Confidently pick home contractors with these tips

By Katie Aberbach October 26 at 8:15 AM

In his 15 years of working as a home contractor, Michael Holmes has heard it all including the tale of a homeowner who was blindsided when a basement renovation she had submitted an $8,000 down payment for turned out to be a scam.

The contractor dropped off his tools and never came back, says Holmes, the owner of Northeast Washington-based Holmes Handyman. In his toolbox were a brick and a rusty hammer.

Theres always risk involved when you hire a stranger to work in your home. Residential contractors individuals who do repairs and renovations to properties, often with a special focus such as electrical work or plumbing are hired on a job-by-job basis, so its sometimes difficult to predict what the experience might be like. When selecting someone new, a few key considerations will help you choose the right person for the right purpose.

Research and plan

Unless its a simple repair or appliance fix, figure out exactly what type of work you want and need, before you contact any professional, says Joe Normandy, executive director of the Metro D.C. chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. A plan in your head wont cut it (nor will a collection of Pinterest photos). You have to sit down and sculpt out the project on paper, Normandy says.

Be as specific in writing down your plan (or even sketching it) as you can. Get answers ready for the questions youll inevitably be asked, says John Biechman, an Alexandria homeowner who is currently in the middle of a home addition.

The size of your windows, the size of your doors, which wall you want the shower head on, Biechman says. The contractors not going to make it up. Hes going to ask you.

Having everything written down on paper and agreed-upon in advance is also crucial when putting together a contract the more details you have outlined, the less chance of disappointment (and the better protected youll be if things dont go as planned).

You can use online resources to estimate the amount of materials that will be needed and their cost; itll be helpful as you compare bids.

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Confidently pick home contractors with these tips