The Adored Abode

Throughout the 4 years we’ve lived at our house we have hired our fair share of contactors for various projects, large and small. We like to do projects ourselves when we can, but we know there are limits to our skills, resources, and time.

Below is a list of all the projects we have hired out. Not to say you (or we) couldn’t do some of these ourselves, we just chose not to due to either the time or skill they would have taken.

• Popcorn ceiling removal
• Hardwood floor installation
• Staircase and railing replacement
• Stamped concrete patio installation
• Exterior painting and wood rot repair
• Master bathroom remodel
• Tree trimming and removal

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Now that I feel like we have worked with several contractors I felt it was time to write a post all about how to find contractors and tips on working with them for a successful project! We have had our fair share of doozies and lessons learned – now that we know better we have been much more successful in selecting contractors.

TIPS FOR THE HIRING PROCESS

1. Get referrals from friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. This is hands down my favorite way to find a contractor. When someone you know has used a contractor and had a good experience it’s more likely your experience will be good too, rather than finding a random company online – that can be a crap shoot. I’ve used sites like Home Advisor in the past without much luck. I know some people can find great contractors through sites like that, but that just hasn’t been the case for me. I much prefer a referral from someone I know. Even local Facebook pages or neighborhood group pages can be great resources for finding a contractor.
2. Ask for in person estimates or bids from multiple companies. A lot of companies will do estimates for free – almost all of the contractors we have hired provided free estimates.
3. Compare the estimates and your interactions with each contractor. Remember, the cheapest isn’t always the best option and the most expensive doesn’t necessarily mean the best quality. Consider their professionalism. Were they on time? Did they get back to you quickly? If the answer is no to either of these questions they may not want/need your business that much or it could indicate a communication issue that may prove to be troublesome if you hire them (speaking from experience here).
4. Double check the online reviews before you hire someone. Look at the company website or Facebook page if they have one too, there will often be pictures of their recent work. If there isn’t anything online ask for pictures and examples of their work (depending on the project) – most companies will be happy to provide this.
5. Make sure the contractor is licensed and insured. This will protect you if there is any damage during the project or if anyone gets hurt.
6. Once you decide on a contractor make sure to have a signed contract detailing the work to be completed and the cost. Some contracts may be very detailed, some may be simple bullet points depending on what the project is, either way this is my biggest recommendation – have a signed contract of some sort. If they company doesn’t automatically provide one, ask for it. Our master bathroom contract was very, very detailed – line by line of how much each piece of the project cost for labor and an allowance for materials. On the other hand, the contract for our popcorn ceiling removal was very simple – it just detailed the rooms we wanted the popcorn ceilings scraped from and that we wanted flat ceiling texture, not knock down (we found this was a very important detail that needed to be documented).

TIPS FOR WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Ask your contractor the easiest way to reach them – for us it has almost always been text – and use that method to communicate with them when they aren’t on site and you need to reach them. Set expectations at the beginning of the project. If it’s a larger project (like our master bathroom) provide them with pictures of your inspiration for the space, a drawing, or even handwritten notes highlighting some of the key points if you are not also hiring a designer to lead the project. When they are on site don’t be afraid to ask questions or even ask them to redo something that wasn’t done the way you expected, you are paying for it after all! For larger projects we like to have daily check-ins with our contractor to discuss any issues or decisions we need to make to keep them moving forward. We found daily check-ins for larger projects that would span a week, or more, were perfect. Poor communication could lead to a finished product you aren’t too thrilled with!
2. Make decisions and pay your contractor timely. This is especially key for larger projects that may have decisions and payments over specific milestones, i.e., have your tile selection to your contractor before plumbing is completed to keep the project moving along. That way you are doing your part to make sure the project finishes on time.
3. Have a plan for how your contractor will access your house (if they need inside). Will you be home to let them in? Often, we are not able to be home when contractors are working in our house so we will give the contractors our garage code (which we change when they are completed) so they can come and go during the day as they need. Some people may be uncomfortable with this, but it is really the only solution that works for us since we both work full time.
4. Have a plan for kids and pets. Most of the projects we have hired out are LOUD and span over more than a few days. Since we are not able to be home most of the time since we work full time, we always make a plan for our dogs – usually my parents or Nathan’s parents graciously let them hang out at their house during the day while the work is being done. Our dogs would be a disaster if someone was working inside or outside our house while we weren’t home. This happened one time when our exterior painters started half a day early, poor Pete (our nervous dog) was beside himself when we got home that day and we have been very careful to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
5. Something I have started to do that goes a long way is offering our contractors snacks or drinks. If they are working outside and it’s hot provide a small cooler with water bottles, ice, and some cold snacks. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. This isn’t a must, but it shows your contractor you care and honestly I have noticed they will go above and beyond if you show them a little extra kindness.

Those are my top tips for hiring and working with contractors! I hope you found it helpful if you are thinking about hiring a contractor or plan to do so in the future.