You're thinking about making some changes to your house and what you're thinking about doing is more than you can do yourself.
You need a contractor, but with all of the home improvement scams out there as well as the contractors that aren't very good, how do you find that gem who will get your work done quickly and for a fair price?
Well, we just finished building a house so I've got some fantastic tips you can use to find the contractor that is perfect for the job and who will do the work for a fair price.
One way that you can find qualified contractors for any type of home improvement or repair project is to join Angie's List.
They are growing like crazy and their business model is well accepted by people around the U.S. They give everyday people the opportunity to speak out about their experience with every type of professional including auto body repair guys, HVAC companies, dentists, contractors and much more.
Angie's List is a website that lets people just like you find contractors in your area that have been approved by other people in your area who've had work done. Angies List lets homeowners "grade" contractors on their performance, quality of work and many other things. Angie's list doesn't just grade contractors they grade almost any type of service you can imagine, from dentists to plumbers, from cosmetic surgeons to electricians and everything in between.
One thing that you need to know about Angie's List is that it does have a small fee for joining, but the problems you avoid by choosing the wrong contractor or avoiding getting scammed are worth it.
One more thing about Angies List ratings of contractors that you need to know. Don't only rely on other people's ratings of a contractor to make your decision. Most homeowners don't understand the intricacies involved in doing remodels or renovations and often rate quality contractors poorly.
Its worth a phone call to visit with the contractor, have them give you a price and explain to you exactly how they would do the work.
Another Under the Radar Option to Find a Good Contractor
Another way to find a good contractor that almost nobody uses is contacting the companies who sell the contractor the supplies they need to do the work.
Let me explain.
If you are going to get a new roof put on your house, do a Google search for roofing suppliers in your area. Make a phone call to a couple of these suppliers and ask to talk to a salesperson to get some current pricing on the materials needed to do the work. You don't need to know how many bundles of shingles you need. You just want to get current pricing and get the opportunity to talk with a salesman.
When you are talking to the salesperson ask them who they can recommend that would do a good job at a good price. The salespeople at construction supply companies know who does good work and who doesn't and they don't have anything to gain by giving you the names of the contractors they sell to.
Why? Because no matter which contractor you use, that salesperson will get the order for the supplies needed to do the job since the contractors he recommended already have a relationship with him!
Pretty Sweet, huh?
Summary
The two best ways that I've found to get good contractors to do any project or repair around your home are:
Angie's List charges a fee to join, but the hassle you avoid is worth it. There's an annual fee but you also get ratings on other service providers than just contractors, you get ratings on dentists, air conditioning guys, plumbers, electricians, appliance repair companies and much more. Once you build your preferred list of repair people then you can not renew their service. So for a small fee, you can keep from getting poor service providers for almost anything that you might need to do in your area.
Calling salesmen who supply materials needed to do your project -Doesn't cost you anything, but you need to know a little about your project and what's involved to know which supplier to call. If you don't feel comfortable with your knowledge, you'll avoid trouble going with Angie's List.
