DESIGN PROFILE
Step inside two of Houston’s fine homes available for sale.
With the end of 2020, you may have started to plan home projects for 2021, especially after spending so much time at home in 2020. Maybe you want to add a patio or deck, make over your kitchen, or renovate a spare bedroom as a home office.
While some people may feel comfortable tackling the jobs themselves, many homeowners hire contractors to do most or all of the work. Finding the right contractors can be hard, and it is important to do your research before you hire anyone.
First, take time to figure out how much you are willing to spend and what you want the project to look like. Visiting showrooms or looking at magazines and websites for ideas is a great way to get started.
If you have friends or acquaintances who have done similar projects, ask to see the work they had done and discuss what they learned, what they liked and what they would avoid.
The Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas offers the following tips for planning your project and selecting contractors:
• Do your research. Ask friends for recommendations on contractors but do your homework as well. BBB Business Profiles are available on more than 5.3 million companies nationwide, including local remodelers, painters, plumbers and general contractors. The profiles include ratings from A+ to F that are based on several factors, including how long a company has been in business and how it has responded to customer complaints.
Consumers can read about complaints against a business and how the company resolved them.
They also include contact information for companies. BBB Customer Reviews also let potential customers see how a company satisfied its customers.
• Check references and licensing. Interview several contractors before you settle on one. Ask them LEAH for a list of references on NAPOLIELLO work they’ve done and contact those customers. Find out whether the contractor has any required licenses and insurance.
In Texas, general contractors are not licensed, but certain trades, such as plumbers and HVAC contractors, are. Also, be sure the contractor will get a permit for the work if it’s required. BBB recommends you get at least three bids on a project before choosing a contractor.
• Develop a budget. Can you afford to pay for the work out of pocket or do you need to borrow money? If you’re financing the project, can you afford the payments in addition to your regular expenses?
• Get everything in writing. Make sure you get a written contract that specifies materials that will be used, a timeline for completing the work, warranty information and any conditions that are important to you, such as cleaning up debris.
• Don’t pay for the entire job up front. Instead, consider paying a third to secure the contract, a third when the project is mostly completed and the final third only after the work is completed and you are satisfied.
The Better Business Bureau is a nonprofit for honest business behavior. Visit www.bbbhouston.org or call 713-868-9500. Leah Napoliello is BBB of Greater Houston and South Texas’ senior director of Investigative Services. Send questions to Leah Napoliello, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail lnapoliello@bbbhou.org with mailing address and phone number.
If you have friends or acquaintances who have done similar projects, ask to see the work they had done and discuss what they learned, what they liked and what they would avoid.