Characteristics You Should Be Looking for to Ensure That You Hire a Professional Remodeler

Any homeowner planning to remodel wants nothing less than a professional job.

Who wouldn’t want the best quality in terms of workmanship and materials when it comes to improving your most prized and most valuable asset?  However, when it comes to selecting a remodeler, too many buyers conveniently forget the time-proven adage that “you get what you pay for.”  The search for a Naples contractor can be a daunting task, especially if you are in a rush to start a home renovation project.

The dilemma that confronts many homeowners is your desire for a top-notch job at the lowest possible price.  With price as the primary focus, we tend to ignore other criteria that may carry more weight in producing a successfully completed project.

While, it’s understandable that price is a major consideration when it comes to remodeling; higher costs of materials (such as copper pipes) and scarcity of skilled labor are but two factors contributing to price increases.  Homeowners need to understand that remodeling is a service and not merely a product.  This service encompasses the intangibles that make up the process of remodeling, most importantly, how everything comes together and results in a satisfying experience and an acceptable finished product.  The materials and products can’t define a professional job alone.

The nature of remodeling as a service becomes even more pronounced when you consider that inevitably you’ll be sharing your home with the remodelers’ crews for weeks or even months, depending on the scale of the project.  All remodeling involves some degree of inconvenience, but inconvenience can easily turn into a nightmare if your remodeler doesn’t put your family’s comforts and concerns first.

Rather than selecting a Naples contractor based on where one bid falls compared to another, shift your focus to finding a professional remodeler; then go about getting a bid on your job.  If the bid is higher than what you budgeted, work with the remodeler to decide where you can cut back or what you can postpone to keep the project on budget.

Some important characteristics you should be looking for to ensure that you hire a professional remodeler are:

  • Experience – Ask how long the remodeler has been in business. Longevity suggests financial stability, which is necessary for the remodeler to finish the job and still be available if problems crop up after the job is completed.
  • Reputation – Look to the remodelers’ former and current customers to gauge the company’s reputation. Get references from customers whose projects were similar to the one you are planning.  Also, go visit one of the company’s jobs in progress to evaluate how they manage the construction process and how tidy they keep the job site.
  • Business Credentials – A good place to start your search for a remodeler is through the Collier Building Industry Association (CBIA). Participation demonstrates a Naples contractor who is committed to professionalism and to the remodeling industry.
  • License and Insurance – Ask to see a copy of the remodeler’s license; you can also check the license online at myfloridalicense.com. It is also important to verify that the remodeler carries workers’ compensation and liability insurance.  Have the remodeler show you copies of both insurance certificates to protect yourself from liability in situations involving job site injuries or property damage resulting from the work being done on your home.

If your goal is a professional remodeling project, then your best bet is to hire a professional remodeler.  The extra cost will pay for itself in the satisfaction you receive while the project is in progress and during the many years you will enjoy the completed project.

To find a professional Naples contractor, go to the Collier Building Industry Association at  www.cbia.net or contact the office at 436-6100.