Time and time again we hear horror stories about home improvement contractors doing shoddy work, not doing the what they were paid to do, or just flat out cheating homeowners out of their money. As a homeowner, what can you look for to help choose a trustworthy home improvement contractor?

There are a few good indicators that you can use to help gauge a contractor before hiring.

Reliability & Communication

Was the contractor on time for your appointment? Did they call when they said they would? You’d think that someone running a business would treat it like one — so if they don’t, they might not treat you like a valuable customer. Of course there are reasons for being late, but not calling back (or not showing up at all) is a very bad sign of things to come. If they can’t be bothered to reschedule or call you back, take your business elsewhere.

You Get What You Pay For (Most of the Time)

Unfortunately for our wallets, many times the more we spend the higher quality we get. The same holds true with your home. A contractor who charges reasonable fees is likely a better choice than one who bids low. The materials cost a certain amount, and if the contractor bids very low and does the job they say they will, their profit will be very low as well. How does that work? It doesn’t — somewhere they are cutting on quality to charge you less, whether it be workmanship or materials, you will be cheated out of something.

Of course, the opposite can be true: if an exorbitant price is quoted, the contractor either has a very good reason or they are trying to make a fast buck off an unsuspecting homeowner. If there’s a good reason, they will be quite able to explain it to you — so ask! If you’re not satisfied with what they tell you, keep shopping. Read the rest of this entry »