How to Find a Contractor You Can Trust, Part II

When it comes to having repairs done around your home, you need a contractor you can trust. There are so many out there who claim to be fair, honest and essentially the best in the business. Oftentimes, however, it’s all hot air with very little to support it. That’s why it’s important to have an arsenal of tools for finding the right contractor.

In part I of this blog, we discussed two of these tools. One is the internet. Finding reputable reviews is a great way to find a contractor you can trust. Be wary, however; some websites allow businesses to “buy” positive reviews. The other tool is your instinct. If something seems fishy, it may be a scam. ServiceWhale eliminates both of these threats with their thorough background checks run on each contractor in our system. Two more things to look for in a contractor you can trust is respect and explanations.

Respecting You and Your Property

When a contractor comes to your home, you expect them to act in a professional manner. This includes respecting you and your property. While “respect” may seem like a broad term, there are specific attributes that are under this umbrella. First, they should arrive on time, every day. If there is a reason they will not be, that should be explained before you notice they are missing.

Another major point of respect to look for in a contractor you can trust is asking your permission to go through parts of the house they are not working on. They should not be entering bedrooms or other areas that are not being built or renovated. This even applies to the bathroom. If you allow the crew to use your restroom, make it very clear which one they may use. If you are worried about finding a contractor who will respect you, ServiceWhale aggregates trustworthy reviews from others who have hired that contractor before.

Thorough Explanations

When you hire a contractor, you sign a contract that explains what supplies are being purchased, the work being done, the timeframe in which it will be completed and other details. Unfortunately, these are often no more than guidelines. Weather may delay construction, more work may be needed than originally thought and other factors could raise the price of the job. These sorts of changes should be expected.

But, these sorts of changes should also be thoroughly explained by your contractor. They should go over the contract with you and point out what is changing and why. If they do not, they are likely either a scam artist or simply not good at what they do. Both scenarios can be avoided by using ServiceWhale’s contractor-finding tools. Any contractor on our site must go through a three-step process first to make sure they are a contractor you can trust.

If you need any sort of work done on your Philadelphia-area home, ServiceWhale can help. Just tell us what services you need, and you can get fast, free quotes from the top contractors in the area, without ever having them come to your home first.