5 Questions you should ask a contractor before you let them work on your house. (And the Answers you should be looking for!)

1. Are you licensed, a member of any professional associations and rated by the Better Business Bureau?  The correct answer here is obviously yes. Licensed companies that are members of their local HBA or other associations have put down roots in their communities and have often invested in training through them. Companies do have to pay to be members of the Better Business Bureau, but they ensure through their rating system that companies provide honest advertising claims and settle any complaints they receive. Angie’s List members pay for their service because they know that all reviews are unsolicited and left by other members. Companies cannot “join” Angie’s List, they can only be reviewed by members. While online reviews can be helpful, there’s little or no oversight when it comes to who can and does post reviews.

2. Are your employees covered by workers compensation and liability insurance? If they aren’t, YOU can end up being liable for injuries that occur on your property.

3. Do you issue lien waivers? This ensures that subcontractors can’t come back to YOU to collect if the contractor defaults. Without this, you run the risk of paying for services twice.

4. Is this a fixed price or just a ballpark estimate? In some instances, it will not be possible to get a fixed price due to unknown issues that get uncovered during construction or changes made mid-stream, but, having those exceptions spelled out in the contract will help protect you. Get a fixed price in the contract whenever possible.

5. How much of your business is from repeat customers or referrals and can we talk to references or even better, can you take us to see projects you’ve built and/or some that are under construction? Although no contractor in their right mind would invite you to contact an unhappy customer, visiting a project or talking to a customer will allow you to have a “hands on” idea of the quality of their work and give you insights on how the experience will be. It’s never pleasant to live in the middle of a construction zone, but there are things that companies and their employees do that can make it much more bearable.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Home Show Special on Retractable Screen Doors

Image
Although for the first time in ten years, we will not be exhibiting at the St. Louis HBA Home and Garden Show this weekend, we are still offering a discount on our retractable screen doors.   You can see the doors displayed in our showroom Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. Heartlands installs the Clearview brand of retractable screens. They feature extruded aluminum parts and come standard with a back plate (necessary for sliding door installations), hidden magnets inside the pull bar on French door applications, and most importantly, the built-in mechanical speed reducer. If you’ve ever experienced the “slam” when you accidently let go of the handle when operating a retractable screen door, you know what the “slam” is. It’s nice to know that if you, your guests or your kids let go of the handle, the screen will retract at a reasonable pace. The regular price for a single door is $450 and $800 for a set of French doors and that includes measuring and installat
Read more

Heartlands Is Offering Patio Living Concepts Weatherproof Portable Outdoor Lamps & Accessories

Image
These outdoor lamps are available in a variety of fashionable styles for your deck, table and patio. They are so stylish you might mistake them for indoor lamps.     The lamp bodies and weighted bases are made from weatherproof resin or powder coated aluminum and cords and plugs are also weatherproof. Unbreakable polycarbonate pvc, or acrylic waterproof light bulb enclosures allow the use of standard light bulbs. All have dimming switches and some come complete with built in planters or citronella flame lanterns. Patio Living Concepts lamp shades are made with Sunbrella fabric available in 28 colors and patterns to coordinate with almost any decor. They are weather, soil, and mildew resistant making them the fashionable and functional choice for outdoor living areas.   Solar and fluorescent GardenGlo planters are resin and come in six colors. The electric planter has a 12 foot cord and a 4000 hour fluorescent bulb. The GardenGlo planter has a control unit m
Read more

Heartlands now has Kamado Joe Ceramic Grills!

Image
Through December 31, 2014, you can get 10% off any grill at Heartlands including our newest arrivals: Komado Joe ceramic grills. Kamado Joe grills cook on multiple levels and surfaces at the same time. You can grill, sear and smoke your food in the same unit using lump charcoal giving your food a great wood-fire flavor. Its design circulates the heat and keeps it in the grill and the moisture in the meat. It also comes complete with accessories that other egg shaped grills charge extra for. Cart, slide out ash drawer, folding bamboo shelves, built-in thermometer, heat deflectors and grill gripper are included. Choose from standard, extra large and Joe Jr. sizes to fit your needs. Kamado Joe grills come with a Lifetime Warranty on the ceramic parts and free shipping on all warranty parts. Come see the Kamado Joe grills in the Heartlands Building Company showroom: 680 Crown Industrial Ct., Chesterfield, MO 63005
Read more