Harpel's
Over 17 Years in Business
Choosing The Right Contractor!
Finding a Contractor You Can Trust
A remodeling project is not like buying a car. When shopping for a car the product is usually always the same at all places. When shopping for a contractor the remodeling project will always vary from one remodeler to the next. Low ball bidders are almost always a mistake. Some low ball bidders don't even finish the job they started, others fill the walls with inadequate building materials and take all kind of short cuts to get the job done. Usually the end product always shows inferior quality work. Although low ball bids are very tempting, I encourage you to do your homework on these people. Ask yourself, how can a contractor give you quality, if they only hire cheap helpers to do the work on your home? In the past year Harpel's Contracting And Remodeling has fixed, repaired, or finished such projects of this kind in the Butler area.
Some homeowners feel prospective contractors
won’t be completely honest about cost, and fear being
tempted by appealing promises or low-ball estimates.
The abundance and variety of construction horror stories leads
others to believe there are only unqualified contractors out
there ready to take advantage of the unsuspecting.
Feeling confident you’ll choose well is very difficult. If
we add to this mix of doubt and dread the haunting thought that
your "dream home" and thousands of dollars are at
stake, the burden’s enough to keep many from ever starting.
Most contractors will post signs promoting their services in
front of homes where they are working. Also, look for other clues
like tradesmen’s vans or trucks, or construction dumpsters.
Whether you see a sign identifying the contractor or not, knock
on the door and speak with the homeowner.
Better contractors understand that if they do a good job,
they’re usually guaranteed more work in the neighborhood.
There is no better source of leads than a happy homeowner, so the
best contractors will work hard to leave a legacy of satisfied
customers.
Another source of leads is friends or colleagues at work or
school, clubs, professional organizations, or charity or service
organizations you belong to. BE BOLD!! The more people you ask,
the more names you’ll be able to gather.
There are other sources for names of contractors, but they
aren’t as dependable. For instance, you can use the phone
book. But, are you willing to spend thousands of dollars based on
an ad from the Yellow Pages?
Past customers
Anyone who has recently completed a custom renovation wants to
talk about it. These folks are overflowing with information from
this once-in-a-lifetime experience and are full of stories they
want to share. Your visits with them will be well worth the time.
Not only do they have fresh memories of the stories, characters,
and events, but they remember their emotional roller coasters as
well. Your connection with these homeowners will be valuable both
for the information they provide and the perspective they bring.
They’ll want to share their highs and lows with you because
they’ve been there and they know how you’re feeling at
this point in the process.
They’ll not only give you the name of their contractor and a
view of the finished product, but share their design ideas and
what they learned during the process.
Most veterans I interview feel their experience qualifies them as
experts. They really understand the process and, given a second
chance, would always do some things differently. They feel they
have a great deal to share with "the uninitiated" about
how it really went, what to expect, and how to cope with delays,
changes breakdowns, and the general upsets that accompany such an
undertaking.
Don’t hesitate. Your request is quite reasonable: you want a
bit of their time, a peek into their home and their opinion of
their contractor. Call them now!
1.Discover the quality of the homeowner’s
experience with the remodeler. Was the contractor competent at
all points in the process? Would the homeowners use him again? 2.Examine the project for possible design ideas. Notice how you
feel in the new space. 3.Try to assess the quality of the
workmanship. Look closely at the project. 4.Ask how well the
builder predicted the cost of construction, specifically the
preliminary estimate compared with the final cost. They usually
will NOT be the same, but find out how far apart they were and
how easy it was to arrive at a final contract price.
Six to twelve months after a job has been completed is an
excellent time to interview homeowners. During that interval
their contractor will have responded to some warranty item
claims. (Note: the industry standard is a one-year warranty on
all labor and materials installed by a contractor not covered by
a manufacturer’s warranty.) Because better contractors
address warranty claims quickly and thoroughly, such claims are a
very good test of their reliability and professionalism.
You’ll find that visiting custom renovations is an excellent
source of design ideas. Ask the homeowners how they arrived at
their particular choices. This information will both help focus
your own ideas and develop your understanding of the design
process.
In your walk-through tours of these different homes, you’ll
begin to appreciate the different levels of attention to detail
and quality of finish. You’ll begin to discern what makes a
good drywall job -- smooth, blemish-free walls and ceilings with
invisible seams. You’ll begin to recognize quality interior
trim work where the joints are tightly fitted -- in contrast to
poorer jobs with gaps and misalignments. You’ll begin to
appreciate that better builders stay on top of all details all
the way through to the end of the project.
HERE IS A LIST OF ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS TO ASK HOMEOWNERS
1. Could the homeowners communicate well with the remodeler or
builder?
•Did the builder listen to their concerns? •Did the
builder respond quickly to their questions and requests?
•Was the builder easy to speak with?
2. Were they pleased with the quality of the work?
3. Were they satisfied with the builder or
contractor’s business practices?
4. Did the contractor add "value engineering" and
provide price checks?
5. How close was the contractor's preliminary estimate to the
final contract price?
6. How did the builder and homeowner resolve any differences that
arose during construction?
7. Did work crews show up on time?
8. Were the homeowners comfortable with the subcontractors the
builder used?
9. Did the crew clean up daily?
10. Was the job completed on schedule?
11. Did the contractor fulfill his contract to the
homeowner’s expectations?
12. Did the contractor stay in touch with the homeowner
throughout the whole project?
13. Was there a project manager on site every day?
14. Was supervision adequate?
15. Was the contractor easy to reach when the homeowner wanted to
reach him?
16. If the homeowner hired an architect, how well did the builder
work with that architect?
17. Did the remodeler hold regular progress meetings with the
homeowner?
18. Were final details finished in a timely manner?
19. Would you use this contractor again without hesitation?
20. Was the remodeler trustworthy?
21. Do you feel that you got good value for the money spent?
22. How has the builder handled warranty claims?
23. Would you recommend the remodeler, unconditionally?
The more you learn, the greater your comfort. The greater your
comfort, the greater command you’ll have over the selection
process.
Come prepared with a camera, pen and paper or a tape recorder. Be
sure to ask for permission to take notes or photos. You’ll
want records of what you learn as you begin to compile a list of
possible remodeler.
Finally, list the contractors you've gathered information about,
ranked from best to worst, based on what you know so far.
As with homeowner interviews, I cannot encourage you strongly
enough to ask any questions you may have. Nothing is off limits
concerning your project or the company you’re interviewing.
Asking good, detailed questions is the heart of your due
diligence.
If you don’t question thoroughly, you’re giving up your
responsibility in this process and possibly compromising the
quality of your project.
If you do, you're a lot more likely to end up with a contractor
who can build you the project you've been dreaming of, without
compromising your sanity or financial security.
Phone: (724)283-4529
