By For many of us, building a house is a dream come true. There will certainly be few moments in life as satisfying as receiving the key to what will become your home. As such, the choice of “hands” to place this dream’s construction should not be made lightly. We leave you with some tips that will help you make a careful choice and ensure a credible company such as home improvement contractors for quality work.
Confirm The Contractor’s Credibility And Experience
This step may seem logical, but its importance is often overlooked. Do your homework and collect as much information as possible about the “on the table” choices. Please find out how long the company has been operating and its share capital. Request references for contacts and works carried out and asked whether the contractor has recently completed training in the area and is updated with more advanced construction techniques.
Also, check if the company has a physical headquarters – a door you can knock on to resolve a situation.
Check The Status Of The License (Required)
The IMPIC license (Institute of Public Markets for Real Estate and Construction) certifies construction companies, grouping them into categories according to certain minimum skills required and depending on the size of the work (value) for which the construction company is qualified.
Having an active license is also an indicator that the company has, at the very least, regularized taxes. You can check the status of any company’s license here.
Check Insurance
Concerning construction works, two types of insurance are required by law: work accident insurance, which protects workers on site, and civil liability insurance, which covers damage to third parties.
As the project owner, please note that you will be held responsible and incur serious penalties if you hire a construction company without this type of legalized documentation.
Protect Yourself With Documentation
We reinforce the importance of this point. The contractor’s “word” or handshakes have no legal validity. If necessary, hire someone to help you with this part.
These are the documents you should pay attention to:
- The construction contract, with all variables, agreed with the contractor;
- Map of quantities to have transparency and control of construction costs;
- Payment plan, with scheduling of all services and payments.
Request Detailed Detailed Quotes
Ensure that all companies such as Absolute Home Services for example quote for the same work and with the same materials. To this end, a list of works and measurements must be created to which all construction companies must respond.
Be Wary Of Suspiciously Low (Or High) Prices
Be suspicious when one of the companies has a suspiciously lower budget. Think with us: why would someone offer you such a bargain? These are the most common explanations:
Fraud. Unfortunately, as in any field, there are always cases of fraud or bad practices on the part of some “professionals.” This is where we recommend asking for references and comparing detailed quotes to understand the reason for the discrepancy.
Low-quality materials. Cheap materials obviously impact the house’s cost, but they are also the main reason for immediate problems such as degradation, infiltration, cracks, poor insulation, etc. Remember: “good and cheap” does not exist in practice.
Cuts to safety, legality, and insurance. Recognized companies with good professionals will always be concerned with ensuring the quality of their services through certifications, insurance, training, etc.
It would help if you also were suspicious of prices considerably higher than the alternatives. The key is to investigate the contractor. Follow our recommendations and make an informed decision.
Guarantee
All work has a mandatory guarantee by law of 5 years from the moment of its definitive completion. All defects must be communicated to the contractor in writing to rectify the situation quickly.
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