How to Choose a Professional Remodeler

  Maybe you've been there......

 Remodeling can be a miserable experience if you shop for a contractor base primarily on price. Nowhere is the saying "You get what you pay for" more trues than in remodeling. Think about the process and the effect on your life. Think about how much stress you want to add to your day. If you stay in your home during the remodel, you will be literally "living with the workmen" throughout the process. The low-ball guys can be scary to have you in your home, and their subs cab be downright horrifying. The established contractor will have long-term relationships with "house-trained" trade professionals. Before you consider hiring a contractor, ask him/her these questions.


Do you carry General Liability insurance, Worker's Compensation Insurance and are a licensed builder registered in the State of Michigan?
Ask to have their insurance company send the certificate directly to your home. Ask for a copy of his builder's license (did you know that by law in the state of Michigan, home repairs over $600 must be done by a licensed professional?) and call the Department of Commerce in Lansing to verify the license is valid and check for any complaints. Check with the Better Business Bureau for A+ ratings.


Have you been operating this business successfully for at least 10 years? 
This will demonstrate that your contractor in not a "fly by nighter" or someone who things he's a professional because he remodeled his own bathroom or kitchen. It's even more important today with so many people out of work. (We have been successfully remodeling for over 20 years.)


Look in the phone directory; does his company have a business listing? Do they have an actual address or just a P.O. Box? 
If not, he's working out of the back of his truck, and may not be there to honor any warranty issues, have the ability to finish your project or worse yet, take your money and run.


Are you an active member in a local professional trade association?
Trade organizations such as the Builder's Association and the National Kitchen and Bath Association, require strict ethical standards for members. As the saying goes, "knowledge is power", and trade associations offer their members the opportunity to update their knowledge or acquire new job skills through luncheons, workshops, conferences, publications, webinars and other online courses.


Do you offer a written warranty on your work?
Most states require remodeling companies to carry a limited warranty by law, usually for one year on parts and labor performed on all sizes of remodeling jobs, even small home improvement projects. A remodeling company offering a warranty that's longer than the state law requirement shows that they stand behind their work. Contractors that are constantly returning to the jobsite to fix faulty construction don't offer extended warranties on projects. Choosing the less expensive company whether remodeling a kitchen or any other room of your house with a shorter warranty won't save you money in the long run either, when you have to hire a second remodeling company to fix the work of the first.



Are you an NAHB Certified Gradute Remodeler or NARI Certified Remodeler?
These are nationally recognized marks of distinction or remodeling excellence and expertise. Other designations such as CAPS or Certified Aging in Place Specialist, might also be important. Ask to see whether your remodeler has any advanced designations or professional distinctions. This means that they are specially trained to help give solutions to your design problems.


Are you willing to provide me with a company profile listing your bank officer and trade references?
problems Like other professionals, your contractor should be happy to provide you such information. Ask for references and make sure that your remodeler is fully insured- liability and workers compensation.