When you are remodeling your home, there is a lot of work that goes into planning and scheduling the whole thing, especially when you have no experience in renovation or remodeling in general. This is why getting a contractor to work with a contractor would really help you with making sure that your project is successful.
There are 5 benefits of renovating your home in New Orleans that you could take into consideration when thinking about pairing up with a contractor. Here are things you need to know when hiring a contractor in New Orleans: questions you should ask before hiring them.
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5 Essential Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Contractor
1. Would You Please Itemize Your Bid?
When you are talking to your contractor, ask them to itemize your bid because there are going to be times when there might be some things in the initial project that you choose not to add or some items that you choose to add. When the contract you have is a single bottom-line price, then that may not be the best idea.
Asking them to imitate their bid would help you compare all of the different prices of different contractors so much easier and you would easily be able to figure out some of your options in case there are some changes that happen for the project.
Here are some of the things that you could ask them to itemize during their bid:
- Dry wall
- Painting
- Demolition
- Hauling trash
- Lighting fixtures
- Framing
- Finish carpentry
- Tiling
- Floor covering installations
- Plumbing
- HVAC
- Electrical work
2. Is Your Bid an Estimate or a Fixed Price?
During the bidding, make sure that you request a fixed price because there are some contractors that estimate bids that would end up being so much higher in the end. You could try to eliminate the contractor that would not put in a fixed bid since there are some contractors who could not offer you a fixed price since there are a lot of gray areas when it comes to projects. Because if there is some additional work that needs to be done, then you could always change the order.
3. How Long Have You Been Doing Business In This Town?
Doing your research before you sign a contract should be your number one priority, which includes doing research and background checks on the company that you are working with. How long the contractor has been in business tells so much about how they work and their work ethic.
Looking for a contractor, they need to have been in the industry for at least 5 to 10 years because you would need that much time to actually establish a network with suppliers and contractors in your area, and that is how long the contractor would be able to build their reputation.
Doing this would make it so much safer doing jobs with them since you know that they would actually be able to do a great job at your project.
4. Who Are Your Main Suppliers?
Over time, the contractors would build a rapport with other suppliers that would be the main providers of the contractor, and it is important to know about the quality and reliable materials. Look into the suppliers that they are working with. They need to be reliable proprietors of the following:
- Tile shops
- Pro desk
- Kitchen
- Bath showrooms
- Lumber yards
5. I’d Like to Meet the Job Foreman — Can You Take Me to a Project He’s Running
Contractors are not usually the ones doing the literal work, though they are the ones managing it. The ones doing the handyman are usually the subcontractors and other workers that the contractors have hired to work on the project.
When you are talking to your contractor, you have to meet the foramen in charge of your project in person. Make sure that you meet them to make sure that the whole project will run smoothly.
When you are asking all of these questions to your potential contractor, you need to really listen to their perspective because communication could really play a huge role in the project later on. Asking these questions would help make sure that you are getting the best contractor for the best job. Trust your intuition.
