Home Renovation: Here are 10 Questions to Ask a Contractor

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Who does not want to renovate their house and give it a fresh new look? It can be tempting to add new colors or an extra addition to give your living space a modern look. Home remodeling is not always fancy as sometimes it becomes a mandatory action to save your house.

Most people face common issues with home renovation. Does it fit my budget? How do I get the best service for this design? Even if you hire a contractor how do you deal with them to extract the best work?

You can find a good number of tips on home renovation yet you are facing some hurdles working with a contractor. Let’s find what are the questions that you need to ask a contractor to get your jobs done.

1. What is the market reputation of this contractor?

You may get a dozen contractors for home renovation purposes. But which one suits you the best? Try to find the market reputation of that contractor. Ask to see samples of projects they have done. Ask about how experienced are they at this job.

It will be better if you could see some of their previous projects similar to yours. Compare their costs and see their terms and conditions for the project. Companies like PriceYourJob have hundreds of projects to choose from. You can scroll their pages and get detailed information for different home remodeling projects.

2. Do External Factors like COVID-19 will hamper the project?

We are all facing tough times and disruptions from the pandemic. What if the lockdown disrupts work on your project. How would you and the contractor deal with that? It is better to have that conversation with your contractor and plan ahead so that you can overcome the disruption.

Ask about a contingency plan for prolonged disruption and emergencies We don’t know how long we have to endure this lockdown and maintain social distancing. Even without the pandemic, there could be some more external factors that can influence your project. Do read their terms and conditions before you sign any projects with them. Ask for clarifications if needed.

3. Does the contractor have appropriate bonding and license for the job?

In most cases, people focus only on the price and ignore the contractor’s qualification and his license issues. Because of that, the final result may not be satisfactory for you. Also, inappropriate bonding does not put any liability for his work.

You must check all the bonding paperwork and licenses and look for red flags. In addition, look for feedback from his past clients. Hold an interview and try to clarify things before you hire them for the job.

4. Does the contractor have enough experience for your Project?

Experience brings perfection. If the contractor has years of experience for the same job, then you can expect great results from your investment in the project. Home renovation is often expensive. Even if you go for kitchen renovations, it would cost at least tens of thousands to give the kitchen a makeover.

Home renovators have their specialization in a particular trade, and they are experts at that trade. You must look for an expert who knows exactly what to do with your project. Furthermore, they can suggest better ideas for your renovation. That saves money and brings better results.

5. What is the cost of labor and material for this project?

Some companies offer packages that include both labor and material costs. Also, they give you an estimated time frame to complete the work. However, that is not the case for all contractors. You will need to have a discussion about labor and material costs and have them explicitly included in the contract.

In fact, you may have to negotiate to reduce some costs of your project. In that case, ask to separate the labor cost and material cost for the entire project. If needed, you can buy the material and supply your contractor to avoid any mark-up cost of acquiring the material.

6. How disruptive will be your renovation?

Expanding a new media room or building a new closet may not cause major disruptions. But, if you want to install new flooring or renovate a kitchen, then it can be stressful to endure the disruption for a long period of time. In that case, discuss with your contractor the timeline, and you may take a vacation to visit grandmama or plan a short trip to Hawaii while the construction work is in progress.

7. Can the same contractors be used for interior and exterior projects?

This completely depends on the versatility of the contractors. Not all contractors are equally good for both interior and exterior home renovation projects. Things also depend on the scope of work. If it is a big expensive project, it would be better to go for an interior or an exterior expert.

8. Does the project get a final inspection after finish?

A good inspection can help you to find any defects or deficiencies in the finished work. Look for any cracks in the ceiling and walls. In the case of plumbing, look to see if there are any water leakage.

If you hire professional renovators, he has to check the final finish. In case, you are not satisfied, figure out the faults, and get them fixed before you pay.

9. Do they clean it up after finishing?

Home renovations cause a lot of waste. The old surfaces have to be disposed of, and leftover material needs to be taken care of. In some cases there can be a dumping fee your municipality will charge if you have excessive garbage. So consider including garbage disposal into the contract.

Have an open discussion and include cleaning (and cleaning fee) before you sign any contract with them.

10. Is your project future proof?

As technology improves, some renovation projects can be updated or upgraded without major structural work. Also, some renovation projects are not durable due to climatic issues. So, get some guidance and tips from your contractors so that you can maximize the return on the investment of renovation.

In some cases, maintenance after years of use could require just a paint touch up, or you may need Dr. Fixit to waterproof your ceiling. Takedown the contact number of your contractors and ask for any help for maintenance.

Final Thought

Home renovation becomes hassle-free when you ask some common questions to your contractor. It not only helps improve your project but also assures the accountability and safety of workers. Don’t hesitate to ask for the best. Good communication can bring perfection to any project.