Hiring a contractor can be a very stressful process! Who do you call? How do you find the right one? How do you know who to trust? Should you pay for a quote? Should you go to a big box store? Should you hire your neighbors’ kid? We wonder about all these questions, and yet many still can’t figure out the right answer.
Luckily, in the age of the internet, it is very difficult to operate under the radar as a shady contractor. With all the review sites available (yelp.com, angieslist.com, homestars.com, trustedpros.com and the largest google.com) you are sure to find both the good and bad on anyone operating a business today.
So, the biggest question, how do you find a contractor in Vancouver?
Our first suggestion is to talk to your family and friends who have recently gone through the renovation process. They can give you the trials and tribulations or sing the praises of the contractor they just used. They can give you pointers in what to look for, and especially, in where they went wrong and how to avoid it. If you have any friends that work in the trades, ask their opinion if they can recommend someone they trust to help you out. Having a close friend offer you their unbiased opinion is how a majority of tradesman find new customers. Word of mouth. No google review can weigh more then a recommendation of a personal friend with first-hand experience.
Don’t know anyone that has done a renovation?
Then you need to start doing a little more research. The first step would be to do a google search of general contractors in your area. Read through the listings and keep notes of names and phone numbers of companies that catch your eye. Google ranks their reviews out of 5 stars, we think a reputable company should have a minimum of 4 stars. Read through the reviews, taking notice for reviews that sound personal and mention the work or project that was done. They should mention how the process went and if there were any hiccups.
Avoid the reviews that look too good to be true and try and look for some reviews that may have a lower star rating. Is there a trend forming with the lower reviews?
Are multiple people complaining about similar scenarios, yet a majority of their reviews are 5 stars and glowing? Something we see very often; a company has 20 – 5 star reviews, and a handful of 1 – star reviews… All the 1 – star reviews mention that they did not receive exactly what they were promised… Yet all the 5 – star reviews sound too good to be true! Chances are those great reviews were paid for to help dilute the lower and real reviews.
Did the company address the lower reviews and offer to remedy the issue? Did the company argue with the bad review calling them a liar? If there is something that may seem fishy, your gut feeling is usually right. There are companies that will try and buy reviews to raise their rating and wash out the lower “real” reviews. If you feel something suspicious, move on to the next, its not worth the risk.
Once you have compiled your list of potential contractors, it’s time to start playing detective. Visit their website, do they even have one? Are they active on Facebook or Instagram? What kind of photos are they posting day to day? Most contractors are proud of the work they do and want to show it off! If a company has major gaps in their posts and never shows projects from start to finish, you may have come across a real trend! They have a hard time finishing projects!
If they are posting more memes than work, it’s time to move on! They are focusing on becoming an Insta Star and not growing their business.
Now that you have narrowed down the list to a few contractors that you feel excited to work with, it’s time to give them a call. Yes, that’s right, a CALL. Anyone can sound great over an e-mail, it’s harder to hide on the phone.
This phone call should be relatively brief and act as an introduction to you and your project. What is your first reaction when they answer the phone? Are they warm and inviting or cold and angry? They should be excited to hear from you and welcome your questions!
A few things you should mention on this call are;
What kind of project you are thinking of doing and ask if it is something their company does. If they do not do that type of work, ask if they can recommend someone that does.
Ask them if they would be willing to come and take a look at your home and discuss the project in more detail and if they offer free estimates. This question, right away, will tell you what kind of personality the contractor has. A free estimate is asking the contractor to take valuable time out of his schedule, to come and meet with you, on a project that they may not get. But ask yourself; if they are not willing to take this risk, then why should you take the risk on them? Remember though, contractors are people too, with families and other responsibilities outside of their job. If you have a very strict timeline, you may be forcing good contractors to pass on your project.
When they eventually do come and visit your home, are they confident in the answers they give you? Are they bringing up examples of previous jobs that are similar? Are they making recommendations on what trends they are seeing? Are they making you aware of things you didn’t know?
Most importantly, are they listening to your needs and genuinely caring about what you have to say? A contractor with experience will know how to run this type of meeting, they should seem excited about the project and excited to work with you on bringing your dream to life. If they leave you feeling excited and happy, then you may have found a good one. If you feel uneasy, still ask for a quote and use it as a comparison to another contractor.
We always recommend getting at a couple different quotes on a project. This will give you a good idea of where each contractor stands and what is available for your budget. As we mentioned before, contractors are people too with busy schedules. If you are calling multiple contractors to bid on the same project, let them know you are also looking at other quotes as well as theirs. Don’t be a tire kicker calling every contractor on the web until you find the lowest price… this is a sure way to quickly hire from the bottom of the barrel and burn bridges with some very talented people.
When reading through your estimates, has the contractor specified in detail what the quote and project entails? Is it specific, with exactly what you are getting? Does it give allowances for different materials? If you get an estimate that is 1 line with a total price, ask them to expand on the quote with full details of what they plan on doing. If they refuse, then toss that estimate in the bin along with their number. If you have a couple different bids from contractors you had good feelings from, yet one is substantially more expensive, feel free to give them both a call and ask them why they are so far apart from what you are seeing.
Remember, the cheapest quote is not always the best quote and neither is the most expensive! If you really liked the contractor but he came in half the price of the other contractors, do not be afraid to have the conversation about what materials they are using and what separates them from other contractors. If the contractor you had your heart set on was double the rest of the quotes, then do not just throw it away, they may have a different expectation of the project then you. When it comes to construction and renovations, there is a wide range of materials and an even wider range of prices. Some contractors may be quoting Italian marble straight from Carrera, while the other might be quoting arborite counter tops with a marble look. They may both look like marble to some, but their price tags definitely do not.
All contractors should be able to provide you with an estimate around your budget. If they feel your budget is not high enough, they should be able to explain to you why and where the increases in the budget needs to be. Most contractors will give allowances on certain finishings and let you decide on different materials and price points as the project moves along. Did you run into an unexpected plumbing issue? You may have to save a couple dollars a square foot on tile to stay on budget. This is where having a good trustworthy contractor and clear and open communication is very important.
If you are ready to pull the trigger and think you have found the right contractor for your needs, then it’s time to get the ball rolling. Before you give anyone a deposit, make sure you have a detailed timeline and rough schedule of start and end dates. Detailed contracts are very important!
Throughout the process, do not be afraid to ask for progress updates and if they can walk you through what was done at the end of the day or week. By asking questions, this shows the contractor you care about what is happening in your home and they will keep you in the loop with all the moving parts. They will also take this time to detail any changes to the budget as they arise, rather then all at once when they are asking for a cheque.
Now the serious and scary part, what red flags should you keep an eye out for? You should avoid any contractor that;
· Has no internet presence. There may be a reason why they do not want to be found.
· Wants money up front before they even give an estimate.
· Seems pushy and does not listen to your needs.
· Does not discuss a contingency fund or discuss any potential issues.
· Promises the world for hardly any budget.
· Finally, and most importantly, does not make you feel comfortable or confident in moving forward with them.
Taking on any construction process can be scary and expensive, fortunately, there are plenty of amazing craftsman available to help you through this process. Finding the right person to do the work only leads to an even happier home when it is all completed, and you never know, maybe even a good friend!
