can perform the work you need. Once you have a list of 10 or so contractors who fit your criteria, you can then start calling them! Keep reading to find out the types of questions you need to ask potential general contractors before you hire them.
3. Ask For References
A great way to determine if a general contractor is legitimate is to ask them to provide references. Ideally, you want the references to be recent clients who have hired the contractor to do the same work you want to be done. For example, if you want the exterior of your house painted, ask for references from clients who have just had their house painted.
You should request at least 2 or 3 references and call them. Prior to ringing them, prepare some questions such as how much did you pay, how long did the work take, are you satisfied with the work, were there any problems. If possible, go over to the former client's home and see the work in person; if not, ask the client to send pictures of the contractor's work.
While references are great, you do need to be aware that you are dealing with a biased sample. The general contractor will have carefully selected particular clients who they had a positive experience with, so you may not get the whole truth. However, the more information you gather about a contractor, the easier it is to make an informed decision.
4. Make Sure the Contractor is Licensed & Insured
It is illegal for contractors to provide services without a license. Unlicensed contractors can be arrested for misdemeanors and even felonies if they are repeat offenders; they are not only criminals, but the chances of them providing safe and high-quality work is extremely low. That is not the only reason to avoid uncertified contractors. In many states, it is also illegal for homeowners to hire unlicensed contractors.
When hiring a general contractor, make sure you request to see their license. General contractors need to have a valid license in the state in which they are working. To learn more about particular certification requirements, which can differ significantly between states, visit your local government building regulations and licensing website.
You also need to ensure that your general contractor has insurance. The last thing you want is a contractor causing damage to your home and just running away from the job. Insurance guarantees that you will be covered if the contractor is at fault. All licensed contractors are required by law to have both general and workers' compensation insurance.
5. Don’t Forget To Get a Quote
It can be very difficult to determine the cost of building work. To ensure you don’t get ripped off, make sure you get an accurate quote. You should contact at least 3 or 4 contractors in your local area and get price lists from all of them. This will help you figure out the true cost of the work you want to be done.
Don't just settle for a general quote; get the contractors to commit to completing the job within 10% of the price estimate. The last thing you want is a contractor to make up some price and then have to keep altering the quote halfway through the job.
Once you have a number of quotes, it is time to negotiate! Your job is to get the price as close to your budget as possible; if you are lucky, you might even get the job done under your budget. You should be able to get some sort of price reduction, especially if there are lots of contractors in your local area.
6. Determine the Length of the Project
To ensure there is no confusion between you and your contractor, you need to come up with an accurate timeline for when the work will be done. Ask the contractor the hours per week they can commit to the project and the estimated completion date.
You can add some monetary incentives to get the contractor to finish early if you are in a rush. Ideally, you can also negotiate penalty rates if your contractor is late.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it; the best way to find a general contractor is to get recommendations from your friends and family. However, don’t just blindly hire the first general contractor they recommend. Make sure you do some extra research by checking the contractor’s references, ensuring they're licensed, negotiating a price, and working out the project duration!
