We love a good DIY project, but in every DIYers life, you still—every now and then—need to call a professional. Get the work done without getting hosed with these tips for hiring out your projects.
Photo by guitargoa.
Any experienced homeowner can regale you with stories of hiring contractors. The stories almost always seem to fall into two neat categories "Look at what a great job they did!" and "Let me tell you about the time the guy put the back hoe through my garage...." We've experienced both ourselves, so here's our handy guide to hiring help around the house so that all your stories can begin like "You need a new roof? Let me tell you about this fantastic roofer I hired!"
A Cheap Checkup Is Better Than a Costly Repair
Everything fails. From your air conditioner to refrigerator to the mortar holding the bricks of your front walk together, everything has a failure point—Great Pyramids of Giza? Not looking so new anymore, are they?—and the more aware of this you are the less likely you are to be caught off guard with a huge repair. Photo by somegeekintn.
You don't want to be forced to pick a contractor or repair man hastily just because an emergency repair is breathing down your neck, so your best defense is to check for problems before they crop up. You'll have time to carefully pick someone to do the work instead of saying "You can repair the septic tank tomorrow? Oh thank God!" and hoping for the best.
Now would be a great time to get out a piece of paper and make a list of all the "systems" in your house and how old they are. When was your roof installed? How old is your furnace? When was the AC unit last serviced? That 25 year old furnace might still be going strong today but it's well into its end of life. A checkup from a qualified professional on the major parts of your home like the roof and the heating/cooling system is radically cheaper than an emergency visit when they fail.
Although the guide below is lengthy, if you start early and take it one step at a time, you'll be rewarded with dependable contractors and great work. That's a much preferable situation to furiously calling people in the Yellow Pages and hoping somebody can get out and fix things up that day. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed use this simplified list to get started (click the link to jump down to the corresponding section):
- Get recommendations from friends, neighbors, and supply houses.
- Check for complaints against the contractor.
- Find out what licenses and permits they need.
- Check out the contractor's insurance. Don't skip this step!
- Meet with the contractor.
- Get quotes. Track the quote variables with a spreadsheet or other list.
- Ask for references and check them out.
Research, Research, and Research Some More
If you've heeded the advice above and identified a problem area that could use some work, you've got a nice big window of time to start researching contractors. Even if you're dealing with a looming problem there are still quite a few resources and methods you can use to find a good contractor. Photo by ricoeurian.
Get Recommendations: Start with friends, family, and local businesses that would have contact with the contractors in the field you need work in. Ask family members in the area if they know a good contractor in the field. Ask your neighbors—they likely have similarly constructed homes of a similar age and are dealing with the same things you're dealing with. Stop by local businesses and ask for a few references. If you need an electrician, for example, stop by the local electrical supply shop and ask around. One of the best ways to get a good reference from a local business is to ask in a way that allows the person to respond in a positive way without having to bad mouth anyone. Don't ask who to avoid, ask instead "I need an electrician to rewire my garage. You know a lot of electricians in the area, would you mind giving me the name of a couple you'd hire to work on your own home?" A question phrased like that personalizes it and gives the person you're asking a metric to rank the contractors against.
Check for Complaints: The list of recommendations you compile is just a starting point. Recommendations in hand, next you'll want to hit up the Better Business Bureau. Search for the local Bureau and check to see if there are any outstanding complaints against the contractor. While you're at it, check your local Chamber of Commerce and Department of Consumer Affairs—the two prior links will take you to search engines for local divisions of the respective groups. Ideally you'll find no complaints lodged against the contractor you want to hire. Photo by stevendepolo.
Check Licensing and Permit Requirements: Before you start calling contractors, you need a little background information. Call your city or municipality and check what a contractor needs to work in your area. Even if city employees have a reputation for being a little gruff, they're more than happy to help someone who is taking the time to make sure things are done right. Ask simply "I'm going to hire someone to rewire my garage. What are the requirements for an electrician working in this city and what permits will we need?" You'll know what to ask the contractor, and you'll get a sense of who is trying to pull a fast one when they say "Nahhhh, we don't need to worry about that."
Contacting the Contractors and Getting Quotes
Once you've done your research, you'll have a list of contractors who passed the recommendation/checkup stage. Now's the time to start calling. Don't be afraid to ask lots and lots of questions. Most of the issues that could blow up in your face later in the game can be prevented altogether by asking lots of questions early on. Photo by david.nikonvscanon.
Getting Background Information: Ask about insurance. You can't afford to have someone doing work on your home without insurance. If they get injured or destroy your property and they aren't insured, the bill comes to you. Don't feel bad being firm on a request for proof of insurance. Ask how many employees they have, ask about who will be doing the work. Depending on the field and the kind of work being done, it's possible the supervisor has all the credentials but the workers don't.
Meet with the Contractor: Have multiple contractors come out and see where the work will be done and what you expect. Communicate what you need as clearly as possible to the contractor to decrease any chance of miscommunication and wasted time and money. Pay close attention to how the contractor conducts himself. For example, I was meeting with a contractor just last week and when I told him I needed a quote for my insurance company, his immediate reply was "So are you actually going to get the work done or what?" He didn't even let me finish and say "... because I want to get the quote to them today to start the work." That one comment cost him the job because I don't have time to deal with that kind of attitude, especially when the person will be doing expensive work on my home. If you get a bad feeling about any part of the process, get a new contractor. Photo by Wayne National Forest.
