Top 5 things to check before selecting a home improvement contractor

1)     Reputation

If you’re thinking about a home improvement project, ask around in your community for contractor recommendations. Search the internet for contractors. You may quickly find one or two names rising to the top. That’s already a good sign. Here are some of the characteristics you should look for when evaluating the contractor’s reputation.

• Reliability
• Trustworthiness
• Conducts business with professionalism
• Exhibits integrity
• Committed to high-quality standards
• Service oriented
• Respected in the community
• Stable and financially sound company

2)      History of satisfied customers

A good contractor will encourage you to check references, read reviews, and visit websites such as Angie’s List and the BBB. We find that our best customers are the ones who spend the most time researching us. Make it one of your absolute requirements that the contractor will provide references for you to check. Take some time to check references over the phone and if possible by reading testimonials on web sites.

3)      Licensed and insured

Legitimate contractors should carry both general liability insurance and worker’s compensation insurance. They should be able to provide you with a certificate of insurance.

Make sure your contractor is fully licensed in your locality. Johnson County KS has some of the strictest requirements in the area. Kansas City MO is very strict as well. We have been licensed for years in in both areas.

4)      Written specifications and agreement

Your contractor should be willing to put incredibly detailed specifications in writing to you. With a home improvement project you deserve to have in writing exactly what you’re going to get. It’s very common with some contractors to not give specific details so they can make lower cost substitutions of materials or specifications.

5)      Strong written warranty

It’s common for some builders to give some type of warranty protection. In almost every case, this warranty protection is based on the builder still being in business and having the motivation and decency to honor their warranty. Unfortunately as builders routinely go out of business, their warranty protection does not survive them. At Archadeck, our warranty protection is at a completely different level. Here is what our warranty includes.

• Guarantee of project completion. We have one of the only independently funded supplemental warranty in the business including guarantee of project completion and guarantee that it remains in effect if the builder goes out of business.
• 12 months workmanship warranty
• 60 months structural warranty

Ask lots of questions. Check lots of sources. Review many references and testimonials.

After checking the items on this list, you should be well informed and confident about who to choose as your contractor for your project.

Call us for a free consultation at (913) 851 – 3325 or email us at kansascity@archadeck.net.

Read some of our reviews.

Check our Reviews on Angie’s List