Home remodelers and contractors can help make your home improvement dreams come true. Whether you’d like to expand your current floorplan, install new flooring, or renovate your kitchen, you may find that using home repair contractors is the best way to go. Some projects can be DIY’d, but most improvement undertakings require a certain level of skill and professionalism.
So, how do you find home improvement contractors you can trust? What should you look for in a renovation company? How much can you expect to pay for your home improvement plans? Continue reading to learn the answers to all these questions and more.
When it comes to a contractor, remodel plans and home rebuilds are among this profession’s specialties. Simply put, a contractor is a skilled professional with experience in a particular job task. Home repair contractors, by the same logic, focuses on home improvements and renovations.
Home remodelers may offer general home renovation services, specialized skills or a combination of these services. Most general contractor renovation services include one or more of the following skills:
- Carpentry
- Drywall
- Flooring and tile
- Cleaning
- General repairs
Specialized home repair contractors perform services that cannot be done by the general laborer. Some tasks require a licensed or certified professional. These include the following services:
- Electrical work
- Plumbing
- HVAC work
Many home repair contractors and companies offer a variety of these services and have multiple licenses to back it up. This makes it easy to utilize one company for all aspects of your home renovation project.
The cost of using home remodelers varies depending on a few factors. Typically, home renovation expenses are divided into two categories: materials and labor.
Typically, you are responsible for paying the cost of all materials used to complete your improvement project. This often includes the cost of purchasing, renting or using certain pieces of machinery.
The cost of labor is separate from the cost of materials. This price reflects the cost (typically per hour) that home remodelers and contractors charge to complete your renovation. Contract work ranges between $30 and $90 per hour.
The cost of general contractor renovation varies by contractor as well as area of the country. In high-cost areas, contractors typically charge a bit more per hour. Generally, the larger or more in-depth your renovation is, the more you can expect to pay. And, if you have multiple contractors working at the same time, your cost will increase.
Wondering how to find home improvement contractors that work with your budget and your renovation plans? Here’s what to look for when searching for a contractor.
License and Insurance
Before you sign a home renovation contract, make sure you check that the contractor or company is licensed and insured to perform work in your state. A licensed contractor is one that has met the state mandated qualifications for work. If an unlicensed contractor renovates your home and you sell the home later on, any unlicensed work is not usually recognized legally.
Home repair contractors must also carry general liability insurance. This is one of the most important things to look for since it protects you (the homeowner) from liability if a worker becomes injured on your property while working on your home.
References and Reviews
It is always best to find home improvement contractors with a history of positive reviews. This means that other homeowners have had positive experiences working with the contractor or renovation company.
You can usually find reviews posted online, but local references are also important. Ask your friends and family members to refer you to contractors they’ve used on their own home renovation projects. You can even take a tour of the company’s work by visiting the home or a friend or relative.
Pricing
For contractors, home improvement is just another week in the books. For homeowners, it could be the most important project they complete. Although it is an investment, you want to make sure the price you pay for your renovation project is on par with the average price in your area for similar projects.
Reputable home repair contractors and renovation companies should provide you with a quote for services. This quote should include the price of materials and labor and the estimated time it will take to complete the project.
So, where should you look for home remodelers? There are plenty of places to start your search.
One of the best ways to find a renovation contractor is to ask friends, family members and neighbors. They may be able to refer to you a trustworthy contractor to complete your project.
If you do not have any references, you can find home repair contractors online by searching a variety of databases. Consider using one or more of the following search sites:
- HomeAdvisor
- Angi (formerly Angie’s List)
- Thumbtack
- Yelp
- Craigslist
You could also search social media platforms to find contractors and renovation companies. Most have their own Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, which you can use to view samples of their work and read reviews.
Unfortunately, looking for home remodelers to help with your home improvement plans could put you at risk of falling victim to a scam. Contractor remodel fraud is common in the United States. If you aren’t careful, you could lose thousands of dollars in similar schemes.
You may be looking to save money on your home improvement project, but it is important to understand the average price of home renovations to avoid scams. Comparison shopping can help alert you to potential scams. A company that offers to perform contract work for $1000s less than other reputable companies could be fraudulent.
While looking for home repair contractors, here are a few red flags to be mindful of:
- Offering services for significantly less than other local companies
- Requiring more than 30% of the payment up front
- Contractors going door-to-door with “leftover” materials from a similar job
- Limited-time offers that require you to sign a home renovation contract immediately for a discount
- Contractors requiring you to request permits for your project
- Only accepting cash as payment
By Admin –