Have you recently decided to move forward with your plans to renovate your Scarborough home or to build a dream home? A critical initial step to take for both of these project types is to hire a skilled and reputable general contractor. At Alair Homes Scarborough, we understand that many local residents have heard nightmarish stories about other contracting companies in the area, but we can assure you that we are the reliable and experienced professionals that you want working for you from start to finish. As you prepare to vet local contractors in the Scarborough area, focus your attention on these important steps to make a smart decision.

Prepare a Short List

It is not reasonable to contact every general contracting firm in the Scarborough area for a quote for services. Instead, it is more cost-effective and beneficial to create a short list of companies based on referrals that you receive from local residents in the area. In addition to asking your friends and co-workers for recommendations, you can also scour the Internet to find great reviews. A few places to turn to when researching contractors include Angie’s List, the Better Business Bureau, Houzz and RenoMark.

Ask for Company References

Any reputable contracting firm in Scarborough will be able to provide you with a list of at least a few satisfied clients. These references should be for recently completed projects, so obtain the contact name, the property’s address and the project completion date. If the project involved outside work, drive by the site to check out the quality of the work that was completed. Call each reference directly, and ask each one the same pre-determined questions to compare the responses.

Confirm Services Offered

Avoid making the assumption that all general contractors offer the same types and caliber of services. A notable difference to pay attention to is how the site is managed. Some companies send different managers to sites on a rotating schedule, and this means that your project will not receive regular attention from a dedicated professional. It also may mean that you do not have a single point of contact.

Photo by Alair Homes Scarborough – Look for kitchen pictures

Set Up a Tour

A reputable contractor will be open to taking you to a few active project sites. As you tour the sites with the manager, pay close attention to the workmanship, the cleanliness of the work areas and more. Your project tour is a wonderful time to get to know more about the manager who you may be working with. The contracting company’s manager will interact with you regularly throughout the project, so you need to feel confident about this individual’s abilities and professionalism. You also should have great rapport and communicate easily. If you get a bad vibe from a manager, it is best to trust your instincts.

Selecting your contractor carefully is one of the best initial steps that you can take to promote a smoother and easy contraction or renovation process. At Alair Homes Scarborough, we are dedicated to providing each client with personalized service and to giving each project our full attention throughout the process. If you are interested in learning more about our services and the experience of our team, now is a great time to contact us for more information.