Building a new home or refurbishment is a project in which we usually invest a lot of effort, money, and illusions. But the experience we have and the final result depend on the professionals we choose to do the job. Whatever work you need to do in your home, consider these four golden rules from Building contractors London (hdconstruction) to choose a qualified, responsible and, above all, reliable contractor.
1. Word of mouth and references
The best publicity that contractors can receive is the recommendation of former clients. If any of your relatives, friends or neighbors have recently made home refurbishment, ask about the contractor they hired and details about their experience. If you are thinking about hiring a worker or a company about which you have no references, do not hesitate to request them and check them by calling and asking as specific questions as possible.
Before making deals with a self-employed contractor, get the permanent postal address and several forms of contact, such as landline and cell phone numbers and email address.
However, if you are looking for Building contractors London, hdconstruction will be the best option for you. Here you will find professionals specialized in the different areas of construction and in renovations or remodeling.
2. Check complaints
It is a good idea to check that the contractor you are thinking of using has not received serious complaints from other customers.
3. Insurance and licenses
Before hiring the services of a contractor, ask him to show you his insurance policy. Then call the issuing company to verify the existence and amount of the policy. Contractors, on the other hand, need a license to work legally in many states. This ensures that the contractor knows the specific laws that apply to construction and renovation work in that state.
4. Everything in writing
Once you have found a few building contractors that offer you confidence and guarantees, write clearly and in detail the work you need them to do. Then ask for a budget for at least two of them (ideally three). The budget must specify how the work will be done: the preparations, the work itself and the final cleanup. If you are going to hire a painter for example, have him specify -in the quote- how he will remove the old paint that is loose, how he will prepare the wall and how many layers of paint he will apply. Clarify also who is going to buy the paint and other materials. And speaking of materials, in general the contractors will buy the materials they need to complete the work and they will give you a receipt detailing the amount. Clarify with the contractor, however, if you are going to add a percentage of profit to the price of the materials. If this is the case, you may want to consider buying the materials yourself and paying only for labor. Also make sure that the final contract you sign with the contractor includes the fees, the final cost of the job, a payment schedule and the deadlines for what the job is expected to start and end.
And remember ... do not pay completely until the job is complete according to what is specified in the contract!