Expanding a home with an addition is a terrific way to offer a family more room in the house and improve the value of the property. Any home owner who is considering an addition on their home where a construction crew would be involved would need to research local contractors before making a choice.
Several issues may impact whether a particular contractor is right for the job. Smart home owners will want to consider every angle of the project before making their choice on competing estimates from contractors.
1. Reputation
A building contractor’s business thrives on happy customers, and one of the primary ways such professionals obtain additional work is through the recommendations of satisfied home owners. Asking friends or family who might have had work done by a local contractor about their experience is a good first step in determining whether the contractor will deliver.
The internet is another valuable resource for researching the reputation of a local contractor, but home owners should beware that what might be found on the internet regarding a contractor’s reputation might not always be accurate. Speaking to real-life clients of a contractor or building company will always be the most truthful way to determine a contractor’s reputation. The homeowner should also look for multiple reviews online as opposed to just one person’s review. Free review sources such as Google reviews and Yelp can be great sources for this.
2. Experience
The amount of time a particular contractor has been operating is a good indication of their reputation as any contractor who doesn’t perform well will suffer from a lack of new projects. Experience also showcases a contractor’s dedication to his profession, and the number of projects he might have completed that had similar goals as a client’s present request.
3. Price
Simply choosing the lowest cost estimate is never a good idea when it comes to home improvement projects and complicated installations like an addition to the home. The budget is often the biggest wildcard associated with a significant home improvement project, and will often be one of the determining factors regarding the choice a home owner makes.
Estimates that are too low reveal the inexperience of the contractor, while estimates that seem too high might be a more accurate representation of what the project may cost. A home owner might want to spend no more than a certain amount of money on a project, but sometimes what the home owner wants would cost much more.
4. Time
There are two considerations regarding time that every home owner should think about when choosing the right home estimate. One consideration will be the amount of time the contractor or building professional took to come to a decision on how long the project would take. No contractor worth his cost will ever offer an estimate over the phone. Good contractors always request an on-site investigation of the premises to be modified for accurate budgeting.
In addition, the completion time offered should also be under consideration as this timeframe might offer clues as to which contractor is telling the truth about how long it might take to finish a project. By comparing the estimates of time given from each of the contractors, it’s possible to come to an average timeframe and eliminate any estimate that seems suspiciously short when compared to the others.
When considering which bid to accept for a home addition, each of the preceding factors should be considered before any decisions are made. Speaking with each contractor or building professional more than once is recommended to get a feel for how each project may play out when the project gets underway. Careful decision-making regarding the contractor will be the best way to get a fabulous looking home addition.
Tags: average time, contractors, estimates, experience, home addition, home improvement, price, reputation, summertime, time
