Western Home Builders

The odds are good that if you are looking forward to home improvement projects or renovations, you're going to need to hire a contractor. Your options involve going with a contractor who happens to be skilled, licensed, and bonded; doing the work yourself, or hiring a handyman to help out with the project. No one else can make the decision for you about the right way to go but it will help if you keep these things in mind.

Make sure you have a contract, in writing, before you allow a contractor to begin working on your home improvement projects. This is probably the most important thing you can do to protect yourself, your home, and the investment you're making. The contract is your sole source of protection against possible misunderstandings later on in the project. The contract should cover everything from the specific work to be done, the schedule for completing the work, the cost of the work, the materials that will be used, and even the schedule of payment for the project. Warranty information on building materials, labor, and/or parts will also need to be included in the contract. It's really important that you have the name of your contractor as well as his or her physical address so make sure they are both included on the contract before you sign. It's always a good idea to have your attorney look over the contract before signing.

One of the best ways to determine if a contractor is right for you is to ask for a few references. This is a perfectly reasonable request, and anyone who refuses to provide references should be crossed off your list. Make sure you take a look at the references and ask for permission to view the contractor's work. In addition to this, asking some general questions, like were you satisfied with the work done or were there problems with the contractor, to those on the list is a good idea. Probably the best and most helpful question you can ask is whether or not they'd use the contractor again.

You don't want to hire a contractor who attempts to promote your business via e-mail, knocking at your door, or email. A variety of scams are out there where an individual commits to labor at someone's home, necessitates a deposit and then abandons the work that is supposed to be taken care of. Honest builders won't be attempting to make you hire them by knocking on your door or calling you. If someone offers to rake leaves or shovel snow, that's one thing, but if it's any kind of major project, you want to be the one who contacts them first. Don't let anyone talk you into any kind of home improvement project without checking them out first.

The professionals are best to leave some jobs to, even though you can do some home improvement projects yourself. If you are going to hire a contractor then make sure all the expense and hassle is worth it by making sure they're good. It's all just a matter of simply keeping the above advice in mind, listening to your gut and using common sense to find the best contractor.

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