- 1). Understand that bad contractors don't often reveal their true nature at the beginning of a job. In general, bad contractors appear likeable and promise to do good things at very reasonable prices. Unfortunately, once they have the contract they don't do the work as promised and sometimes aren't even around by the end of the job.
- 2). Recognize that good contractors don't go door to door offering to do something because "they're in the neighborhood" or "have some material left over" from a job they just completed.
- 3). Consider that a good contractor is a busy person and you will often need to wait for him to be available for your project. A bad contractor "can start the job tomorrow" because he doesn't have any other work.
- 4). Remember, bad contractors usually don't like written contracts. They say things like "we don't need a contract; we understand each other," they want to avoid permits and building inspections ("they're just a money grab by the government"), don't like explaining how they plan to do aspects of the job and aren't keen on showing you proof of liability insurance. Good contractors like to use written contracts, recognize the need for building permits and proper inspections, are willing to answer questions and will show you proof of their liability insurance coverage.
- 5). Realize bad contractors commonly look for a large payment upfront or very shortly after starting the job. A good contractor will be willing to work with an initial down payment in the 15 to 20 percent range and timely payments as the job progresses.
- 6). Expect a good contractor to have a physical address. Bad contractors often only have a cell phone and a truck and aren't willing to give you an address or any other way to contact them.
- 7). Consider that bad contractors are often "busy at other jobs" and unavailable to talk and may try to substitute lower quality building materials or move onto other aspects of the job before properly finishing the piece they're working on. A good contractor is usually at the job site (or available) and uses quality materials as specified in the contract.
SHARE
