Finding a Contractor can be confusingThe decision has been made.  You are going to move forward with a home remodeling project.  Now for the big hurdle, finding the right contractor to work with and complete the project with quality and assurance.  Here are some places to start looking for a good remodeler . . .

Referrals - The recommendation of a friend, family member, or neighbor is one of the best sources, because you know they’ll give you an honest account of their experience with the contractor and you can witness the results firsthand.  Also, check in with your co-workers, insurance agent or any real estate agents you may know.

Home Shows - Home & Garden shows provide an optimal one-stop shopping for a wide variety of remodeling projects.  The show provides you the opportunity to see some of their products, learn a bit about their company and even set up your initial consultation.

Better Business Bureau - The  BBB is a good resource for finding out further information on local contractors.  The BBB has a report on each company and you can go onto their website (BBB) and see what the company rating is, any complaints filed and how long they have been accredited.

Website Research - In today’s high tech world we are eager to jump on the internet highway of information and do our research in the comfort of our home.  Once you get to the perspective website, it is easy to get hung up on the product of our project but there is so much more to learn from the company website.

Industry Awards and Press Articles - Companies like to put forth their best foot, sharing industry awards and press releases.  This section does more than afford them bragging rights, it show you the consumer that they are respected within the industry and community.

Company History - This will tell you how long the company has been established within your community and what their company motto or mission is which will reflect their treatment of their customers.

Customer Testimonials - Search for written or video testimonials.  As you are reading them, look for the details that the happy customers found most appealing about the company.  This will give you an idea what the company strengths are.

Local Project Photos - Being able to see actual local photos allows you to view work the company has done.  If a site has photos that are a bit too polished, they might be either purchased or stock photos from the manufacturer.

Be Careful . . . According to a recent published report from the U.S. Small Business Administration, 50% of all contractors fail within their 1st year of business and over 92% of all contractors fail within five years.  A warranty is worthless when the company goes out of business!

 - Contractors have the most BBB complaints of any industry for the last 20 years

 - There are MANY inferior building products that are poorly engineered and will not perform to your expectations.

We understand that your home is your biggest investment and maintaining and updating your home is smart.  We also know it can be an overwhelming and daunting task to select a good remodeler to complete these projects.  In our next article, we will give you guides to choose the right contractor, including the top 10 questions you should ask before you sign on the dotted line.