How to Find a Good Contractor

If you've ever tried to find a good contractor, you know the process can be daunting, and one of the most important steps is getting and interviewing a contractor's references.  Before hiring a contractor for your remodeling project, it's imperative to ask their previous customers ten critical questions. The process may take time, but the chances of shoddy work, excessive costs and legal aggravations should deter homeowners from snap decisions and help you hire the best contractor for your job.

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry [1](NARI) recommends that homeowners ask the following questions of the contractor's previous customers as part of their evaluation before hiring the contractor.

1. Alt=Hiring a contractorDid you find the contractor did a good job communicating with the homeowner?
2. Were you pleased with the quality of the contractor's work? (This is a tough question, since everyone defines "quality" differently.)
3. Were you satisfied with the remodeler's business practices?
4. Did you find that the contractor's crew show up on time?
5. Were you comfortable with the trades people the remodeler subcontracted to?  Did they do a good job?
6. Was the job completed on schedule?
7. Did the remodeler fulfill his or her contract?
8. Did the remodeler stay in touch throughout the project?
9. Were the final details finished in a timely manner?
10. Would you use the remodeler again without hesitation?

If you find you are not satisfied with the answers to these ten questions of the contractor's previous customers, you should not hire the contractor until you find a remodeling contractor with whom you can be comfortable and do a good job on your project.. 

For more help in your quest to find a good contractor, visit the National Association of the Remodeling Industry website [1] to find a qualified remodeler who is a member of NARI.  Hiring a contractor who is a member of NARI is an assurance that these pros will perform well for your project.