Hiring home remodeling contractors for your Westchester, NY, home is a big task. Your house is probably the most important asset you own, and you need to take care to select the right contractor. A great Westchester home remodeling contractor can add value to your home and create amazing additions that you’ll love – but a bad contractor can do a lot of damage.
So, this is a choice that needs to be carefully considered, with a lot of thought before you sign a contract with any renovators. Let’s talk about the most important factors when making your choice, and what red flags should warn you away from certain bidders.
Finding the Best Westchester, NY, Home Remodeling Contractor
Stay local
All other things being equal, you should select a home renovator who is as close to you as possible – and never pick an out-of-state contractor. There are a few reasons for this.
First, one major cost in home renovation is transportation of people and materials. The closer the contractor is, the less they’ll be spending on time and gasoline getting to you – which should bring lower costs. This also means if there’s any sort of problem with the work, they’ll be easy to contact and bring back.
On the other hand, if they’re far away, holding them accountable becomes much more difficult – especially if they crossed state lines. If you have to sue a contractor that’s out-of-state, you’ll be in for a very tough fight.
Finally, local contractors will be familiar with local building codes and regulations. The further away they are, the less likely they know the laws in your area.
Seek personal recommendations
Word-of-mouth is still the best way to find quality contractors, so start with your circle of friends, coworkers, and other acquaintances. Have any of them had work done on their homes lately? Ask who did the work, and what they thought of their experiences. Any contractor they recommend should be near the top of your list of people to call.
Look at online reviews
If you don’t know anyone who has done home renovation lately, your next best bet is looking up online reviews of various nearby contractors. Online reviews aren’t as reliable as personal recommendations, but they can often give you a good idea of a company’s value. Be sure to read the actual comments, and don’t just look at the ratings. The comments typically have much more useful information about what it’s like working with the contractor.
Contact multiple contractors for bids
Always, always call up a few different contractors for a free estimate, even if it seems like a bit of a hassle. This allows you to ‘interview’ them and get a feel for whether you’d be comfortable working with them. Also, multiple bids allow you to get a good idea of the basic price for the work you want done.
Most of the time, you’ll want to pick a bid that’s in the middle. Avoid the lowest bidder, because they’re probably cutting corners, as well as the highest bidder, who’s probably gouging.
Ask to see proof of licensing, certification, and insurance
Make sure your contractor is legally licensed to do home improvement work in your area. You might be surprised at how many shady operations have no legal permits at all. An above-board contractor will always be happy to provide their bona fides.
Along the same lines, they must have insurance. This is for your protection! If an uninsured home contractor gets hurt on the job, you or your insurance will likely be held responsible, even if the accident was 100% their fault. Again, they should happily show proof of insurance when asked.
Experience
When you’re trying to narrow down your choices between a couple of contractors, their amount of experience is a good tiebreaker. Broadly speaking, the longer a Westchester home remodeling contractor has been in business, the more trustworthy they probably are. Bad contractors tend to go out of business quickly.
If they’ve been around for at least a decade, they’re probably solid.
Look at their portfolio
Finally, if you need more guidance, take a look at their online portfolio. Any good contractor will have plenty of proof of their expertise posted on their website, or available to show to visitors. It might even help you find a contractor whose artistic sense best matches your own vision or give you new ideas for your remodeling.
C.E.T. Painting Are Your Westchester Home Remodeling Contractors
C.E.T. Painting are your Westchester, NY, home remodeling specialists! We handle interiors and exteriors, including painting, woodwork, floor coatings, and wallpaper removal. We have the experience to handle houses of all types, even historic properties. Contact us to learn more!