Tips to Choose a Reputable Home Improvement Contractor

Posted by Manny DeMelo on September 11th, 2015

Tips to Choose a Reputable Home Improvement ContractorWhether you are updating the siding on your home’s exterior or building a beautiful deck to better enjoy your backyard, you need to make sure you hire a trustworthy, capable home contractor for the job.

Unfortunately, contractors as a whole have gotten a bit of a bad reputation because of the ‘bad apples’ in the bunch, so to speak. These shady scammers take advantage of homeowners, making off with their hard-earned money and leaving a poorly done job behind … or not even completing the work at all!

Even many reputable contractors don’t have the type of quality workmanship that many homeowners are expecting, leading to disappointment and frustration.

To avoid these con artist contractors and distinguish the good from the ‘just okay’, follow these tips every time you are hiring a new contractor to do work on your home:

Tips for Homeowners Choosing a Contractor

  • Ask trusted family and friends for recommendations of contractors who did a good job on their home
  • Search for a local contractor with a long-time, positive reputation
  • Search the contractors you are considering in the Better Business Bureau to ensure they are listed and are in good standing (click here for our A+ BBB review)
  • Visit the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services’ “Consumer Beware List” and read reviews to check on the company’s reputation
  • Find out where the contractor’s physical location is in the area (shady contractors often do not have a stationary physical location)
  • Ask at least 3 different contractors for written estimates on the work to be done
  • Check all estimates carefully; there may be a difference of quality in materials, for example
  • Don’t trust surprisingly low bids without thoroughly understanding why they are so inexpensive in comparison to the other bids
  • Ask for proof that the contractors have third party liability insurance and are in good standing with the Workers Compensation Board
  • Ask for proof the company is insured
  • Don’t pay more than half of the cost upfront.

A good rule of thumb is that if a contractor’s offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t fall for tactics like deals that are “only good today” or estimates that seem way too cheap considering the project at hand.

In our next post, we will give you list of questions you should ask a home improvement contractor when making your decision on a craftsperson to work on your home.

>> At Quality Exteriors, we pride ourselves on high quality workmanship, reliability, and great customer service. We offer a 5 year warranty on our work. Get in touch with us today for a free in-home consultation or to discuss your next home project.

Serving homeowners in Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, St. Catharines, and Niagara.

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