Deciding to work with a contractor for your home renovations is a good move. Certain projects are complicated to do yourself, while others require a lot of skill and experience. But you may be trying to figure out how to find the right company. Here are some helpful pointers:
1. Assess the Reviews and Ratings
It's common for a renovation company to have its business listings online. You may be able to find them on websites like Google, Yelp, Facebook, and even local business directories. You should visit these websites to check the ratings and reviews for the business.
A high customer rating is a good sign, but you want to read the individual reviews. See why customers are happy. Try to see what kind of problems customers have dealt with working with the company. Finally, get a sense of what kind of service you can expect based on the reviews.
2. Ask for References
Even if you do see that the online business profile checks out, you still want to ask for references. You want to be able to talk to the last few clients they've worked for. If the company is confident, they will be more than happy to provide you with references.
All you need to do on your end is to call past clients and ask about their experiences. You want to ask questions about if the company was able to stay on schedule, provide good results, what they ended up paying, and how they handled problems.
3. Ask for the License and Certifications
Contractors will have licenses and certifications to show that they are abiding by the laws in Calgary. This step also shows that the company has the experience and credentials to work on home renovation projects. Remember, there's a lot of things that go into such projects.
It can include electrical work, plumbing, tearing down of walls, and more. There's a lot of planning and organization needing completion to pull off a large renovation project. That's why you should never work with a contractor without the credentials.
4. Check for Insurance
It's also important for the renovation company. Many things can go wrong, including the employees getting hurt, unforeseen damages to your property, and even somebody in your family getting hurt. There's going to be a lot of disagreements if something like this happens.
Both parties will want to avoid going to court over who should pay for the damages. The insurance is there to help prevent such a thing from happening. Make sure you get an idea of how much coverage is in the policy and what kinds of things that the insurance covers.
5. Review the Portfolio
Just because a company is qualified to take on your project doesn't necessarily mean they are the right fit. You want to look over the company's portfolio to see if they can deliver on the kind of renovation you're looking for. If there's an issue with the style of the renovations or you don't see examples of what you envision, you may want to look elsewhere.
6. Get a Clear Estimate
You will definitely want to get an estimate of how much your renovation project will end up costing. The estimate should be very detailed and list everything from parts, labour, and other service charges that will come into play. This step will give you a better idea of whether you're getting a good quote from the company.
You can talk to several companies that you think are qualified and compare their estimates to try to get the best price. You want to see that your price is at a fair rate, and the contractor is getting you the best pricing for the renovation materials.
These are the things that you need to look for when looking for a home renovation company. Most projects are a big undertaking and will involve a respectable budget, so you want to make sure you choose wisely. Go through the process to sift through your prospects and find the company that you feel is right for you.
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