Need a contractor? This can be a very difficult decision to make; especially since it involves your most prized procession – your home. Where you go to find a qualified trust worthy contractor can be a daunting task. Do you go to Google, see a truck on the road or at a neighbor’s house, get a referral from a friend or family member, etc, can sometimes be over whelming and it is human nature to want to get multiple quotes on things you need done. Then the real hard part of the decision making comes on which one to choose. I know we all want to the cheapest price for the best quality of work. In our experience cheap prices equate for cheap work. On the other hand, a Value Price for the most of the time equates to a great job for the money paid.
According to “Project Impact” from the Charleston County Area, there are several things they recommend (and we do too) you do to vet out a contractor:
- Do not automatically choose the lowest bidder – Why; goes back to the old saying “if it’s too good to be true, it must be”.
- Deal only with licensed and insured contractors – you can verify if someone/company has a license by going to: https://verify.llronline.com/LicLookup/Contractors/Contractor.aspx?div=69&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
- Be sure the company you deal with has worker’s compensation – this will help you mitigate any risks if the contractor gets hurt on your property. Ask to see a copy of this insurance
- Make sure the company you are dealing with has been in business for at least 15 years. With the recession in 2008 – 2010, many contractors couldn’t sustain their business. Many of them got into the industry due to the housing boom in the mid-2000s. With the market back in full swing, many unlicensed tradesmen and newly created companies are now entering the market. This can be dangerous for a homeowner.