Finding a Quality Home Contractor

You've heard the horror stories…the one where the contractor repeatedly emphasized mold and health issues to "up-sell" a homeowner into a bigger job. Or how about the one where the contractor wasn't insured when one of his worker's was injured? Perhaps my favorite is the story where the contractor accepted a large deposit required "for materials" only to never to be heard from again. (This actually happened to Susanne Shaw, our Metro Charlotte Research Director.)

Believe it or not, stories like these are far more common than most homeowners' realize. That's why our mission at HomeServiceReports.org is to connect homeowners to the finest home improvement companies in the market. How do we do it, you ask? Through our 5-step, proprietary research process, that's how.

Here are the steps that HomeServiceReports.org takes to root-out the bad guys and to help make sure that you can find a quality home improvement contractor:

Step 1: Universe Study. The first step in finding the best craftsmen in any trade involves identifying a comprehensive list of contractors that perform a particular service.

Step 2: Pre-qualification. Next, we narrow the list of "suspects" to a shorter list of "prospects" to be considered for our "Homeowner Approved" program. Companies will only proceed through the process if they are A-rated by the Better Business Bureau, Angie's List, or some other reputable rating agency, or if they come highly recommended by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry or a company that has already been "Homeowner Approved".

Step 3: The Interview. Upon pre-qualification, we meet with the owner or an officer of the company to explain our program, and learn more about the business under review. Our goal here is to confirm our preliminary research and determine whether the company really measures up to our expectations.

Step 4: "Homeowner Approved". If the interview yields a positive outcome, we ask for the contact information of the last 100 customers served by the company being evaluated. Our researchers then randomly select at least 10 homeowners from the list and talk with them directly about their experience with the company. Through our survey, we grade the company on 10 points of customer service, everything from phone skills to workmanship to punch list resolution. To be designated "Homeowner Approved" a company must come highly recommended and receive an "A" score from their customers.

Step 5: Re-certification. Each year, we repeat Step 4 for each of our participating companies to re-confirm high standards of customer satisfaction. Non-performing companies are removed from the program.

Of course, selecting a company from our Annual Report or our website, HomeServiceReports.org, isn't the end-all solution to your home improvement needs. It's equally important for you to take a few steps on your own to help assure a successful home project. First off, you'll want to interview a few businesses and get 2-3 "apples-to-apples" quotes to give you a better understanding of the requirements and the anticipated costs for your project.

Talking with experts will help educate you and make sure you cover your bases, no doubt. Once you've gotten multiple quotes, you'll want to select a contractor based on your budget and your needs. A careful balance is extremely important here. Price should never be the only consideration . . . a lower quote does not necessarily mean a cheaper price and more importantly because the lowest price almost never equals the best solution in the end! And while we're at it, don't forget the importance of "chemistry" when making your final selection…all things being equal, it's better to work with someone you like. Not only does it make the experience more enjoyable, but it also makes it easier to work through problems should they occur over the course of your home improvement project.

Finally, once you've chosen your contractor, be sure to get a written agreement so that both of you are on the same page with the requirements of the job. A detailed contract will also give you legal recourse should things get sideways down the road.

At the end of the day, using one of the home contractors featured in our Annual Report or on our website, HomeServiceReports.org, is a great place to start your next home project. Combined with a little effort on your part, taking this step will help make sure that your home improvement project doesn't turn into a nightmare.

Article contributed by James Moon, President at HomeServiceReports.org