| Interviewing Contractors |
|
How are you going to find the best contractor you can afford to remodel your bathroom? Referrals are the first place to seek remodeling contractors. Ask people you know who have had bathrooms remodeled in the area recently. Talk with local building material suppliers. Ask your lender and any subcontractors you know for recommendations. How do you interview a remodeling contractor? Face to face if possible. Lunch, long coffee break, or an office or job-site appointment are good meeting grounds. Of those, seeing a contractor at a job site can be enlightening as long as your presence isn’t distracting. What should you ask candidates? * Tell me about your license and remodeling experience. * What type of contracting license do you have and what is the license number? * What experience do you have with remodeling bathrooms? * What references can you give me? * Can you post a performance bond? If not, why? * If you hire employees, may I see your worker’s comp policy? * How do you go about hiring subcontractors? * Tell me how you schedule a bathroom remodeling project? * Do you typically meet your completion schedules? * What lenders do you prefer to work with? Why? * What suppliers do you prefer to work with? Why? * Tell me what things you need to make a bid on this project. * May I have my attorney look over your standard remodeling contract? * If I hire you, how can I help make sure the project goes smoothly? Remember, you want to ask open-ended questions that aren’t answered by “yes” or “no.” You want to hear explanations and find out how well the person communicates. Of course, there are many more questions you could ask depending on your bathroom plans and how you will participate in the remodeling process. The contractor’s license number can come in handy. States that license contractors typically keep a file you can access if you know the contractor’s license number. You can without it, but it makes the job much easier if you know the number. The file will have information about when and where the license was issued as well as any complaints or commendations filed.
|
