Hiring a Contractor

Finding a reliable and reputable contractor has always been a homeowner's dilemma. You either heard about one from a friend or neighbor, or blindly picked one from the Yellow Pages. If the Creature from the Black Lagoon carrying a hammer showed up, you swallowed and hoped for the best.

Now, however, ImproveNet has taken much of the horror movie element away by prequalifying several hundred thousand contractors across the country. ImproveNet-certified contractors must have been in business for at least three years, not have lost any significant legal actions or liens filed against them in the past five years, and meet our requirements for liability insurance coverage. So you can hire an ImproveNet contractor with confidence!

How to Hire

• References
  Request several references, and then check them out. Inspect the work quality. Ask if the project came in on time, if the bid costs were close to the final cost, and if the contractor was easy to work with.
• Bids
  Get at least three bids on your project. When the contractors look at the project, have in mind clearly what you want to do, but listen to their input. Experienced contractors can often point out overlooked and unforeseen problems.
• Options
  Do not necessarily accept the lowest bid. Some contractors may bid the job low in hopes of increasing charges as they go. Others may bid it incorrectly and then cut corners on the job. Others may bid it right and still be low, which is what you want. But if someone’s bid is higher, consider that contractor's quality, references, and schedule before making your final decision.
• License
  Ask for a copy of the contractor's license. Some states may not require one, while others do.
• Insurance
  Request copies of the contractor's insurance coverage. Contractors must have general liability insurance for themselves and worker's compensation coverage for any of their employees.
• Schedule
  Determine the project schedule. There should be a firm start date, although there is not normally a firm completion date because construction has so many variables. State when you would like the job finished, however, and discuss the likelihood of it happening by that date.
• Management
  Ask whether the contractor will be on the job every day or if he or she will have someone else managing the work. If someone else, check that person out as well.

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