Home renovation: Three rules for hiring contractors

Summary: When it comes to home renovation projects, let your potential contractors know how much you are willing to spend, break down the project into as many stages as possible, and maintain a good relationship with the contractor.

Renovating your home can be a daunting project and one that you may feel you have little to no experience to handle. Therefore, most people will look at hiring a contractor. However, hiring the right contractor is key to ensuring that your home renovation is done quickly and in a cost efficient manner. Here are three rules for hiring a contractor.

Flash your cash – If you have the cash for a project, let your contractor know how much you are willing to spend after they offer you a quote. Contractors prefer cash as this means that they will get paid faster. Consider asking for a discount of at least 5%-10% and let your contractor know that you would like him/her to start immediately. Most contractors will want a deposit for most projects, which is often 10% of the total cost.

Best price – Have a list of model numbers of preferred appliances, brands, and colors with measurements for your space. Then speak to some contractors to get the best price. Look at breaking down your renovation into stages and ask each contractor to give you separate quotes for each stage. This way to can use another contractor for a different stage if they offer a cheaper quote.

Don’t be rude – Maintaining a good working relationship with your contractor is important to ensure you receive the best quality renovation for the money you spend.

Written by Lyle Charles Consulting. They offer a wide range of contractors and consultants on medium to large renovation projects. Speak to anyone from the Lyle Charles team to get assistance on your next renovation.