The key to any successful remodeling project is hiring the right contractor. It takes some effort on your part to find a company that does good work at a fair price. If you rush the process and chose the wrong company, you could be left to deal with costly and frustrating mistakes.
“The biggest complaints we get about contractors are delays, but also just lousy work,” said Kevin Brasler, executive editor at Checkbook.org. “And by really doing your homework in advance, making sure that you have the right fit with your contractor, you can avoid a lot of problems.”
Checkbook recommends getting at least three fixed-priced estimates for your project. And for an expensive or complicated project, more is better.
“When you’re getting bids from contractors, do not assume that high-priced companies perform better work than low-priced ones,” Brasler said. “In our experience here at Checkbook.org, we’ve collected hundreds of thousands of prices from different types of companies, and found that there is no relationship between price and quality. The best contractors are just as likely to charge low prices as lousy outfits.”
Checkbook is an independent, non-profit, subscriber-based consumer rating and education service. As a courtesy to NW Newsradio listeners, the ratings for more 784 remodelers and general contractors – as well as a variety of other contractors, such as insulation, drywall, siding, and solar installation companies – are available through this special link until Aug. 31, 2022. Advice on choosing a contractor is always available at Checkbook.org.
LISTEN to the Consumerpedia podcast How to Hire a Good Contractor: This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process, explain what should be in the contract, and help you avoid fly-by-night contractors.
