Choosing Remodeling Contractors

You want to do an expansion, replace some windows, get a new roof or some other project at your home. You know that its too big or your too busy to do it yourself so you've decided to hire a remodeling contractor to do the work.

Choosing the right remodeling contractor is the difference between an easy home improvement project and a nightmare. You know its critical to get the right one, but you just don't know how to find him.

I'm going to tell you the best ways to find a remodeling contractor and the best ways not to find one and hopefully I can save you the heartache of a super expensive project or an unfinished project full of frustration in the process.

Of course, the internet has made choosing a contractor simple, but how do you know its the right contractor or the best contractor for you?

One service that unabashedly lets homeowners publicly rank contractors and which is rapidly gaining ground in the contractor world is Angie's list.

Angie's list lets you find a contractor and then allows you to pull back the curtain on they work they do by compiling comments and recommendations from homeowners that have used that contractor. The homeowner tells of their experiences (good or bad) so you know who is good or bad.

Angie's list does charge a fee to join their site, but the money you spend is an investment in getting a good project and in keeping your sanity.

You can find out more about angie's list, sign up for their service and be looking through contractors in your area in a matter of minutes.

Here's a direct link to learn more about Angie's List

An obvious way to find a good contractor is to ask your friends who've had work done for them in the past 3-6 months but no more than a year. 

If your friends liked the contractor and the work they did, you probably will too. 

Why do I say no more than a year? Because a contractor's business can change dramatically in a year. Key people can leave, subcontractors can go out of business, suppliers can change. All of these factors can affect the quality of a work that a contractor does. 

Very few people think to ask the vendors of materials to recommend contractors for a project yet these guys know which contractors are good, which are shaky and the vendors also know quality of work and price points. 

All you have to do is to call a roofing supplier for instance and ask to talk to a salesperson. Get some prices on roofing supplies and ask if they know the names and numbers of any contractors that would do a good job and they will tell you almost anything you want to know about the contractor including which ones they would use. 

The other place people rarely go to find a contractor is subcontractors. The subs know which remodeling contractor does good work and which cut corners to maximize profits. The subs know which contractors have good reputations and which don't. You can call an electrical contractor, an HVAC contractor, or a Plumbing contractor and get some valuable information about contractors in your area and who they would recommend. 

There are many ways to find a good remodeling contractor for your next home improvement project. Which one you use depends on your comfort level, your personality, and the time you have to spend to find one.

Here are the ways in order of easiest to most difficult:

1.Angie's List

2. Ask Your Friends and Neighbors

3. Ask Vendors

4. Ask Subcontractors

Choosing the right remodeling contractor for your home improvement project will determine how happy you are with your project when its done. Even a good project with a hard to deal with contractor is a nightmare.