6 VALUABLE TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT GENERAL CONTRACTOR

General contractors are a full renovation service company that will work on your major home renovations. They're a project manager team that will work closely with you to ensure that your renovation plan stays on task. The general contractor will take care of all of the trades including the framing, plumbing, electrical, flooring, dry-wall, painting and any other tasks that are required for the renovation. This can save you, the homeowner, from having to do all of this on your own.

When you choose a general contractor such as Heilman's Renovation, you won't have to worry about any of the above. You also won't have to worry about the required permits and licensing. If you did all of this on your own you could wind up with a construction disaster. Here are some great tips on hiring the right general contractor for your renovation job in West Vancouver.

Get Recommendations

Take the time to ask your friends and family who they might recommend for a general contractor. In many cases, they've used one recently and can give you a great recommendation. Ask about any specific trades or renovation companies that they trust and why. Don't forget to check out accreditation websites as well.

Check out the online reviews but keep in mind that a few of these reviews may not be accurate. In fact, some are completely false and made up. Many companies will pay an online reviewer to post a positive review regarding their company to make it look as if they've used the company. Don't let that be your only deciding factor.

Conduct Phone Interviews

After you have a few names be sure to call those that you're interested in. Just give them a quick call and ask each of the companies a few questions. Here are some great sample questions you may wish to ask:

Do they take on projects like yours?

How long have they been working with their subcontractors?

Do they have any financial references?

Will they give you a list of previous clients?

How many projects do they have at one time?

After you've had these conversations you can determine their reliability, and whether or not they're available at the time that you need them. You can then set up an appointment to get some references.

Get References From Other Clients

Trustworthy general contractors have no problem at all in giving you a few clients names. They should be so proud of their work that they're not afraid of what their other clients may say. Call one or more of those clients and see if they're happy with the work. Ask how their project went and if they would hire them again.

Check Licensing And Insurance

Many renovators don't have the proper licensing and insurance. Be sure that you ask for this documentation. Don't be afraid to ask. As a homeowner, it's your legal right and you don't want to be held liable if a worker is injured on the job or does any damage to your home. Licensed contractors will be very familiar with such legalities and all building code requirements. You don't want to wind up paying huge fines later on down the road. If they don't have insurance, you would wind up with a lawsuit on your hands.

Get Estimates

After you've conducted a few phone interviews, and checked out references as well as the licensing and the insurance, it's time to set up an appointment with two or three of the potential general contractors. Invite them to your home and have them give you an estimate of the project. This will allow you the opportunity to meet with them and ask any further questions that you may have. Ask them to break down the estimate so that you can see the cost of each and every item that they will be doing on your renovation project.

Get Everything in Writing

If you feel that you've found the right general contractor, ensure that you have all of the details in writing. Reputable contractors will give you a written estimate that states each and every detail of the project including all of the materials, the cost of labor, and any additional fees that they may have in the course of the project.

Ensure that the written estimate details each and every step of the project from the cost breakdown to the payment schedule and the start date. They should also include an estimated completion date as well as all of the materials and the products that they will be using in the course of your renovation project. They should also list out the names and references of any subcontractors and you should look at their proof of insurance and license as well as their references prior to hiring them.

Always remember that a good renovation company will not require 100 percent of the project cost up front, however, they will require a deposit after you sign the contract. If they want a full payment up front, it's time to call someone else.