As a brutal winter releases it's grip on most parts of the country, the first signs of spring are beginning to become visible. That means that it is once again time to take a look around the house and begin lining up this year's home improvement projects. A plethora of information and resources are available to those ambitious enough to Do-It-Yourself, but most of us will still be limiting our manual labor to the yellow pages in search of a home improvement contractor. Let's review some good tips to remember when hiring a contractor to perform work on your home.
How to Hire a Contractor: Tip #1
Invest in a Contractor Background Check
According the BBB, claims against home improvement contractors annually rank in the top 5 of all complaint categories. With the advent of the Internet, there are several great resources available to hire prescreened contractors. You can also perform an inexpensive contractor background check on several web sites. Lienfax offers a comprehensive contractor background check for just $19.95. These searches check for civil judgments, criminal records, asset information, & more. KnowX, Experian, & Intellius, and ContractorBackgroundCheck.Com also offer affordably priced contractor background checks.
How to Hire a Contractor: Tip #2
Get At Least One Reference From Each of the Last 3 Years
Contractors are quick to give references from job they have recently completed. However, contacting these references only tells you how their work has help up a brief period. Asking your potential home improvement contractor for references from each of the last 3 years will tell you how that contractor's work holds up over the long term, not to mention how they deal with any warranty issues, callbacks, etc. Very few articles that discuss how to hire a contractor mention this tip, but it is very important to remember.
How to Hire a Contractor: Tip #3
Insist That Your Contractor Provide Their Own Materials
There is a big difference between a home improvement contractor and a person that know how to work on houses. A real home improvement contractor works from a "contract" (thus the term "contractor") and should be able to furnish his or her own materials, labor, and transportation. Giving a home improvement contractor money up front is a huge mistake and an unnecessary risk. If supply houses and home improvement stores will not trust this person with enough store credit to purchase the materials for your job, then you should not trust them to work on your home. If they do not have the resources to furnish labor and materials, then they should be working for a company that does.
How to Hire a Contractor: Tip #4
Obtain a Lien Release or Lien Waiver Before Remitting Final Payment
There is nothing more upsetting than finding out that are lien has been placed against your property by a home improvement contractor that was paid in full. It is common for scam artists posing as home improvement contractors to place a lien on a property even though they have been paid for the work, hoping to cash in (again) when the owner of the property goes to sell. To ensure this type of home improvement fraud does not happen to you, insist that a lien release or lien waiver is signed by the home improvement contractor before they are paid. This form can be downloaded for free from hundreds if sites online. Not obtaining a lien release or lien waiver could cost you big money down the road.
Follow these tips on how to hire a contractor and your home improvement projects should go smoothly. There are hundred of articles online with tips and advice on how to hire a contractor, so don't be afraid to do a little research. A learned consumer is less likely to become the victim of home contractor fraud, so taking a few extra steps will help protect your family and your home. Without question, the most important thing to remember is to invest in a contractor background check.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Kevin Ramsey
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