Are you getting ready for a big remodeling project at your home? You’re going to need a general contractor to manage the project and take on most of the legwork. If you’ve never hired a contractor for such a big job before, it can be difficult to know where to start and what you should be looking for.
With this in mind, here are a few tips for hiring a general contractor in Brighton, CO that you should take into account during your search.
Get recommendations from family and friends
If you know any family members or friends who have recently worked on a remodeling project in their home, you should check with them for suggestions about potential contractors they would recommend. This is a great place to start because anyone who knows and cares about you isn’t going to want to steer you wrong when it comes to choosing a contractor.
When talking to someone you know about a recommended contractor, you should ask as many questions as you can about their experience. Ask if they’d use the contractor again, how well the contractor communicated with them and listened to their needs, the timeliness of the completed work and whether or not the contractor is licensed and insured.
Check online reviews
If you strike out with recommendations from family and friends, you can do some research online. Try to find contractors that have a fair number of positive reviews on sites like Google, Yelp or Angie’s List. A few negative reviews here and there isn’t necessarily a problem, but if you see concerning patterns appearing in the reviews, you’re better off looking elsewhere.
Talk to the contractor
Once you have a list of contractors who could potentially handle your project, you should make some phone calls with them and schedule some interviews. During your initial phone call, get some basic information about their background with the specific type of renovation you have in mind, the types of suppliers they use, phone numbers for references, whether they use subcontractors and any specialties they have in their field. Be sure to ask about licenses and insurance as well.
Have the contractor over
Bring contractors into your home and have them look at the room(s) you hope to renovate. See what they think about the project and if they have any ideas that could expand on the basic remodel you’re looking for. Not only does this give you a sense of their expertise, but it also gives you a chance to get comfortable with the contractor and develop a good rapport with them.
Begin the bidding process
Once you’ve gone through the process of getting to know contractors, you can start the bidding process. Have your top two or three contractors submit bids for the job. Use the bids they give you as an additional consideration when thinking through all the other things you liked or disliked about each of the prospective contractors.
Interested in learning more about choosing a general contractor in Brighton, CO? Contact Jim Cope Construction LLC today.