The endless days of scouring Pinterest for design ideas for your remodeling project have paid off and you are ready to break ground! You tell yourself that you don’t have the skills or the time to DIY and decide to hire a contractor. With that folder of pictures on your phone or tablet, you set out to find yourself “the guy” who’ll make those remodeling dreams come true. You go do a quick Google search for remodeling contractors in Pasadena but the number of results that come up sink your heart faster than you can say “Titanic”. Goodness knows there are enough horror stories on how Susan hired the contractor from hell… so, what do you do? Here are 5 things to keep in mind while looking for and hiring someone to remodel that kitchen or bathroom.
Be Clear on Your What You Want
Your ideas on what you want your remodeling project to look like need to be crystal clear. Choose a design before you choose a contractor so that you can narrow down the field to contractors who are familiar with your design type and can adhere to the chosen aesthetic. Often, contractors may specialize in bathroom and not kitchen or vice versa. Look up contractors based on the chosen style and draw up a list of 10-12 contractors who fit the bill.
Put Those Facebook Skills to Use
Remember when you wanted to look up what a friend’s been up to and then one hour later, found yourself on the friend’s aunt’s daughter’s best friend’s dog’s gram? Well, those “skills” can finally be put to use. Look up the list of shortlisted contractors on social media. Often, they will have portfolios or pictures of their work uploaded. Compare their work and especially look at “Before/After” shots. Check for reviews on websites like Google or Yelp. Be wary of contractors that don’t have reviews or a website. Narrow the list down to 5-6 contractors after this step.
Word of Mouth and Recommendations
Go online onto local community pages that exist on social media for Pasadena neighborhoods and ask for references or if anyone has recently worked with any of the contractors you have selected. Also ask homeowner friends or co-workers if they have dealt with the contractors on your list and if they would recommend them. You should have 3-4 contractors on your list after this research is done.
Interview the Contractors
Set up a meeting with each of the contractors on your list and ask them detailed questions on their relevant past projects in Pasadena. Pay attention to the way they answer questions and their body language because this may provide insight on how working on the remodeling will pan out. Ask for an itemized quote instead of an overall cost estimate, so that you can compare the contractors on your list and see who charges you how much for a service. Itemized bills may also show you areas that you can cut costs on to save money. Get your inner Holmes out and don’t hesitate to ask if the contractor possesses the required licenses and permits to do the job. While you’re at it, check if they have a valid liability insurance policy and ask them for a copy. Quiz them on timelines and see if that sounds reasonable and fits in with your expectations. Ask for references and past customer testimonials.
Review the Bid/Contract
Ensure that the proposal sent to you has all relevant details like the start and end dates, schedules and timelines of work completion, cost of building supplies, a site plan, clauses for disputes and their resolution, a clause for lien waiver so that suppliers cannot hold you responsible if the contractor does not pay them for materials used in the remodeling. Use your judgement and see if the contract seems fair.
We won’t lie, these steps might get overwhelming. Call Handyman Connection of Pasadena at (626) 744-0402 to discuss your needs and make this process so much easier. With the exceptional service and years of expertise that we bring to the table, we make life easier for you servicing Los Angeles and Pasadena areas.
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