REMODELING 101

Hiring A Contractor

Make your next home renovation a success with these tips to ensure you hire the right person for the job.

WHEN IT COMES TO HOME REMODELING, you have hundreds of options when choosing a contractor. To avoid common mistakes, such as adding water lines for portable kitchen appliances, putting a ceiling fan above your brand-new custom soaker tub, not having proper clearance around your heat-emitting kitchen appliances or choosing the wrong paint for your surface, make sure to hire a professional home contractor. They are the key to helping you save hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars.

1 | DETERMINE YOUR NEEDS

Figure out what you need versus what you want, and then consider what you can afford. It might seem easy to choose a cheaper contractor that can do it all within your budget, but there are some dangers in doing that. Is your project a job that needs to be aesthetically pleasing or just a functional upgrade? This is one of those cases where you might not get what you paid for. Or, you might get exactly what you pay for, and that could be scary when it comes to the value of your home or fixing costly mistakes. Consider what it is that you want and which company can best execute your vision properly.

2 | DO YOUR RESEARCH

Don’t underestimate the importance of doing your own research and familiarizing yourself with the work that is going to be done to your home. Write out all of the questions you have regarding your home remodeling project. Reach out to multiple contractors and determine how familiar they are with the type of job you want done, as well as how many times they’ve done the specific project you want completed. Remember that Google reviews, Facebook recommendations and social media sites are great resources to read about real customer experiences.

3 | LEVELING UP EXPERIENCE

Be aware of home contractors, especially those who have less experience than more seasoned workers. They may be cheaper, but it also can mean that they are more willing to bend the rules. It might seem fantastic to get a contractor at a more affordable cost, but it’s important to consider why they can offer their service at such a reduced cost.

4 | SECURING THE PROPER PERMITS

What are the required permits and bylaws associated with home renovations in your area? If you don’t know these, check online or call your municipality to get more information on what certifications the home contractor needs before they can legally work on your home. Make sure you ask about their insurance during your initial telephone interview to hire a contractor. If they don’t have a permit or license, they should be willing and offer to get it if they want the job. Never take out the permit for them because this can place liability on your shoulders if they decide to break the rules.

ARE YOU LOOKING TO FIND A HOME CONTRACTOR FOR YOUR NEXT BIG RENOVATION OR UPGRADE?

The Cleveland Home + Remodeling Expo is filled with experts who can answer your questions, provide inspiration and guide you through the process of a successful project.