Choosing a Home Improvement ContractorChoosing a good home improvement contractor is easy, right? Just pick the one with the biggest fanciest pickup truck! Wrong! There are many things that go into choosing the right building contractor for your needs. Whether your looking for a roof contractor, siding contractor or window contractor, here I am going to list a few and give you some inside tips on how to check them out.
If you are in Wisconsin you can click here
to check the status of a Wisconsin license. (opens new window)
Right at the top of the page, enter their license number (Credential ID) and click search.
The salesman should have a copy to show you. Jot down the phone number of the carrier and call them if you have any question about the contractor's insurance coverage. If the salesman doesn't have a copy or looks real nervous about giving you the phone number or other information, it is probably time to find a different home improvement contractor! If someone gets hurt working on your property and the contractor's insurance runs short, you are next in line to pay. Most people are unaware that most homeowners insurance won't cover "workers for hire". This leaves you personally liable and could endanger your home equity. Homeowners insurance is not meant to be workers' compensation insurance. I would recommend a minimum of at $1,000,000 coverage plus workers' comp. If the contractor isn't fully covered pick someone else, it is not worth the risk of losing your home to save a few dollars.
A deceptive home improvement contractor could give you a couple of names and they could be paid references or relatives for all you know. When I am asked for references, I point out the above fact and ask if they still want to have them. I will get back to them with the names and phone numbers after I first clear it with my customer. I never give out personal information about my customers without first getting their permission, even if it states on the contract that we can use their name in advertising.
The report has to have some history. A report on a home improvement contractor that is just a few months old doesn't hold much water. On the other hand if the report shows the contractor being in business for years and he has a small number of complaints over the last three year reporting period it is a good sign. You can go here to check out a company's Better Business Bureau report. (opens new window) Don't write off a contractor for having a few hits on this report. Check to see if they are resolved. If they are resolved, it is a sign that the owner of the company takes them seriously and wants to satisfy his customers. Remember, when you are dealing with the public and working in and on their homes you can always run into some very unreasonable people. Also ask how many homes they have been in over the last three years. The percentage of complaints puts it into better perspective than just the pure number.
They are two separate animals. The manufacturer of the product holds the product warranty. The home improvement contractor warranty covers the workmanship. The contractor is responsible for this and the manufacturer will not take responsibility for poor workmanship by the contractor. Many times the contractor's poor workmanship will void the manufacturer's product warranty. Another point to remember is that neither the salesman nor the contractor have the authority to bind a manufacturer to a warranty beyond the manufacturer's written product warranty. Which means the salesman can say "sure it's covered", but if it isn't in the written warranty the manufacturer has no obligation to honor the promise. You need to trust that the contractor is going to be around to back his warranty. Does he have a showroom and a physical location or does his whole operation have wheels under it? A warranty given by a guy with a wheeled operation is what is sometimes called a "taillight warranty". That means the warranty only lasts as long as you can see his taillights! Once the taillights are gone - so is the warranty, and you are on your own! Choose a contractor with a warranty longer than the minimum required by the state (1 year in Minnesota). If you have a good contractor, with a physical presence, that intends to stay in the business, he will most likely be giving a warranty longer than the minimum. A lifetime labor warranty stated by a contractor might sound great. Remember that ends up being the company's lifetime, which may be shorter than your lifetime in the home. So don't be swayed by a warranty that sounds too good to be true.
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