When planning to remodel your home, you want nothing less than a professional job. Who wouldn’t want the best quality in terms of workmanship and materials when it comes to improving your most prized and most valuable asset? However, when it comes to selecting a remodeler, too many times people forget the time-proven adage that “you get what you pay for.”
The dilemma that confronts many homeowners is the desire for a top-notch job at the lowest possible price. With price as the primary focus, you may be ignoring other criteria that may carry more weight in producing a successfully completed project and a smooth working relationship with the remodeler.
It’s understandable that price is a major consideration when it comes to remodeling. As a homeowner, it is important to understand that remodeling is a service and not merely a product. This service encompasses the intangibles that make up the process of remodeling – how everything comes together and results in a satisfying experience and an acceptable finished product. The materials and products that go into it can’t define a professional job alone.
Rather than selecting a remodeler based on where one bid falls compared to others, shift your focus to finding a professional remodeler; then go about getting a bid on your job.
Some important characteristics you should be looking for to ensure that you hire a professional remodeler are:
Experience
Ask how long the remodeler has been in business. Longevity suggests financial stability, which is necessary for the remodeler to finish the job and still be available if problems crop up after the job is completed. Also, the more jobs the company has completed, the more expertise the remodeler will bring to your project and the hidden surprises that remodeling typically entails.
Reputation
Look to the remodelers’ former and current customers to gauge the company’s reputation. Obtain the names and phone numbers of customers you can call to get their impressions of the company’s work and customer service.
Business Credentials
A good place to start your search for a remodeler is with your local builders association. Groups like these help to keep their members informed about new products, construction techniques, business practices and industry issues. Participation demonstrates a remodeler’s commitment to professionalism and to the remodeling industry.
License and Insurance
Ask to see a copy of the remodeler’s license. It is also important to verify that the remodeler carries workers’ compensation and liability insurance. If your goal is a professional remodeling project, then your best bet is to hire a professional remodeler who possesses these recommended characteristics. The extra cost will pay for itself in the satisfaction you receive while the project is in progress and during the many years you will enjoy the completed project.
Dale Gruber Construction would be happy to be the remodeling contractor you select! Give us a call 320-251-4956 or email rachel@dalegruberconstruction.com
