The rules of engagement for choosing a contractor
Building a good relationship with a contractor is key for peace-of-mind
Years ago, when homeowners were faced with a renovation or repair — didn’t matter what it was — their first instinct was to call the one contractor they knew and trusted. Unfortunately, you don’t see that kind of relationship between homeowners and contractors anymore, but this is the kind of relationship you want to be looking for.
It shouldn’t be any different from the relationship you have with your doctor or dentist, where they get to know you, your needs and your history to help you make better decisions for you, your home and your future. And building that kind of relationship with the right contractor is a lot like dating.
It comes down to trust, because you need to be able to trust this person’s advice for everything.
This is why the homeowner-contractor relationship is so important.
Is the contractor qualified enough to give you (a) the advice you need, (b) all the right people you need, and (c) do they know how to execute it all?
There’s going to be a learning curve. You must get to know the person that you’re possibly going to have a relationship with:
1. Ask the right questions
You want to understand your contractor’s limits, in terms of their expertise and skills, by asking the right questions. For example, how long have they been in the business for? Do they know an HVAC guy? Do they work with licensed electricians? The more questions you ask, the better. Get to know them, their capabilities and limits. And part of that process is getting to know the people they’re affiliated with. You know the saying, you can tell who a person is by looking at their friends? Well, the same goes for contractors.
2. Know their friends
A really good contractor is going to tell you, “Well, I don’t know about that, but I know someone who does.” The right general contractor should be able to get you every single person you need to get any job done right, from licensed electricians and plumbers to architects and engineers.
Because the truth is even redoing a kitchen will take many trades. Odds are it’s old — the electrical is old, the plumbing is old — and by just changing a few things, like the cabinets, it may not meet code.
3. Good contractors want to teach
The only way you can tell if contractors are good is if they explain everything. You can test them by saying that you’re thinking about doing your kitchen or finishing your basement ... What do you need to know? A good contractor is going to say, “First, we need to contact your local building department to know what’s code and what’s not; what we do and what permits we need, etc.”
They will explain in detail what you need to do, rather than just say, “Oh, that job will cost you $50,000 or $20,000.” That’s not enough of an explanation. You need to look for the teacher.
4. Take your time
Finding the right contractor is like finding the right partner. And once you think you’ve found that right person, you want to start building that trust.
That’s key. If you can do that, you can call that person today, tomorrow, 10 years from now, even 20 years from now.
And finally ...
5. Trust your instincts. They never lie.
Remember the good, the bad and the ugly?
Only the good contractors know how to build a long-lasting relationship with homeowners, because bad contractors are only interested in making money — they don’t know enough and they don’t care enough.
They don’t have the desire to build a relationship.
They just want to get in there, get out, and get the job done, whether it’s perfect or not. Their job is to make money. Those are the type of contractors you don’t want.
If you have good feelings about a contractor from day one, odds are it’s for a reason. Always trust your gut.