What to Look For in a New Jersey Home Renovation Contractor
Posted on December 6, 2020When it comes to renovating your home, you don’t just want anyone to do the work. Shoddy construction wastes your time and money and can detract from the overall quality of your home. With kitchen renovations and bathroom renovations on many homeowners’ wish lists, there are plenty of contractors out there to do the work.
But picking the right one is essential. Whatever home renovation project you are working on in New Jersey, take some time to look for a high-quality contractor that will do the work at the quality you require.
6 Tips for Hiring the Best Home Remodeling Contractor
Before you sign a contract with the first contractors that provides you with a bid, take some time to select the best one for the job. Check out this list of tips to ensure that your general contractor completes your home remodeling project the way you want it.
- Check the credentials. Understand here that credentials aren’t the same as recommendations or referrals. We’ll cover those shortly. Here, however, we’re talking about ensuring that your contractor holds the requires licenses from all applicable states and municipalities where he or she operates. Also, check for designations and professional affiliations with organizations such as the National Kitchen & Bath Association, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, and the National Association of Homebuilders. Many contractors participate in ongoing education and training to perfect their craft and obtain new certifications, so be sure to look into this as well.
- Ask others for referrals. Some of the best contractors are found through word-of-mouth. If your cousin Sally had a kitchen remodel done and you are now looking for a kitchen remodel contractor, ask her who she worked with. Ask your connections on Facebook about who they worked with for remodeling services in NJ and see what they have to say. Friends aren’t likely to refer you to someone who won’t do the job well.
- Require references. Make sure that any contractor you are considering can provide you with names and numbers for at least one or two references. If they aren’t willing to share the information, then move on to the next contractor on the list. And when you do talk to a reference, ask if they are open to you coming to check out the contractor’s work.
- Inquire about business experience. Ensure that the contractor maintains a permanent mailing address, e-mail address, personal phone number, and/or mobile phone number. Check into what insurance they carry that protects you from liability and ask for copies of their remodeler’s insurance certificate. Find out about the contractor’s presence in the community and how long he or she has been in business.
- Interview at least two candidates. Depending on the size of the project, you may want to consider more or fewer candidates. For big-scale projects such as a full kitchen remodel or a bathroom remodel, or the finishing of an otherwise unfinished basement, you may want to interview three to five candidates. For smaller projects such as door and trim replacements, one or two might be just fine.
- Get it in writing. No matter who you decide to hire, be sure to get a contract that outlines exactly what is included for the price. Don’t start any project without a signed contract.