How To Avoid Disasters For Home Improvement | Major home improvement projects can be scary. As a homeowner, once you sign the contract and begin the project, it can feel as if you are at the mercy of the contractor. You can calm many fears simply by doing research on a company before doing business, in fact checking up on home improvement companies is essential. It's surprising how unethical some individuals and companies are and homeowners need to take certain steps to protect themselves.
Check License Numbers
A contractor's license should be on everything- business cards, websites, proposals and contracts, advertising. If you don't see it, ask for it. (In some cases, it is legal for someone to do business without a license but s/he must tell you.) Once you have the license number, check it. You can start at the Better Business Bureau's website www.BBB.com or with your region's contractor's association. Verify that the license is current and covers the specific work you're having done. Some companies have a General License, other have a license for just one type of work. Make sure you know what kind of license the company has.
If the license number checks out, the company is legal to do business. It does not automatically mean that the company will do a good job.
Check The Company and Its Owners
Again, you can start at www.BBB.com to check some of the company's and owner's history. Be cautious of a company that has only been in business a short time. Just because a company is young does not mean it will not do good work. It means it has less history for you to look at. You can, however, look at the owner's track record. If you see that a person has had a string of unsuccessful businesses, watch out!
Note: Most companies, even very good ones, have had one or two complaints lodged against them. Some may not even be legitimate complaints. Beware of a company that has several complaints against them or that does not resolve them properly or in a timely fashion.
Check References
The best reference is from someone you know and trust. If you can take a look at the work they had done, even better. Another option is to ask the company for references. Companies often have a list of satisfied customers who have agreed to speak with potential customers.
Whether you're talking to someone you know or someone the company referred you too, get as much information as you can. Find out if the company finished the work on time and provided quality service and products. Was the customer given a schedule before the work began? If there were any changes, delays or complications, did the company let the customer know right away? Were the installers professional and respectful of the customers and the property? This is a big project for you, don't be afraid to ask!
Follow Your Instincts
Are you comfortable with the way the sales staff and office staff treat you? Are they overly aggressive? Do they answer your questions or do they try to dodge them? They do not need to be sugar sweet with you but a good company will treat you honestly and with respect. You will be working with this company and its employees not just throughout the project but also throughout the warranty period. If something goes wrong in the furture, do you trust them to honor the warranty and fix the problem?
Doing your research can help avoid bad experiences. Unfortunately, nothing can eliminate risk completely. The sad fact is that there are companies out there doing business unethically and illegally and think nothing of lying to get a sale. These hints will help you protect you and your family as much as possible as you improve your home.
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