To say that the home improvement industry is huge would be an understatement. Scarborough research has found that more than half (53%) have made home additions or improvements some time in the past 12 months, and that 56% of them have spent at least $1,000 on these projects.
And it’s only going to get bigger. About 71% of U.S. homeowners are planning on making some sort of home additions or improvements this year.
What these ambitious homeowners might not realize, though, is that the success of their projects is largely dependent on the local handyman services they hire.
If you plan on building home additions this year, here are a few tips to help you find contractors worthy of your business.
Ask the Right Questions.
Before anyone starts making any home additions, you need to ask your potential contractors a few, important questions. Have they ever done any similar projects to yours, and if so, how many? Will your project require a permit? Can you have a list of references, a list of past clients? Do they have personal liability, worker’s compensation, and property damage coverage insurance? Are they going to hire subcontractors? These are all important things you need to ask. Depending on how they answer, you may not even want to hire them.
Know How You’re Going to Pay.
Though it might be tempting to pay cash, don’t. It’s always better to pay by check or credit card, and you can also set up financing for larger home additions, too. If you plan on paying in installments, make them according to your project’s progress. That way, if things are running behind schedule, you can delay your payments, too, to incentivize the contractor.
Get a Written Contract.
One of the most important things you need to do when hiring a contractor is to get everything written in a contract. Though some states don’t require contractors to sign a written agreement, you still need to get one that includes the contractor’s contact info, estimated timetable, the payment schedule, the contractor’s obligations to get the required permits, information on the home additions’ warranties, any promises, a statement of your right to cancel within three business days, and a detailed list of all the materials. If you make sure to do these things before beginning work on any home additions, you’ll be fine.
If you have any questions about finding help when remodeling a house, feel free to ask in the comments.
