Playing the Remodeler “Image Game”

Some remodelers love to present themselves as a very “hands
on” business owner who personally handles every aspect of the project. That’s
how they justify showing up late
to your appointment, with disorganized
sales materials, and covered in sawdust.  They’ll say that they were helping out at
another customer’s project. In reality they’ve underbid the project and now
find themselves working as one of the construction crew to save a few bucks.
Beware of the “hands on” contractor; he’s probably in over his head.

Here’s four key points to look for when starting to work
with a remodeler.

 1. Good communication: If you can talk with each other, you can work out any details
that come up.

Questions to ask yourself: When you leave a message, does he return your call?  Does he return an email promptly?  Does he listen to you?

Nothing is more important than feeling like your
remodeler understands your needs and concerns. If he is so busy that he can’t
return calls or emails promptly, maybe it’s time to look for a new remodeler.
You should always feel like the both of you are on the same page. This can help
to avoid miscommunication and costly errors. This is a very important “secret”
to a successful and enjoyable remodeling experience.

2. Comfort: If you feel comfortable with your
contractor, the chances that your project will run smoothly are more likely.
Think about it. You’ve just invited a stranger
into your home. You will be
working with this person for a matter of days, weeks, or months depending upon
the project you need completed.

Questions to ask yourself: Do you find this person
nice? Considerate? Personable? A listener? Was he or she polite and courteous?
Or did he make you feel that he wasn’t interested? Can you stand to have this
person around?

3. Trust:
There is a high likelihood that a project will entail entrance into your home
while you are at work or out, therefore feeling like your contractor is
trustworthy is extremely important. Check his references. Keep in mind that the
keys to your castle will be given to your contractor. Can you trust him? Listen
to your conscience.

4. Appearance: If your contractor has a neat appearance,
this is a very good sign of things to come. This may sound silly, but it’s not.
He doesn’t have to show up in a coat and tie, but neatness does count. If his
appearance is neat, chances are good he will keep your job and your home neat.

Questions to ask yourself: Is he clean? Is his truck
presentable, or falling apart? Is his truck permanently lettered and contain
his license number?

I always emphasize the importance of how crucial it is to
find the right remodeler for you. Remodeling can be an enormous job that has a
huge impact on the quality of your day to day life. Choosing a builder that
works for you will most likely lower the stress of remodeling and improve your
overall satisfaction. This is your home; you have the right to be picky when it
comes to choosing the perfect remodeler for the job.