Who you select to work in your home has a substantial impact on the success of your project. This is an important tool to help you be sure that you really are getting the product and service you expect, completed on schedule, with the customer experience you deserve, from a trusted company.
The contractor you select for this project will be in your home for the duration of your project, sometimes when you are not around. They will have access to your home, your family, friends, and neighbors.
We want our customers to have the resources to make the best choice for their project even if it isn’t us. We live by a “do unto others as you would have done unto yourself” practice, and this is part of it.
Many homeowners are far too trusting in who they select for a contractor and set themselves up for disappointment, because they do not thoroughly research who they are hiring or have the resources to track what’s offered by each company.
It is not enough to just sign the contract with the lowest bidding company or choose the contractor with the most charismatic salesperson. Take it from us, every contractor says they do the best work, but we want to do something they won’t, and give you the tools to prove it.
We cannot recommend highly enough that you ensure the success of your project and the safety of your home by researching each contractor who gives you a bid. And being sure you understand exactly the work they are proposing to complete for you. You need to be sure you are hiring qualified professionals with processes in place that protect both you as a homeowner and them as a business.
While no process is perfect, and contractors can “fudge” their qualifications, having a process for selecting a contractor will help you make the decision that is best for you.
Below you will find a checklist of all the documents you should ask to see before you accept a proposal from any contractor, even those recommended by a friend or family member, and ask us too! We are happy to help in any way we can.
You don’t need to interrogate your contractor, but knowing this information is important! If these questions scare them off, then you are better off going with someone else, even if it isn’t us.
If a contractor is unwilling or unable to furnish this documentation to you in advance of signing a contract, that should be a warning sign.
We know from experience that it is a lot easier to gather a few pieces of paper than it is to complete a painting project to the satisfaction of a customer. If getting this information to you is a challenge for a contractor, imagine how he’ll struggle with your project once the “real work” begins!
Tim Perryman
Perryman Painting & Remodeling, Inc.
