Leland Moore

General Contractor
303-424-2244

Finding the Right Contractor

Most homeowners will do some sort of remodel project on their home and will end up using a contractor at some point in time. The finding the right contractor is worth all the time and effort you can put into it, because the wrong contractor can turn your project into a very expensive nightmare.

• Remember - the agony and embarrassment of a poor job will last a lot longer than the thrill of a great price.

Before you hire a contractor you don’t know, make sure to ask them for a list of references. This will help you sort out a lot of the bad apples. Good contractors will have a list of satisfied customers. Find out if they were happy with the work done.

• Did the contractor do the things that were promised?Was it done in a timely manner?Did the products and craftsmanship meet or exceed their expectations?Were they polite and respectful?Did they clean up after themselves?

Remember you are considering inviting these people into your home. Daily work sight clean up should be expected. And perhaps the most important question is

• DID THE CONTACTOR FULFILL THE “CONTRACT” AT THE CONTRACTED PRICE.

All too often we hear the words “the last contractor we used was supposed to take care of that but did not”.

A good contractor will be able to provide you with a detailed estimate for the project you are considering.

• BEWARE OF ”CONTRACTORS” THAT CAN PRODUCE AN INSTANTANEOUS ESTIMATE AT YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT FOR A JOB OF ANY CONSIDERABLE SIZE.

A good contractor will meet with you to discuss your project and view the property. They will then do any necessary research, draw up a design plan for the project and prepare a detailed estimate for you based on that plan.

HIRE A LICENSED AND INSURED CONTRACTOR. A favorite ploy of the unlicensed is to claim that permits won’t be required for your project. Some jobs do not require permits but that’s no excuse for them not to be licensed. If they are incapable of passing the basic testing and requirements to become licensed, what do you suppose their other shortcomings are. Also it never hurts to check with the city and/or county and see if there are any impending actions against the licensed contractor.

When interviewing a contractor you should trust your instincts. Be suspicious of evasive answers to questions or a lot of excuses. I often hear from prospective clients that the other contractors they have been talking to have advised them not to use a certain type of product. That could be good advice or it could be that product is not available to them. This is a red flag. Good contractors will have access to all products on the market that the customer is interested in exploring for their project. If the contractor tries to steer you away from a particular product, such as Granite or Quartz counter tops, it may because he/she does not have access to that product.

There's a differences between sales people and a general contractor. You will find that most General Contractors are well versed on all phases of construction and remodel. They achieve this level of expertise through years of hands on experience. Sales people are well versed at gaining your trust and a little less versed on any construction details. You will typically find them to have an unusual amount of product knowledge specific to the products and brands they have to offer which they will be able to substantiate through brochures and flyers provided by the product manufacturers. Sales people in the construction industry are typically taught to sell on product recognition. As you might imagine this is a great thing for product manufacturers but not necessarily for the product end users like yourself. Most sales people generally do not have the background and knowledge to work all phases of construction. Remodel projects are complex. Many times during a project you will uncover a hidden defect within your home that needs to be addressed before the project can be completed. A General Contractor will have the expertise to address problems as they arise – a sales person will not. Who do you want in charge of your next home remodeling project?

We hope this information will assist you when

selecting a contractor for your Home Remodeling Project.