Blog

4 Essential Tips to Choosing Your Los Angeles Based Home Remodeling Contractor

Choosing the right general contractor for your next home remodeling project can be a daunting experience. Whilst there is no way of being 100% sure you’ll get the perfect contractor to make your remodeling dreams come to life, there are some things to look out for and consider before you sign your contract.

Check out Past work / Portfolio

Almost every reputable home remodeling company will have a website or a profile on Houzz or Yelp that displays their past work with a gallery of their portfolio.
This is a great place to start because you get to discover if;

Their work is visually pleasing to you
Their quality standards meet (and hopefully exceed) yours
Their design aesthetic will be a match for what you want

Extra tip:
Once you have gone through your prospective contractor’s work, make some notes on images / projects that you like and give them a call to ask them to discuss that particular project.

2. Look at Credentials and Verify Their Authenticity

Before you hire a contractor, be sure you understand their qualifications, including any certifications they have. Do some research, whether it’s with a phone call or a visit to the contractor’s website. It’s very important that your contractor is a licensed professional, this will help in making sure you do not hire rogue contractors who do more harm than good and even worse scam you of your hard earned money.
In Los Angeles, California we are required to be licensed through the ‘Contractors State License Board’. This official California government website also allows you as a consumer to check contractors licenses and to make sure they are in good standing.
This is a MUST before you hire your contractor.

3. Ask for Referrals & Check online Reviews

Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find a qualified professional to bring your dream project to life. Ask relatives, friends and neighbors whom they’ve had good experiences with. And ask what made it a positive experience, how the contractor handled problems and whether he or she would use the same contractor again.

If you’re having trouble with personal referrals, take to the internet to do research on past customer experiences. Qualified and experienced contractors are likely to have reviews on;
– Google
– Yelp
– Houzz
– Facebook
– Angies List
– Better Business Bureau
– Company website ( video testimonials are especially useful).

Extra Tip:

Aim for companies with 4-5 stars and positive comments
Look on variety of platforms to make sure that the reviews are consistent
One bad review when all others are positive doesn’t necessarily mean you should overlook the company. If you like everything else about the company, contact them and ask them to explain the situation around the bad review.

4. Interview Your Potential General Contractors

You’ve completed the research phase of choosing your new general contractor, now it’s time to narrow down the list of contenders and set up meetings. Try to keep it to three contractors, because things can get confusing beyond that. How a contractor answers questions is extremely important, but communication goes both ways.
Have your questions ready beforehand, be thorough, and make notes of the contractors responses. This will be essential when comparing answers from your shortlist of contractors.

Extra Tip:

Good contractors will be honest, and ask questions too. Be wary of contractors that don’t listen, don’t ask further questions or sound like they are not 100% confident in what they can offer.

Bonus tip: Don’t overlook the simple things

It might go without saying but it’s essential to make sure your general contractors…

– Maintain a permanent mailing address, e-mail address, personal phone number, fax number, cell phone and voicemail.

– Have an established presence in the community.
– How long has the company been in business under this name?
– Does the general contractor maintain solid relationships with contractors such as plumbers and electricians and work with them as a team? (Tip, ask them directly or review their website for industry affiliations).

RWT Design & Construction has served the Burbank / Los Angeles community for over 30 years, with 5 Star Ratings across multiple platforms.
“You Dream it, We Build it!”
– Romney Tripp