When embarking on an interior renovation project, one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing a general contractor. With so many choices and horror stories out there, it can be difficult to know how to decide on the right one for your job. At B ² Design we went through our own fair share of contractors before we found the two wonderful ones that we work with exclusively for our projects. Here I’m sharing a few tips to help you select a general contractor that is right for you:

Get recommendations from friends, family, or trusted sources

If you're looking for recommendations on products you would most likely ask family or friends for their experiences and opinions; you should approach services in the same way. First-hand accounts can go a long way into weeding out the duds and bad apples before you suffer the same pitfalls. Likewise, if someone had a great experience with a particular contractor, that should help to ease your concerns. You would also be able to visit the home and see the quality of the work for yourself. Finally, if the information is coming from someone you know and trust, you can be sure that the person giving you the recommendation has your best interests at heart.

Do your research online and read reviews

Another key thing to do is to look up the potential contractor online and see what reviews are saying. If they are all positive, great! If there are some inconsistencies or negative reviews, then you have something to discuss when you interview him/her. Keep an open mind and see how the individual responds to questioning; that is a good indication of their temperament, and also how they respond to tough situations. Not all bad reviews are actually bad-perhaps the client was a difficult one and would lash out at the contractor no matter how good a job he/she did. Or maybe the bad review was a misunderstanding that was remedied but the person hadn’t updated the review. This is why it’s always good to take reviews with a grain of salt and do your research thoroughly, including speaking over the phone with the potential person you are thinking about hiring. You will very quickly get a sense of whether or not he/she is right for you.

Meet with potential contractors and ask questions

Meeting in-person is key because you need to establish a rapport with the person who is going to be working on your home. There are some things that just aren’t noticeable over the phone. For instance, do they show up to meetings presentable and prepared? Do they seem to have a good grasp of their profession? Does he/she feel like someone you would like to work with? Remember, construction projects can take months (or years) to complete, so this person you hire had better be someone you can see yourself spending a large amount of time with. You will want to further your telephone conversation and discuss how much experience they have, what kind of projects they typically work on, pricing, and what their availability is like.

Hopefully you now have a better sense of how to go about finding and interviewing potential contractors! If you still don’t feel comfortable doing this on your own, or just don’t have the time to do the research, then feel free to reach out to us at B ² Design and we can handle your entire project from start to finish. Just schedule a Discovery Call here and we can get started!