There are several things to keep in mind when hiring a contractor. Often you’re dealing with your home, or perhaps your place of work, and in both cases the quality of work, and the workers, are important. The following are tips to use when you need to hire a contractor.
Contact Local Organizations
Even with a well-written contract it’s possible to experience problems. Contacting local organizations to discuss their experiences with specific contractors can be critical as well.
Ask Neighbors & Friends
Often contractors come by way of reference from friends or neighbors. Sometimes however, one friend or neighbor may have had an acceptable experience with a contractor, where as another not so much. Asking around can help you get a better understanding of a contractor’s work, and attitude.
Check State & Local Consumer Protection Agencies
There are numerous state and local organizations that both help monitor consumer issues as well as help contractors find work. These agencies can often give you a better idea whether a contractor is well known or can do what he or she say’s they can. These too can often help gauge how consumers have felt about a given contractor’ work.
Ask for Licenses
Depending on the tasks involved contactors often have to be licensed. Asking for a copy of these can protect you from phony or inflated claims, as well potentially dangerous results.
Ask for References
A good contractor has probably had several customers. If they do an acceptable job these customers in most cases would not mind saying so. Good contractors often have a list of customers that are willing to give a fair description of their work.
Always Get it in Writing
The most important step to remember is drawing up a contract. During the process of getting contracting work done, many ideas are discussed. It is important to get these ideas down on paper, and be as detailed as possible. Often times both contractor and customer can think they have the same idea in mind, but subtle differences can cause problems. If different numbers are thrown around either party could misunderstand or forget the details. Getting a written contract is critical to making sure both parties know what is being paid for, when it will be done, and at what cost.
The following are other resources to use when checking out a given contractor:
FTC.GOV - Information for Consumers
The Attorney General - The Federal Attorney General's Office
Associated Contractors General - A Nation Wide Group of Contractors
Signatory Painting Contractors - A resource for licensed painting contractors
The Better Business Bureaus - An Organization with a directory of consumer complaints.