There are actually a lot more residential concrete projects than you may realize. We do not really think about the concrete around our home. It’s better to hire a contractor who is qualified and experienced than do it yourself. Hiring a professional can provide much better results and, let’s face it, the outside of your home is the first place people see when they pass by. It takes time, patience, and perseverance in order to find the right concrete contractor. However, you get what you give, and the more effort you put into the search the more likely you are to get your money’s worth.
Step 1: The Initial Research : The first thing you should do is utilize technology, get on the internet, and make a list of potential contractors. Make sure that you educate yourself thoroughly on their business because this will enable you to ask the right questions. You will want to ask them how long they have been in business. You want a contractor with at least five years’ experience, because this typically indicates stability and reliability. You want to find someone that is both stable and reliable, otherwise you risk someone that may fail to follow through or not do the job correctly. Another reason to ensure your contractor has experience is because they will give your insight to the project you are conducting. You also want to ask about the insurance coverage they have. It’s important that the contractor you choose has good insurance coverage. Why? Their insurance protects you from liabilities if an accident happens while workers are at the site. Make sure you check the effective dates on the policies.
Step 2: References : Don’t be shy about asking candidates to provide references. Try and get at least three client references in the last year or two. The more recent the references the better they reflect the current work ethic of the company. You also want to follow through and contact these references so that they can give you a good picture of what working for this company is like.
Step 3: Review the Numbers : When you begin comparing the quotes you have gathered, remember that you get what you pay for. Do not base your decision only on the price. The lowest rates indicate shortcuts, use of poor materials, and less likely to produce satisfactory results. You can ask the contractor about things you see on the quote that you do not understand. You have the right to know what you are being asked to pay for. You also need to look at how long the project is going to take, because you want to try and find someone that can finish the job quickly while producing quality results. It’s normal for a contractor to charge more if they are going to finish the job faster, this is because they have to work harder to meet the deadline.
Step 4: Visit the Site : Go to the contractor’s work site. They cannot hide whether or not they did a good job, because you can see it. You can easily visit a site with similar work to what you are looking for, and get a good idea about how the contractor’s results look.
Step 5: Read the Agreement : Make sure that you put everything in writing, because this will lessen the likelihood of later conflicts. A professional concrete contractor will provide you with a contract that contains the details of all work being done. Make sure to read the fine print, and do not sign it until you are happy with what it says.
Step 6: Trust Your gut : It doesn’t matter how good someone looks on paper. If your gut is screaming no, there is probably a reason. Trust your instincts, and do not hire someone you are not comfortable with.
Step 7: The final Step : Congratulations, you have put in a lot of hard work at this point and are ready to be done. However, you may not know who to hire. If this is true, think about what your instincts are telling you. You want a professional concrete contractor who acts professionally and is pleasant for you to be around. If you have two or three candidates that you are ok with, hire the one you like the most.