Get Quotes: Always get quotes and detailed estimates in writing. Never accept anything like "Yeah it should run you about X..." because verbal contracts are worthless in court should things go terribly wrong. Insist on detailed estimates and that even the gray areas of the pricing are detailed. In some fields it's impossible to perfectly estimate cost, especially if the contractor won't be able to get a better look at it until work has started. But it's not unreasonable to get an over-run percentage in writing where the contractor states that while the job may run over it won't be more than 15% of the estimate he's given you. Photo by AMagil.
It's enormously helpful during the quote-gathering stage of the game to use a spreadsheet to keep track of everything. The larger the job the larger number of items to track and different styles of quoting and quote sheets can be confusing. A simple spreadsheet that lists things like parts, labor, and time estimates can help you easily compare apples to apples when you're reviewing quotes and help you ask important questions like "Why are you using 50% less materials than the other three contractors I've gotten quotes from?" Make sure to be consistent when talking to each contractor so that each set of quotes is consistent in regard to what you want done and what materials you want.
Ask for References: If a contractor can't give you at least three people to vouch for the quality of his work you're in trouble. If applicable to the kind of work you're having done—landscaping, large-scale remodeling—ask to see photos of past work. Contact the references and if the size and cost of the job merits it, ask if you can see the work in person.
Avoiding Scams and Outright Ripoffs: At this point in the game if you've done all the research, checked up on the contractor, gotten references, and so on, the chances of you getting scammed are nearly zero. Still it pays to be aware of the big danger signs when it comes to home-repair scams. If you're talking to contractors and the pricing seems too good to be true, it probably is. Either you're about to get ripped off or they're going to use such sub-par materials that you'll wish they'd just taken the money instead.
Never hire anyone who uses high pressure sales techniques, like insisting that a special for new siding is only good for the next 24 hours. Never hire someone who will only accept cash and doesn't want to use a contract. Finally, never hire someone who insists you get the permit for them. In nearly every area the person who takes out the permit is the one responsible for compliance. If your name is on the permit and the work crew totally screws up, you're the one who will be slapped with all the fines. Never take out a permit for a contractor.
What to Do While the Work Is in Progress
Once you've found a contractor that checks out and you feel good about, it's time to get the work started. There are several key things you can do during the actual getting-things-done phase of the process to make life easier and protect yourself if things go wrong. Photo by Frerieke.
Communicate: You know when the wrong time to tell the construction crew that the stone is the wrong color is? Right after they've tapped in the keystone and come up to you with the final bill. Stay on top of the project. When something doesn't look right, bring it up as soon as you notice it. There isn't a construction process around that is easier to fix later rather than sooner. Frequent check-ins will ensure the work is done just the way you want it.
Keep a Log and Photograph Frequently: Make a note every day of the work that is done—or not done!—and take photographs. Not only is it fun to have pictures of a big project as it unfolds, but should things sour between you and the contractor it will be invaluable to have a clear record of the work being done and photographs of any damage or poor construction materials/techniques being used. Photo by Mike Baird.
Get Any Changes in Writing: If any major changes are made to your project, ask to get the new changes in writing. Little things like moving some outlets or changing the type of sealant used usually don't merit a new contract. Adding a new level to a deck definitely merits one.
Pay as You Go: Reputable contractors do not demand all the money up front. If a contractor insists that you pay a large deposit or the total bill before the work even starts, then she or he is not a good contractor. A 10-15% deposit to start the job is reasonable, but you should never be asked to pay for raw materials. A reputable contractor will have good credit and an account with his suppliers.
Don't Be Afraid to Fire Your Contractor: People have a strong aversion to firing contractors. Don't be afraid to fire a contractor who isn't listening to you or is doing a poor job. Once they are totally done with the work and they've sent you the bill, it's a huge pain to get everything fixed. It's OK to cut your losses when things are still salvageable and get someone better qualified out there. Keep in mind that once you've signed a contract for work you can't simply stop paying someone and insist they leave, but dismissing a contractor because the work is not satisfactory, they've damaged your property, or they've shown up to do the work inconsistently are all perfectly acceptable reasons for firing your contractor.
A Happy Contractor Is an Efficient Contractor: If you're a great client, you'll be the one your contractor wants to work the hardest for and take the best care of. If you're courteous, ask questions while still respecting the wisdom and experience he's brought to the job, and make sure the workers are comfortable, that effort will go a long way towards everyone putting in 110% on your job site. Two years ago I had a new roof put on my house in searing 90F+ heat. I made sure there was a cooler with water and sports drinks out on the driveway every day packed to the top. The guys on the roofing crew said I was the first homeowner that had ever even asked if they were thirsty, let alone made sure they had anything to drink. Sure you could argue that it's their job to make sure they're well hydrated but the cooler and the sports drinks cost me next to nothing and showed I cared about them and a safe work environment. Photo by Clean Wal-Mart.
Once you've made it this far, you've covered the most important bases and you're ready to sit back while someone else takes care of your home improvement troubles. Remember to keep logging and photographing the work and stay in communication with your contractor!
If you've got some wisdom to share either from the hiring side or the contractor side, sound off in the comments to help your fellow readers hire a contractor with confidence.
Jason Fitzpatrick is a slowly-becoming-seasoned home owner who has had his fair share of experiences with wonderful and not so wonderful contractors. If you've got a home ownership question his 1930s era home has likely already forced him to find the answer.
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