GET CONTRACTOR REFERENCES/SEE EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS WORK
Aside from being comfortable with your contractor’s price, you need to have confidence in them as a business. Do they provide a valuable product and service? Are they reliable? Can they clearly communicate: both listen and advise? One way to evaluate this is to look at their body of work. You can get a good feel for a contractor’s quality from their portfolio. Walking through an active project is very informative, as well. Even though you may not see finished items, you get a sense for organization and cleanliness. These two items speak volumes about a contractor. Take note. References help you get a feel for how reliable your contractor is. It's good to ask a reference about how well the contractor communicated. How clear were they with their pricing? Did they set realistic expectations regarding the project’s schedule? Would you use them for a future project? Ultimately, we feel that a recommendation from a friend or trusted associate regarding a contractor holds great value. You have already established trust with your friend or colleague, the fact that they are willing to vouch for a contractor says a lot.