Choosing your contractor

1.   Know who you arer doing business with! Make sure your contractor is a local company. You will need him here if a warranty issue arises! 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 hail storms and floods, take your money, and disappear.

2.  How long has the company 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 companies 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 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 company should have a list of VERY happy customers that would be delighted to be a referral for their company. Most companies have a list of 5 to 10 referrals to choose from and a list of homes or businesses to look at.

 6. Your company 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.