How do I find out if they do good work? I found him by looking handymen in the local shopper. The guy I have been talking to is very knowledgeable, but I know he is not the one that is going to do the work.
I am having the front of my house torn off. That is a little exaggeration, but I am replacing the front step and the front double door. The step is poured concrete that was not properly done the first time. Erosion has caused it to crack and sink towards the door causing the stoop to rot.
What difference could that make now?! -----
- gpsman
BBB? (Better Business Bureau)
See if he's got a listing with your local BBB.
See if he'll give you some REAL contact info - something more than a cell-phone number or e-mail address. Business or home address and land-line phone number for a start.
Does he do paper contracts? Has he given you a quote on paper?
Ask to see a couple of jobs that he has done in the past two years. Go look and ask the homeowners. Word of mouth is far more important than the biggest ad in the Yellow Pages.
The BBB simply records negative information, i.e. lists complaints and lawsuits against contractors or vendors. It does not collect information about satisfied customers.
BBB has been having its own problem with ethics. The higher the membership fee, the better the rating potential.
Ask him for references and check them out. I'd ask what specifically he did and if it seems appropriate, ask to see the work. If he has a business name, check him out with the BBB. They aren't a guarantee, even if he looks OK, but if there are lots of complaints, that's a red flag.
The work you need done isn't rocket science, but it's also prime for problems, eg leaks, cracking, settling, if it's not done correctly. Ask him for proof of insurance. Make sure the contract spells out exactly what he's going to do and don't give him any more money upfront or along the way than reasonable and necessary. You don't want him to be ahead of you when it comes to $$. That's when they find it more atttractive to start another job instead of finishing yours.
Also consider asking about and taking out any permits. For example, probably better to pay $150 for a permit and have the building inspector check that footings are properly poured that to let him do it with no checks
Yes, the BBB records negative information. Which is what prospective customers really want to know about, or is more important than the degree to which a job was satisfactorily performed (which is highly subjective).
If a contractor even has a BBB membership in the first place, that is probably better (all else being equal) than someone who does not.
And a BBB complaint can be filed against any commercial entity, even if that entity is not a member of the BBB.
Why would they have a Real Estate Agent? Unless, they're selling the house or buying. I didn't get the impression of either from the post.
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