It’s a good rule of thumb to begin soliciting estimates at least thirty days before you plan on signing a contract. A lot of contractors are small operations with only a few employees. What’s more, home improvement contractors often cover a large geographic area since it’s difficult to predict when and where a potential job will come from. They’re busy people who do a lot of driving, so it may take a week or two for them to get to you. After the initial visit, it will probably take another week to get an estimate.
There are many cost-estimation sites online that you can use for free. [3] X Research source [v161695_b01]. 6 October 2022. Some sites you can use include Homewyze, HomeAdvisor, and This Old House. Some, like Homewyze, are more detailed than others. Depending on your online estimator’s level of detail, you might need to measure square footage and make some preliminary decisions on materials—like wood, vinyl, or laminate flooring—to get an accurate estimate.
The same problem pops up with word of mouth referrals. For example, say you want to build a stone wall in your front yard. Your sister had a stone wall built a year ago, and it looks great, and she highly recommends the stonemason. The problem is, structures are about more than looks—they also have to be built soundly. How does your sister know she didn’t pay for a beautiful wall that’s going to fall over in three years? Ask contractors for referrals from past customers so you can determine how reliable they are. [7] X Research source [v161695_b01]. 6 October 2022. The contractor’s experience is probably the best way to ease some of these anxieties. If they’ve been working in your area for three decades, they come recommended, and they’ve got good online reviews, then they’re probably worth taking a look at. Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) online to see their score, any previous complaints, and customer comments. Although most people won’t do it, it’s not a bad idea to conduct a personal background check on your contractor. If your contractor has defrauded people before, there’s a good chance it was in another state—because they won’t be licensed in a state where they have committed fraud. A thorough background check can help to ferret out any troubling criminal history.
For example, if you’re just getting your windows replaced, you probably don’t need a list to keep track of that. If you’re getting your entire home remodeled, make a list.
Walking the job site together with the contractor can also remind you of items you may have left off your list. [9] X Research source [v161695_b01]. 6 October 2022.
Even beyond the price of an estimate, it’s important to get three because a contractor might be wrong. Whether you’re getting something repaired, replaced, remodeled, or built from scratch, there’s a good chance the estimate from at least one contractor will be too high, too low, or for the wrong thing altogether. If one contractor tells you that you need to have your hot water heater replaced, and another says they can repair it, how do you know who’s right? The third estimate might do the trick.
Use your best judgement when weighing this factor. If it takes someone three weeks to tell you how much they’ll charge to replace your garbage disposal, you probably want to avoid them. If you’ve got a big job and the contractor can explain the reason for a delay and takes the initiative to tell you it’s going to be late, then it’s probably not reflective on their diligence.
All contractors should be bidding the same job under the same conditions. Otherwise, it will be hard to properly evaluate and compare offers. For example, if you’re getting a ceiling fan installed, that’s a small job. You pick the fan, which accounts for the cost of materials, so the only variable is labor. If your entire house is getting renovated and the contractor tells you the kitchen will cost $7,000, let that serve as a warning sign. Unless you’ve already picked out the appliances, the countertops, fixtures, flooring and more, there’s simply no way to know how much it will cost. The best a reputable contractor will do is give you range: “kitchens of this size usually cost between $5,000 and $10,000. ”
Waste disposal and cleanup. Most large projects generate a lot of trash, dumpsters have to be rented and hazardous materials ( like asbestos) need to be disposed of by specialists. [11] X Research source Permits and inspections. Every home improvement project of any consequence is going to require some type of permit. Who is responsible for obtaining the permits and who pays for the inspectors?[12] X Research source Landscaping. Large projects can do quite a bit of damage to a residential landscape. Who is responsible for returning the yard back to its original condition? Warranties. Make sure that your contractor warranties their work. If they charge extra, do the math. Is the length of the warranty worth the cost?
A lot of people will say to eliminate the high and low estimate right off the bat, but that’s simply not good advice. If you only got three estimates, and one of them is much higher than the others, don’t you want to know why? The high contractor might have spotted a problem the other two missed. The same principle applies to a very low estimate. That contractor may have identified a cheaper way of getting the job done than the other two that’s equally as good. If you find yourself in that kind of dilemma, the best option may be to get another estimate from a fourth contractor. Ask for an explanation when costs vary significantly. Does one contractor see a problem another missed or does one wants the job more and is willing to take a lower profit?
Inform them of the other offers respectfully. Don’t accuse anyone of trying to cheat you or take advantage, because most of the time, they aren’t. Not every contractor pays the same price for materials or labor. Plus, a lot of the variation is based on what a contractor thinks his crews can do and how they’ll have to do it.
