Choosing your contractor

1.   Know who you are doing business with! Make sure your general contractor is a local contractor. You will need him here if a warranty issue arises! When choosing your contractor, check with the Better Business Bureau for their address listing and their online footprint to see if they are really from your area. A lot of companies blow into town during hailstorms and floods, take your money, and disappear.

2.  How long has the contractor been in business? There are a lot of growing pains when starting up a new business and mismanagement of money is the main reason most general contractors fail. Never do business with a company that requires a down payment upfront. A strong company should be able to stand on their own.

3. Always "ASK" to see a copy of their CURRENT insurance policy. The majority of contractors carry a minimum of a 1 million dollar general liability insurance policy. AGAIN... ASK TO SEE IT!!

It's also another great way to check and see if they are a local general contractor.

4. Be sure your contractor is a member of the Better Business Bureau. Not only is it a great source of information about who and where the company is located but also a great indicator of how well of a company they are? How do they handle their warranty issues? Do they call back their customers when proplems arise? Do they fix the issues that do arise?

5. A well-established contractor should have a list of VERY happy customers that would be delighted to be a referral for their company. Most general contractors have a list of 5 to 10 referrals to choose from and a list of homes or businesses to look at.

 6. Your contractor should offer both a manufacturing warranty and a company warranty along with a release of lien after the job is completed and paid for in full. Never release your final payment till there is an exchange of final payment for the release of lien.