Information About Home Improvement Contractors

What does a home improvement contractor do?

Home improvement contractors are individuals or companies involved in renovating, repairing, installing, modernizing, improving, replacing, restoring constructing, painting, remodeling or demolishing residential and non commercial properties.
 
The home improvement contractors work on residential sideways, swimming pools, porches, patios ,fences,doors,windows,landscaping,bathrooms,cabinets,kitchens,basement water proofing,
security devices, solar heating, wall to wall carpeting, roofing, insulation, central heating, painitng,
fire protection systems, water purifiers and heaters, air conditioning equipment, floor coverings and much more.

What consumers need to know before hiring a home improvement contractor

• Make sure the contractor has a valid license. Get the registration number, phone number, address.
• Contact the consumer affairs department to check if customers have filed any complaints against your potential contractor and also verify that he is registered.
• Get estimates from at least three other contractors .Ask then how long they have been in business and if they have legal liability insurance and if subcontractors will be working on the project.
• Ask the contractor for references .Contact them and enquire if the given task was completed on time, whether they incurred unexpected expenses, if they showed up as per schedule and cleaned up after completing the job and if they would hire the contractor again.
• Ask the contractor for his professional affiliations and confirm with those organizations the given information.
• Shop for home improvement financing options and be aware of the annual percentage rate that you will have to pay.
• Do not pay the entire amount in advance. You have to pay only one third in advance, one third half way through the job and the rest upon completion.

Be aware of the law

You need to obtain a written contract. A home improvement contractor’s written contract should include the following information.
• The date when the work is estimated to begin and the date when it will be completed.
• Description of al the work that needs to be done, the equipment and material that is to be used.
• The license number, name, address and employer identification number.
• Whether any additional related work needs to be done in order to comply with the ordinances, laws, building codes etc.
• A one year warranty that guarantees the quality of work.
• Payment schedule.
• A provision that notifies cancellation by the homeowner.
• A provision that the contractor needs to obtain any permits and give the occupant a certificate of occupancy.
• Down payment should not exceed 15% of the contract price.

Don’t

• Don’t alter your plans once they are in progress.
• Don’t sign a vague contract.
• Don’t pay contractor cash.
• Don’t begin a project without a written agreement.
• Don’t give the contractor the keys to your house and leave him alone.
• Don’t be pressurized into having more work done than is necessary.

If you follow the above guidelines, you should not have any difficulty in choosing the perfect home improvement contractor.