3 tips to help you hire a good contractor

When you’re remodeling your kitchen, bathroom, or any other area of your home, the right contractor makes a world of difference. After all, hiring a good contractor means the work will be done properly and on schedule.

“When you hire a contractor, you have to trust that he or she will not only do the job as agreed but also respect your home and its contents,” Arizona Foundation Solutions says. “And, when you hire a bad contractor, it can be a real nightmare of broken promises, half-completed jobs and eventual legal action.”

So, how do you choose the right contractor? Here are three tips to help.

Check for a license

Contractors who are licensed meet industry standards and are permitted to work locally. You can verify Arizona contractor licenses through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.

While an unlicensed contractor may offer a cheaper quote, the result will likely leave you unhappy and may actually cost more.

“Hiring an unlicensed contractor could cost you big,” according to home services website Angi. “If the work does not meet local building codes, or the contractor doesn’t pull the necessary permits (which an unlicensed contractor cannot do), you will be responsible for making the repairs to meet code. Allowing work to be done by an unlicensed contractor could also void your homeowner’s insurance policy, should a claim arise as a result of that work.”

Licensed contractors will not mind sharing their information with you so, if you get pushback, do not hesitate to move on.

Ask the contractor to pull permits

A building permit is a document from a local government agency that approves any construction project. It means that the work will follow building codes for safety and meet zoning rules.

“Permitting ensures a record of the work and documents inspections along the way,” Arizona Foundation Solutions says. “It provides reasonable assurance that the structure or building is safe and free from structural failure, fire hazards and potential health risks.”

When a project doesn’t have the correct permits, not only could it be unsafe, you may end up having to update or even tear down any changes that don’t meet local requirements. Additionally, unpermitted work could lower the value of your house compared to work that has all the correct permits in place.

Read ratings and reviews

Checking ratings and reviews can be as simple as doing a quick Google search. While it’s normal for any business to have positive and negative reviews, you want most of them to be positive. Additionally, if there are negative reviews, see how the contractor responded to them.

“If they do so aggressively and try to attack or discredit the reviewer, this could indicate the contractor really is at fault and is simply being defensive,” Arizona Foundation Solutions says. “If, on the other hand, they offer to make it right, this could indicate one that will go out of their way to make sure the homeowner is satisfied. That’s the mark of someone who really wants to do a good job.”

You can also check a contractor’s rating through the Better Business Bureau, along with customer reviews, complaints, and how complaints were resolved.

If you need a contractor who checks all the boxes, Arizona Foundation Solutions can help. Visit FoundationRepairsAZ.com for more information and to schedule a consultation for your project.