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Choosing a Contractor
You should select a company who has a reputation for service and stability – and provides a warranty on their products. Make sure they care about the quality of their product.
What questions should I ask my contractor/installer?
- How long have you been in business? (Generally speaking, the longer the better.)
- How many projects like mine have you done before?
- Can you give me examples, show me photos, supply references, etc.?
- Will your employees do the work or do you subcontract?
- Will a person from your company personally be on site while the work is done?
- Are you a member of any industry organizations?
Other considerations:
- Avoid unlicensed contractors/installers.
- Avoid contractors who show up at your doorstep unannounced or contact you through telemarketing.
- Avoid contractors who engage in high pressure sales pitches, whose promises appear "too good to be true," or whose references can't be reached.
- Avoid contractors who tell you there's no need for a written contract. It's a good idea to get a written contract for all projects.
- In assessing the estimates that you get from contractors, don't always go with the low bidder or price. A higher price may be worth it if the contractor is the most experienced, will use better materials, will do a better job, and keep to an established timeline.
- Beware of an extremely low bid. It may be an indication that the contractor is overeager for your business, made a mistake in preparing the bid or is not including all the work quoted by other bidders.