1. How long have they been in business?
2. What is their rating with the Better Business Bureau?
(Phone 303.758.2100 for automated information.)
3. Are they licensed and insured, and can they provide documentation
of this?
4. Do they have a good sense of humor? (Just kidding)
5. Are the subcontractors they use, such as plumbers and electricians
licensed master technicians? (It is illegal to perform these two
trades without a proper license, and may even void your homeowners insurance.)
6. Are they licensed, and do they carry enough liability
insurance to replace your home? (i.e. $2,000,000.00).
7. Do they return your calls promptly? Did
they prepare your bid in a timely fashion? (Delays at this point
are not a good indication of prompt, timely service to come.)
8. Is their bid complete and comprehensive?
Are there hidden costs to be added later? Is the presentation
of the bid as professional as you would expect the rest of the service
to be?
9. Do they provide you with their home telephone
number?
10. Do they provide current references? (Anyone
can have one or two good references in a couple of years.)
11. Do they operate from the back of their
truck? Or do they have a complete business plan?
12. What is their trade background? Management?
Framing? Trim Carpentry? Cabinetry? Plumbing?
Electrical? (Remember someone will need to coordinate, monitor,
and ensure the quality of several different trades.)
13. Are each of the tradesmen who will be performing
the work proficient and well trained in their field? (i.e.: seven
to thirty-five years experience)
14. Do they maintain a safe and clean job-site and
respect the fact that you are living just upstairs, or are they used
to working on new construction sites where they do not have to pick
up after themselves. Our jobs are maintained in a clean and safe manner
every day.
15. Do they maintain consistent communication
to keep you informed of progress, scheduling, choices and decisions
needed from you?
16. Did they charge enough for the project to stay
in business and complete the job? Or will you be scrambling to
find someone to finish your basement?
All of my references, older and more recent still reflect
positively on these questions. Please take time to talk to a few
of our references from our Reference List, or even go have a look at
our quality of workmanship. Remember, you will be relying on your
contractor for the next couple of months.
Gerald L. Vidmar
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"NOT ALWAYS THE LEAST
EXPENSIVE, RARELY THE MOST EXPENSIVE,
BUT ALWAYS THE BEST VALUE!™"
