01 May How to Choose a Contractor

I recently met with a client who went through an absolute nightmare with her contractor … he didn’t install anything correctly, he installed items after she expressly told him not to, and generally destroyed her condo.  She was supposed to move in a year ago, and she is at this point starting over.

So how do you avoid this situation? How do you make sure that you are not one of those construction horror stories?!

There are a few basic things that you can do to make sure that your contractor is trustworthy and will do a great job (whatever job that may be).

1. Get a referral:

Whenever possible try to get a contractor who was referred to you by someone you know or trust.  This can be a friend, family member, or your designer.  This may seem like an obvious step, but many people will see a great ad or an article and trust someone for that reason alone.

2. Ask for references:

Besides having the referral of someone that you trust, it is always good to see if the contractor has other references to provide.  Many individuals who work in this field will either have a sight with references already posted,  or they will be attached to a sight such as HOUZZ or Homestars.  Sites like these are great, as each reference will have had to be submitted by the clients themselves.

3. Ask to see previous work:

Sometimes it is even possible to go to a home that they have previously worked on. It is always good to see previous work that a contractor has done for 2 reasons. Seeing a space in person will always give you the clearest idea as to the quality of work that your contractor can produce. Also, having a chance to talk with the previous clients, you can receive invaluable feedback in regards to the professional relationship of the contractor during the time in their home.

Hopefully following these 3 steps will help you in choosing your contractor, but keep in mind that all projects have their challenging moments, so always be prepared!

Photos provided by: Interiors Designed by Naomi Weissmann

Before Picture of a space about to be renovated

Kitchen in the middle of the renovation process.

The final Product!

The renovation process continuing. Workers that we trust are moving quickly to get this kitchen finished correctly and on time.