At Bend Custom Painting & Refinishing, we believe that quality of work and customer service are the top priorities for any job we take on. For many contractors, this is also the focus and goal of all projects; so how as a consumer is it possible to differentiate between companies and pick the one that is right for you?
To help the consumer (you) make the correct choice, we have done our best to compile an unbiased guide for choosing a contractor that will meet your specific needs.
History
The past workmanship, warranties, complaints, and references will undoubtedly tell you the most about a contractor's work and the experience of working with them more than any other source. There are countless ways to find out more about every company, but perhaps the more reliable and recommended websites would be:
www.bbb.org (Enter their contractor license number to see reviews and complaints, plus a graded rating scale)
www.angieslist.com (Specialized and localized contractor selection support, ratings, reviews, complaints, and sometimes even photos; great resource)
www.google.com (Companies that list themselves on Google will have contact information, ratings, and reviews)
www.yelp.com (While not as inclusive for contractors as the other sources, some companies will be listed here; great reviews and ratings for those that are listed)
Company Website (This seems obvious; but many people do not take the time to investigate what their selected company offers, and how they portray themselves to potential customers. If a company neglects their web page; they may neglect their quality of work as well. Also remember that better marketing does not equal better workmanship. There are two sides to the coin)
Ask for References
The quickest way to find out if a contractor has happy clients or not is to ask for a list of references (past customers), willing to speak about their experience. Be sure to actually call them! You want to speak with at least three of their references to find out the best and worst memories of their service with this contractor, so you can compare their stories and see if you would like to have a similar one or not.
Check Out Current Work
If the contractor has recently completed or is currently working on a project; go see it! Seeing the quality of workmanship up close, plus investigating the cleanliness, and perhaps even the customer experience (if possible), will give you more insight into what your home will look like when this contractor is finished with it.
Quality of Materials
Our first blog post was A Guide to Paints and focused on differentiating between various brands and qualities of paint. As part of selecting your contractor, it is important to figure out what materials they use, so that you may establish the quality of those materials yourself. Every contractor believes they use the 'best' paint, but your definition of best may be different than theirs.
Explanation of Price
What your budget allows for painting and other home improvement services is up to you. When you select a contractor, you will undoubtedly be using price as a strong indicator of whether or not you work with them. Price should never be regarded as a simple number, however. What goes into the price is perhaps the most important consideration for any homeowner to make. What is the "value" that you are getting? What is the goal of the contractor: quality or profit? You will have to answer these questions yourself.
The more detailed and in-depth explanation of price that you receive from your contractor, the more informed you will be about their entire workflow, customer experience, and quality (or lasting ability) of their work. If you have a contractor giving you a dollar amount written on a business card, or a single page quote merely explaining the areas to be painted but without any description of how or what preparation techniques will be used, you are flying blind and setting yourself up for disappointment.
Stay informed, do your research, and compare contractors to find out who is your ideal partner for all areas of home improvement. It's a hard job to do alone!