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How To Find The Contractor Who's
Right For You
With spring right
around the corner, you may be starting to think about doing some
remodeling to your home or fixing a few problems that have cropped up
over the winter. You may have your eye on a new deck or want to remodel
your bathroom or you may need to fix that leak in your roof—but you
quickly realize that such a project is too much for you to do yourself.
So the question is: How do you find a good reputable contractor for your
project?
Rather than just
flipping through the yellow pages and taking your chances, you’ll be
much better off if you tap into other resources as well: business
associations, your local government, and—most importantly—personal and
professional referrals.
Business
associations: If you type
“find contractor” into Google, you’ll end up with literally millions of
sites that can help you find a contractor. As a starting point, you may
want to browse a few of these sites and jot down the names of a few
local contractors. However, to narrow down your search, look for
contractors who are affiliated with reputable trade organizations or
associations and have professional designations (for example,
contractors may become Certified Remodelers by taking certain classes).
Also, the one website you should definitely browse through is the Better
Business Bureau’s site (www.bbb.org).
Here, you can find reports and complaints about local contractors.
Local government:
Your local government is an
excellent source for information about contractors or remodelers as
well. Whether it’s your city or county administration, almost all local
governments have a chamber of commerce, business directory, business
association, or all of the above. If your local government doesn’t have
a website, call them or visit them in person and ask about local
contractors. More than likely, they’ll have plenty of information for
you—including references—to help you narrow down your choice of a
particular contractor.
Personal and
professional referrals: The
most important and valuable source for finding a contractor is through
personal and professional contacts. Despite the popularity of the
internet and the many dollars spent on advertising, word-of-mouth is
still extremely vital and many contractors and remodelers depend on good
references for the majority of their business. Besides checking with
your friends, family, and neighbors for leads on quality contractors,
you should also consult with people you know in the real estate
profession, namely your Realtor®
and mortgage banker. Home inspectors, real estate attorneys, property
managers, and similar professionals are great contacts as well.
In the end, your best
bet is to use a combination of these resources. If you pick out a few
contractors and then cross-reference them with business associations,
your local government, and personal and professional contacts, you’ll be
sure to find your perfect contractor to complete your project.
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