Tips for hiring a remodeling contractor

Your home is most likely the largest investment you will make in your lifetime, so if you are thinking of remodeling, it is important not to make price the determining factor when hiring a contractor. Make sure that you choose a contractor that you can communicate well with - one with whom you can truly envision having a good working relationship with. It should go without saying to hire only licensed contractors, but we all know someone who has tried to cut costs by hiring the local "handyman", and most of the time the result is NOT good. By California law, if the job is over $600, you must hire a licensed contractor. Verify how long the contractor has been in business. You should look for a contractor that has been in good standing for at least 5 years. It is very important to take the time to check references from the contractor's previous jobs (especially projects of the same type that you have). Here are some good questions to ask when checking references - > Were you happy with the contractor? > How is the quality of the work? > Did the contractor respond to problems/questions in a timely manner? > Did the project come in a the cost stated in the contract? > Was the project completed in a reasonable amount of time? > Would you recommend this contractor? / Would you hire this contractor again?