You’ve done it! You found a great architect and now have concrete plans for your kitchen remodeling Houston and bathroom remodeling Houston. By now you’re probably itching to get things started, and who wouldn’t be! A remodeled kitchen or bathroom is fun to think about. But before you do, take a look at these steps on how to choose the best home remodeling contractor for your home to remodel.
Step 1: Ask Around
Do you know of any friends or relatives who’ve had their home remodeled recently? Maybe a coworker mentioned having their bathroom redone.
These are the perfect people to talk to first. So when you’re chatting about it, get names, numbers, and answers to these questions:
- Was the work finished on time?
- Was the finished work within their budget?
- If there were changes, were the changes reasonable? Or did they feel out of place?
- If there were corrections that needed to be made, did the contractor readily return to fix them?
- Would they use the contractor again?
- Would they recommend them to close friends and family?
- Was the contractor nice to work with and did they treat them well?
- How did they like their work? Are they happy with how things turned out, or did they wish things went differently?
It’s important to note that some people might recommend a friend or family member. Listen to these recommendations and then check them out on your own. Friends or family of the contractor are usually a little biased, so the problems they might have incurred will seem small to them when they could be big for you. So always check out their recommended contractor like you would any other.
“What if I don’t know anyone who’s had work done?”
If this is the case, try the local lumber yard. Lumberyard owners are more than willing to talk up their best customers. They’ll also tell you about the contractors to avoid and why. Because their business is not directly tied to your bathroom remodel Houston, they can be honest about who they like and why.
Step 2: Check Online Reviews
Okay, let’s say you have a few names of contractors and so far, the word-of-mouth has been good. So the next step is to check them out online. See what their Better Business Bureau rating is (if they have one) and then check out reviews on the BBB site and Angie’s List. Seeing those reviews will give you a clearer picture of the type of contractor you might be working with. If there’s a common problem that several different reviewers mentioned, you’ll know it’s best not check to out that contractor any further. Now you can narrow down your list and conduct phone interviews.
Step 3: Phone Interviews
Before meeting your prospective contractors in person, conduct phone interviews. Here is where you’ll ask:
- Do they take on remodels like yours? What projects do they typically handle?
- Can they provide references of past clients?
- How many projects do they have currently and what can they handle?
- How long have they worked with their subcontractors and crew?
- Can they provide financial references from banks and suppliers?
- What kind of insurance do they have in case something goes wrong?
A great contractor will be more than willing to answer these questions. If they can’t, or seem hesitant to do so, move on. You need a contractor who’s available, reliable, and honest about their work.
Step 4: Contact Previous Clients
By now you should have a good sense of which contractors you’ll want to move forward with and which you’ll leave off your list. Contact the previous clients of the remaining contractors and ask them the questions from step 1. Then, if you can, try and see the completed work in person. Seeing the work in person will give you the best sense of what your finished project may look like. Once you’ve done that you can move on to in-person meetings.
Step 5: Meet in Person
When you meet your potential contractor in person, you’ll be able to:
- talk about the work you want to be done
- show your prospective contractors the plans your architect drew up
- show your prospective contractors the space you want to be remodeled
- see how well you communicate
- get an estimate of time and cost
“Take a breather and consider all the facts.”
After you’ve done this with all the contractors on your list, take a breather. Let all the information sink in and take time to consider all the facts.
“Don’t go with the lowest bid simply because it’s the cheapest.”
Note: It’s never wise to go with the lowest bid simply because it’s the cheapest bid. That contractor could be planning to skimp on materials, use cheap materials, or cut corners in ways that could downgrade the integrity of your remodel, or worse, your home.
If you still can’t decide, go with the contractor who understood your remodel project best, and who you felt most comfortable with.
Step 6: Set a Payment Schedule and Get It in writing!
This is by far the most crucial step. You’ll want to set up payment schedules and write up a contract. The contract should detail:
- payment schedule
- insurance policies
- workers comp policies
- start and finish dates
- all materials used
When everything is ironed out and signed your kitchen remodel Houston can officially begin!
Hire Everhart Construction Today!
Everhart Construction employs design consultants and not just order takers. When a design consultant arrives at your home they’ll discuss your project in length to get a good understanding of what you are trying to achieve with your kitchen remodel Houston. They’ll give good advice on what’s best and help you get the kitchen you’ve always wanted. If you’re considering a kitchen or bathroom remodel, call 713-461-4434 or click below to get started today!
